Top 10 Movies You May Have Missed From Summer 2012

2. The Intouchables

It’s not usually the case when you see a film purposely marketed as a schmaltzy, buddy movie (in this case sold as the offbeat bromantic relationship between a millionaire cripple and his black man servant – let the hijinks ensue!). In this instance, however, The Weinstein’s did just that, which makes The Intouchables easily one of the most mis-marketed films of the year.

Normally, we’ve blindsided by empty, manipulative sentiment in a film presented as a poignant drama or a sweet children’s fable – a bait and switch of sugary proportions. This French mega-hit on the other hand sucker-punched me with its frequent hilarity and kind, earnest treatment of its characters, regardless of the non-so-authentic on-screen treatment of real life events from which this film draws its inspiration.

The two principle actors, Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet, nail their respective roles as a softening street thug and softening quadriplegic, respectively. Sy’s Driss is overcoming his complacency at being a slacker and petty thief (topics of race are thankfully never a point of debate here) and Cluzet’s Philippe at shedding some of his curmudgeonly ways. Even if a friendship of this would ever evolve in the real world (it likely wouldn’t in 99-percent of cases) that’s never called into question here because when the laughs aren’t splitting your sides these fully-realized individuals are charming away any inhibitions.

The Intouchables so far has grossed a truly mammoth $362 million worldwide and was voted the cultural event of the year in its native France. Though such a commendation may be overkill for a film that really breaks no boundaries but merely enchants (think Titanic and its 12 Oscars), it is easy to see why.

The Intouchables has been holding steady over the summer in limited release but if you have any hesitation about seeking this film out because of what some of the trailers (and cynics looking to reduce the film to a debate on class war) would have you believe, I strongly beg you reconsider.

1. Sleepless Night

Taken meets Running Scared meets the nightclub shootout in Collateral, French import Sleepless Night is a relentless and desperate exercise; chronicling one dirty cop’s attempt to retrieve his kidnapped son after a heist goes wrong. The setup seems familiar, and by all accounts this thriller is assembled from ideas of its genre predecessors, though it goes about telling its story so slickly and entertainingly that it’s difficult not to simply get caught up in the breathless series of errors that is Sleepless Night.

Even when just glancing over the tale that unravels over the course of one long (and yes, sleepless) night, it’s a bloody collage of lies, deceit and despair – double cross meets undercover meets setup meets inside man. When one subterfuge isn’t spawning three more, Sleepless Night is providing us with some of the year’s best fight sequences which are brutal, realistic and immensely engrossing. This is not the kind of movie where at the finale the hero walks out the front door following a shootout (unfazed) girl in one arm, flicking a cigarette with his free appendage – no. We invest in the protagonists and the stakes are so vividly realized we know any moment could be their last.

The ensemble cast (who are all pretty obscure Stateside) are extremely talented but the onus ultimately lies with Tomer Sisley, who occupies the screen most prevalently and must emote with only with his face through extended periods as the nightclub setting eventually heats up for the night, leaving dialogue no longer an option as the music becomes deafening.

Everything comes to a head in a satisfying, messy fashion and at the finale employs the open-ended melancholy that serves films such as these so well. Almost nobody has heard of this film (I only sought it out because a friend recommended it) so here I am, passing along my own enthusiastic approval of the great Sleepless Night.

Did we miss anything? Any films you feel should be added to the list? Let us know in the comments below.