"Hors normes" is a relatively new French movie, namely from 2019, and this was a big player at the most recent César Awards ceremony, the French Oscars where it scored so many nominations, but eventually came short in every category. Still this film was quite a success I believe, also with audiences and it resulted in a lot of money. But this should not really surprise anybody because the duo that wrote and directed here consists of Nakache and Toledano and these two had their big breakthrough with Intouchables a while ago, still one of the most famous French films ever. Apparently, they always collaborate. And prestigious actors want to be in their movies. The best example is Vincent Cassel here, an actor I always adore. He has a bit of a sinister take to him, but in this movie here, unlike many other films he has been in, he plays a downright good guy, a man working for an independent organisation that supports young people with autism. The degrees are different. Some are really severe cases, while others are at least slightly normal. We meet many of these characters here, be it the girl from very early on who managed to get away (and it almost felt like an abduction when they get her back) and we do not really find out a lot about her character, except that she shows up again at the end once more, be it the one from closed psychiatry who manages to get away near the end (many manage to get away apparently) or be it the one who is crushing on his colleague, which is a key reason why he cannot stay there as a worker because how he touches her. So it is definitely not a feel-good movie, even if there are uplifting moments and scenes. But reality bites too on many occasions. Be it the lost job I mentioned, a broken nose or also visibly away from the kids how Cassel's character struggles really hard with making sure they can keep working. This becomes obvious during the interview with these supervisors near the end where he also has a bit of a meltdown, but who can blame him with how stressful his job is really.
The lighter moments mostly included some kind of romance. That even rhymes. Be it the protagonists unsuccessful shots at love that are constantly interruupted by his profession or be it the new young Black employee crushing on the speech therapist, these moments will put a smile on your lips for sure here and there. For me it applied more to Cassel's scenes, but I am biased here because I truly enjoy the actor. The ending was good too with how the young man finally managed the train ride without using the emergency alarm causing the train to stop, but one second they are not looking and he does it again at the station and they all run away quickly afterwards. But it is also the situational comedy with hich the film delivers. Just take these really big chubby Jewish folks in their traditional outfits and how they are apparently those in charge of making sure everybody gets enough to eat. It made me a bit hungry I will not deny it. I think everybody in the cast did a decent job here, down to the smaller supporting players. The MVP is Cassel of course though and I am pretty sure I would say so too if I was unbiased. Good hhe also got a César nomination. The one for his Reda Kateb, who plays his colleague, surprises me a bit though. His material was not that good and his screen time was also down, but still he managed to get in for Lead Actor. But I am not mad about it, he was alright. Also surprised by Hélène Vincent's nomination for sure with howw little screen time she had, but that really tragic final scene probably helped her when loneliness and fear overwhelm her and she says she is more likely to kill herself and her son than to leave him alone one day in this world when she dies. Shocking stuff, but even this was treated in a slightly light way again with Cassel's charcater staying for the carrot cake because he could not leave her alone in that mental state. So there was a lot wrong and broken right before the end of the movie and I am not sure if this stage play out of nowhere (also with Vincent's character in the audience being stunned) did not feel a bit too much of a forced somewhat happy ending. But it is tolerable I suppose. Also Vincent was somewhat the only older female cast member here (did I just assume her gender?? oh no! how rude!) and also at the same time the only female cast member I felt was not pretty hot or stunning. Many beautiful women in this film (oh no I did it again). Sometimes it reminded me a bit of the recent Ladj Ly movie that was an even bigger success, even nominated for an Oscar, in terms of the aggressions and anger and references to society and dealing with outcasts. This one here is not as violent as Ly's work, but at least as sobering I'd say. Also lighter here and there for sure. The French filmmakers are just so much better when it comes to dramedy making a statement about the current state of society, poverty, conflicts between ethnicities or support groups and official government institutions compared to how German films do in that department. Pathetic, that is. Just take a look at "Willkommen bei den Hartmanns" from recently. An utterly unrealistic, unauthentic mess from beginning to end. This one here is the exact opposite. It feels real, smart and making a statement and deserves very much to be seen. Here and there I had a moment where I as close to giving this four stars out of five, but overall I shall stay with three. Maybe on rewatch. But no hesitation at all that this deserves a thumbs-up and positive recommendation. Go watch it if you get the chance!
The lighter moments mostly included some kind of romance. That even rhymes. Be it the protagonists unsuccessful shots at love that are constantly interruupted by his profession or be it the new young Black employee crushing on the speech therapist, these moments will put a smile on your lips for sure here and there. For me it applied more to Cassel's scenes, but I am biased here because I truly enjoy the actor. The ending was good too with how the young man finally managed the train ride without using the emergency alarm causing the train to stop, but one second they are not looking and he does it again at the station and they all run away quickly afterwards. But it is also the situational comedy with hich the film delivers. Just take these really big chubby Jewish folks in their traditional outfits and how they are apparently those in charge of making sure everybody gets enough to eat. It made me a bit hungry I will not deny it. I think everybody in the cast did a decent job here, down to the smaller supporting players. The MVP is Cassel of course though and I am pretty sure I would say so too if I was unbiased. Good hhe also got a César nomination. The one for his Reda Kateb, who plays his colleague, surprises me a bit though. His material was not that good and his screen time was also down, but still he managed to get in for Lead Actor. But I am not mad about it, he was alright. Also surprised by Hélène Vincent's nomination for sure with howw little screen time she had, but that really tragic final scene probably helped her when loneliness and fear overwhelm her and she says she is more likely to kill herself and her son than to leave him alone one day in this world when she dies. Shocking stuff, but even this was treated in a slightly light way again with Cassel's charcater staying for the carrot cake because he could not leave her alone in that mental state. So there was a lot wrong and broken right before the end of the movie and I am not sure if this stage play out of nowhere (also with Vincent's character in the audience being stunned) did not feel a bit too much of a forced somewhat happy ending. But it is tolerable I suppose. Also Vincent was somewhat the only older female cast member here (did I just assume her gender?? oh no! how rude!) and also at the same time the only female cast member I felt was not pretty hot or stunning. Many beautiful women in this film (oh no I did it again). Sometimes it reminded me a bit of the recent Ladj Ly movie that was an even bigger success, even nominated for an Oscar, in terms of the aggressions and anger and references to society and dealing with outcasts. This one here is not as violent as Ly's work, but at least as sobering I'd say. Also lighter here and there for sure. The French filmmakers are just so much better when it comes to dramedy making a statement about the current state of society, poverty, conflicts between ethnicities or support groups and official government institutions compared to how German films do in that department. Pathetic, that is. Just take a look at "Willkommen bei den Hartmanns" from recently. An utterly unrealistic, unauthentic mess from beginning to end. This one here is the exact opposite. It feels real, smart and making a statement and deserves very much to be seen. Here and there I had a moment where I as close to giving this four stars out of five, but overall I shall stay with three. Maybe on rewatch. But no hesitation at all that this deserves a thumbs-up and positive recommendation. Go watch it if you get the chance!