Review of The Kid with a Bike (2011) by Yahya M — 11 Oct 2011

The Dardenne brothers with their newest film 'The Kid with a Bike' continue to demonstrate their mastery of intricate character studies. The opening scene sees the title character Cyril (Thomas Doret), trying to break out of an orphanage to see his father, while everyone around him is trying to explain that his father has left him there. He refuses to listen to any of them. It's a heartbreaking opening, immediately giving us a taste of the magnificent performance that Doret will continue to demonstrate over the course of the film. Cyril is a rebellious young boy, frustrating to watch and unyielding in his cause and so sure that there must be some explanation; surely his father couldn't be that cruel. We watch knowing of the ultimate revelation he will arrive at.

Cecile De France (switchblade romance) plays the neighbour with the heart of gold who agrees to allow Cyril to spend weekends with her away from the orphanage despite how difficult he can clearly be. The relationship between the two of them is a fascinating one and the performances are top notch throughout as Cyril is forced to deal with his Father's reluctance to be a part of his life coupled with the attention of a local drug dealer.

The film has won several awards on the festival circuit and you can certainly see why. It's another excellent little French film that deserves all of the attention that it has been getting.