Samba (2015)

First of all, Samba is not a movie about dancing. I guess we all know that but I really felt like making this joke. Forgive my sometimes childish spirit. Samba is an enjoyable movie about a subject we are all aware of: ilegal immigrants. Unfortunately, ilegal immigrants are not our primary concern and I doubt anyone wastes more than 5 seconds a year thinking about them and their situation.Samba is a nice young man from Senegal who finds himself as close to being deported as when he arrived in Paris ten years back. During this decade in Paris, he worked in all sorts of jobs to take care of his family back home, and hoping to one day legalize his situation. In his particular struggle surviving in France and hiding from the police, he will find 3 people to rely on: his uncle who gives him a roof, a funny Arabic man who like him does not have a visa, and a french girl who is helping immigrants while taking a break from her real job. The adventures of our protagonist will make you laugh, and they will make you sad. Either way, they are a clear representation of the reality for thousands of men who are completely forgotten by the world, and who were born to struggle. More than men, they are like ghosts in our cities. As a conclusion, I would said, this is not the best movie I have seen by any means, but clearly a movie I am happy to have watched. I am not going to become a social worker just yet, but at least, the thought of these brave men will stay with me for more than a few seconds I previously dedicated to their cause.

This movie about the trials of Samba, a Senegalese illegal immigrant's life in Paris is from the director and lead actor Omar Sy that brought us The Intouchables, and suffers from revisiting the fish out of water relationships that underpinned that earlier film less convincingly. I just couldn't swallow the attraction that brought Alice, a burned out recruitment executive and Samba together, and most of the other central characters such as Wilson (Tahar Rahim) were superficial or unbelievable. The best aspect was raising the issue of how western societies treat refugees and illegal migrants. But overall it lurched between slapstick and serious without the glue of characters one cared about to hold it together.

As some have noted before, it is a light-hearted movie on a serious topic (undocumented immigrants) but always respectful at that.I cannot quite agree with the reviewers that did not see the humor in this movie (I laughed about every three minutes throughout - expect towards the end - and sometimes even cried at the same time). Neither can I understand how people can say that the characters are flat or even "boring". Imho, the film succeeds in portraying them in not just black and white; each of them (and there are many!) evolves within the 120 minutes so much so that, in fact, it is not about the immigrants being the "angels" and the immigrant officers being the "devils" at all. On the contrary, lines are blurred very early on and especially in the end.I find that this is a worth successor of "Untouchables"; I probably even prefer it. It is a very moving film (similar to the documentary "l'Escale") but without trying to be so. Also, the actors are brilliant! (Omar Sy, I think, even manages to mimic a Senegalese accent.)

Not sure about the spoiler but just in case! Having a good friend in Australia who likes French and other nationalities movies, I the French guy was invited once more to see this one. Samba! I was not in a particularly good mood but this stopped quickly as the film started. I also immediately seem to recognise that guy, from "that" movie and I thank IMDb to remind me it was the Untouchables that gave me also much pleasure. (Count your blessings you up there who have a good memory and much knowledge about this industry, I go to see movie in the hope to get an interesting time!) I did get a good and interesting time despite some not so flattering comments here. The two main characters were a lot of fun and weren't alone in this area. I like the light dealing with important issues like illegal immigration but also feelings and love. Where I am, immigration is made a big issue, where paranoia is competing with reality, but also of course is used also as a political football. But as usual often one's perception depends on what side of the fence one lives. The film gives glimpses of this situation. I seems to have caught more comedy than reviews suggest and I'm not complaining! It takes all kind and all tastes, but perfect or not it worked for me, I'd be surprised if it wouldn't for you.