Review of The Kid with a Bike (2011) by Nellie K. A — 25 Mar 2012

Like most boys of his age, Cyril(Thomas Doret) is full of energy, which helps in his numerous escape attempts from a chldren's home where his father(Jeremie Renier) placed him about a month previously. On one such attempt, he gets as far as his old apartment building where he has to be surgically detached from Samantha(Cecile De France), a hairdresser. Not having any hard feelings, she buys him back his old bicycle which his father had sold without notifying him. In return, he asks to stay the weekends with her to which she agrees. However, even with the help of her boyfriend Gilles(Laurent Caron), they have trouble keeping him under control.

Written and directed by the Dardenne brothers with their usual humanism and care, "The Kid with a Bike" is a simple title of a simple, yet subtly moving, story about a complex issue that involves responsibility at many levels. Cyril's father has surrendered his familial responsibilities in order to start over in a new town. That in return causes Cyril to grow up much quicker than normal with his father not present to guide or raise him. Samantha, accepting society's responsibility for its children, takes up a bit of the slack but can only do so much as guardian, not parent, as she owns her own business. My only problem with this otherwise engaging film might be with the epilogue, even as I possibly grasp its meaning.