Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Nonureva Really Surprised!

ShangLuda Admirable film.

eddie_baggins $426 million. The amount of money director's Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano last film The Intouchables made world-wide upon release in 2011/12. Not a bad haul for a movie that cost around $10 million to make.The thing with the Intouchables was, it was not only a huge box office sensation (particularly in its home country of France) but it was a film that both audiences and critics fawned over so much so that at the time of writing the film holds a steady place within the top 50 of the IMDb Top 250 films of all time. With such success comes expectations however and Nakache and Toledano had their work cut out to make there next project even half of what the Intouchables was, that project was Samba.Let's be frank, Samba neither replicated the box office success or the audience success that the Intouchables found but it's not like Samba is a bad film. Actually it's far from it; it's a likable film that for many reasons just doesn't contain enough spark or chemistry within it to even come close to bringing the feel good feels that came with the Intouchables. Firstly the story at the heart of this drama that has moments of comedy isn't nearly as attention grabbing as the true life tale at the heart of Philippe's and Driss's friendship and the films central romance between Omar Sy's (returning to work with the directors) illegal immigrant Samba and community worker Alice, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg never takes off, the two sharing an uneasy chemistry and Samba instead finds its winning card in other places.Sharing the screen with the always likable Tahar Rahim (an actor you just know will truly breakout one day) as fellow immigrant Wilson, Sy and Rahim find a groove in their on screen companionship that is both funny and at times emotionally resonate and they elevate the film so much so that you wish the film was centred more around these two newly acquainted friends. They deliver the films funniest scenes (a window washing scene in particular) and showcase just what could've been had Samba found more for these two actors to do.A topical film I'm sure for those situated in France and perhaps the world over in light of the recent refugee crisis's hitting the news in the last few months, Samba is a quality film that perhaps unfortunately will always be judged alongside the director's famed predecessor. It's a shame Samba's plot didn't play more to its strengths found in Sy and Rahim's and in the end it's a gently touching tale without being a great one.3 ½ lucky t-shirts out of 5

kosmasp And I'm not talking hot as in physically (though some may argue Omar is hot, which I reckon is not completely wrong), but as in right now, news worthy topic hot. Immigrants are one of the main "issues" in quite a few countries at the moment and it's almost comical to what degree some are arguing on this.This movie on the other hand is intentionally funny and it has good actors to back that story up. Even if you don't buy everything the characters are doing, you can easily empathize with them, if you're willing and open enough, to let those emotions in. The movie has a message in all the entertainment, which can be taken or read or completely ignored. That's up to the viewer. It is a very well made movie though and you can watch it, even without the current events being an obstacle to that form of "entertainment"

santiagocosme 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.

nina_glyndwr This film could have been a lot better. It dragged in places - 2 hours long!!! 90 minutes would have been sufficient.The major problem is Charlotte Gainsbourg. I'd like to like her, given her parents, but she seems to have only two expressions: sulky, bored face and wan smile. She doesn't seem to be capable of emotions. She whispers most of her words.In a lot of the scenes with her and Omar Sy the characters didn't say much. Sort of along the lines of: *cough* "Did you say something?" "No. No, I didn't say anything." "Oh, you see I thought you had said something." "No, not me." "Oh, I thought you had." In places like this, the film drags.Fortunately, there are plenty of laughs along the way.However.. as is often the case with French comedies, there are sad bits, too. What is shocking is to see how the 'sans-papiers', those without the necessary papers, actually live. It's a dangerous and precarious life, never knowing where your next bit of paid, but illegal, work is coming from. I know it's a film and so not a real-life documentary, but it does make you think. It's sobering.Even a funny character like Wilson makes you realise just how hard the life of an illegal immigrant is. He's generally a happy-go-lucky character, but you can see how desperate he is to keep his charade going. Poor guy.Or take the scenes where the women in the immigration centre are trying to help all the immigrants. They are funny scenes, but you realise what a hard task they have.I'd watch the film again - but it could have been a lot better with a tighter script and a different female lead.