THE KID WITH A BIKE - IFC Films
Cyril is the kid in The Kid With a Bike, and
he’s got some issues. A pale, sinewy 11-year-old, he’s been discarded
by his parents at a Belgian boys’ home. He’s almost feral: He scampers
away from his state-appointed minders like a frightened rodent, biting
and clawing at anyone who threatens to separate him from his beloved
bicycle. Usually, this would end up either a grim tale of lost youth or a
saccharine redemption story. But this is the work of Jean-Pierre and
Luc Dardenne, filmmakers noted for both their sensitivity and lack of
sentimentality. It’s life presented as is, without cinematic
manipulation, the sense of empathy coming only from the directors’
humane touch.
- Showing at: Mission Theater.
- Best paired with: Black Rabbit Porter.
- Also showing: The Thomas Crown Affair (Laurelhurst).
