Filmmakers Éric Toledano and Olivier Nakache chase their monster hit The Intouchables with a comedic exposé on the plight of illegal immigrants. Omar Sy lends his incandescent talents to the role of Samba, a resourceful Senegalese illegal who has managed to stay off the books for ten years while closing in on his dream of becoming a chef. When the authorities finally catch up to him, it’s up to immigrant services volunteer, Alice, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, to prevent his deportation. Alice is a timid, white-collar burnout trying to bounce back from problems of her own, but once she meets Samba, she has more than charity on her mind. When Alice advises Samba to hide in plain sight for another year until he is eligible to reapply for legal papers, Samba and his womanizing “Brazilian” buddy Walid (A Prophet’s Tahar Rahim) embark on a riotous odyssey of thankless jobs and random identities. But while Samba is ready to jump through all kinds of bureaucratic hoops, he’s not so sure he’s ready to jump into a relationship.
