An Extraordinary drama
The Extraordinary (M, 113 mins) Directed by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Reviewed by James Croot ★★★★1⁄2 In French with English subtitles.
The French film-making duo of Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano have done it again. After the twin delights of The Intouchables and C’est La Vie, the pair return with another engrossing, crowdpleasing charmer which will draw the whole gamut of emotions from viewers.
Inspired by the real-life work of Stephane Benhamou and Daoud Tatou, The Extraordinary focuses on two interlinked Paris organisations dedicated to helping young autistic people abandoned by the state system. There’s serial runner Emilie (Suzanne-Marie Gabriell), train disruptor Joseph (Benjamin Lesieur) and selfharmer Valentin (Marco Locatelli).
They are just three of around 40 in the care of Le Silence du Justes. Run by Bruno Haroche (Vincent Cassel), it offers around-the-clock care and a chance for interaction for those who might otherwise be isolated or locked away.
But despite operating for almost a decade-and-a-half, these are troubled times for Haroche and his crew. Finances are tight, their facilities are bursting at the seams (‘‘stop telling everyone, ‘I’ll find a solution’,’’ Haroche’s accountant warns) and they’re now the subject of a government review.
The authorities are concerned that they’ve never sought certification and that many of their carers aren’t qualified (most are troubled teens from ‘‘the projects’’ trained by Haroche’s mate Malik’s (Red Kateb) Le Relais IDF).
The result of two years’ immersion in the lives of the two associations, The Extraordinary does the remarkable job of delivering heart and a very vivid depiction of life on the frontlines of mental healthcare.
Fans of the excellent American TV hospital drama New Amsterdam will see similarities between the depiction of Haroche and Ryan Eggold’s Dr Max
Goodwin, as they struggle to juggle their empathetic work approach with their personal lives.
Cassel (Black Swan, Eastern Promises), so often the bad guy, is outstanding here as the charismatic Haroche, whether it’s negotiating the release of one of his clients or attempting to salvage yet another date that’s been ruined by the intrusion of his vocation.
He’s ably supported by a memorably eclectic cast of characters and Nakache and Toledano’s intimate handheld approach, that includes a series of scenes shot from the perspective of one of the more troubled young persons.
At turns life-affirming, tear and rage-inducing, make sure you check out The Extraordinary before the inevitable English language remake.