Review of The Kid with a Bike (2011) by Matt G — 20 Dec 2011

Brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have already established themselves as the masters of realist human drama. Again and again, they conjure powerful stories that demand pitch perfect performances and a strict adherence to their characteristic aesthetic.

And again and again, they achieve success. Here, they create an endearing portrait of an angry 12 year old boy, Cyril, and his new found foster mother, Samantha. At heart, this is a story about Cyril needing to betray his defenseless loyalty to his father in order to find a good life for himself.

He's a very smart and strong kid. The Dardennes have such a keen eye for the psychology of the youth (though not just the youth). We see Cyril behave in ways familiar to anyone. In almost every scene, he can be scene rebelling against the superiority around him, testing their tolerance of him.

We see him lured in by a local gang leader in order to pull a job. Clearly, he primarily seeks the male camaraderie is father couldn't offer. This is the story of him eventually learning to accept the love of Samantha, played with spirit by Cecile De France.

In the perspective of the brothers previous canon of films, The Kid With a Bike doesn't stray from their already established formula. But it has two characters interesting enough to merit itself as a worthy entry into their filmography.