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Health & Fitness

Movie Review: 'The Kid With a Bike'

Movie Review: The Kid with a Bike

I know very little about the brothers Dardenne, Jean-Pierre and Luc, who wrote and directed The Kid with a Bike, as this is the first time I have encountered thier work. I know that they are Belgian and that they always work together. I also know that their films have been described as minimalist, that is to say simply that they eliminate everything but the essentials of the story they are telling. Based on Kid, I'd have to say that's an accurate label.

Set in a French speaking Belgian town, The Kid with a Bike tells the story of, Cyril (played with tremendous authenticity by newcomer Thomas Doret), who from the opening sequence is, well, a bit of a handful. This isn't without reason: Cyril lives in foster care while his father, living not far from the foster home, wants nothing to do with his son. At first, Cyril, rejects this notion, frantically trying to return to his dad's old apartment to reunite and retrieve his precious bike.

Because of a chance encounter near the apartment, Cyril is brought into contact with Samantha, played by Cecile De France (of Hereafter), an incredibly generous local hairdresser. At Cyril's request, Samantha agrees to take care of him on weekends. He trusts Samantha, but is filled with confusion, anger and hostility as any young boy in his situation would be, and he soon rebels, falling into a crowd of local thugs. What follows is an emotional tug of war, both externally and internally, to determine which road Cyril will take.

Clocking in at 87 minutes, The Kid with a Bike is brief yet effective, subtle yet emotionally complex. The Dardenne's work here feels completely effortless. It really is minimalism at work. There isn't a single scene that doesn't serve a purpose, no line of dialogue wasted. Even the "score," which consists of a single piece of music about six seconds long that is played maybe five times throughout, is as bare-bones as you'll likely see. I almost wonder why there was any music at all.

It would be tempting to say, and I'm sure some will, that not a whole lot happens over the course of the movie. On the surface, I can't say this is entirely inaccurate. But beneath the surface and behind Cyril's eyes is a deep struggle that will basically determine whether or not this young boy is able to overcome a terrible situation, and with Samantha's help, whether or not he will be able to save himself.  

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There are some really touching moments here between Cyril and Samantha, but they play out differently than you may be expecting. They aren't grandiose moments of acceptance or redemption effectuated with long drawn out conversations. These are more quiet moments. It's more real this way.

Rating: 8/11

For all me reviews, visit: http://mastersofourdomain.blogspot.com/

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