The Kid with a Bike (2011)
"Le gamin au vélo" (original title)

Abandoned by his father, a young boy is left in a state-run youth farm. In a random act of kindness, the town hairdresser agrees to foster him on weekends.

Directors:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Stars:

Thomas Doret, Cécile De France, Jérémie Renier

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 7 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Doret	...	Cyril Catoul
Cécile De France	...	Samantha
Jérémie Renier	...	Guy Catoul
Fabrizio Rongione	...	Le libraire
Egon Di Mateo	...	Wes
Olivier Gourmet	...	Le patron du bar
Batiste Sornin	...	Educateur 1 (as Baptiste Sornin)
Samuel De Rijk	...	Educateur 2
Carl Jadot	...	L'instituteur
Claudy Delfosse	...	L'homme gare de bus
Jean-Michel Balthazar	...	Le voisin Val Polet
Frédéric Dussenne	...	Le concierge
Myriem Akeddiou	...	L'assistante médicale (as Myriem Akheddiou)
Sandra Raco	...	L'éducatrice
Hicham Slaoui	...	Le directeur

Storyline

At about 11, the stubborn and impulsive Cyril seems on his way to delinquency: he has no mother, his father wants a new life without him, so he's in a foster institution. He searches for his father, wanting him and his bike. Through the intersession of Samantha, a hairdresser Cyril happens upon, he gets his bike back, and she offers to take him into her home on weekends. He remains aloof from her and gets involved with a young crook. Is Cyril intent on driving Samantha away - and what then?

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Plot Keywords:

boy | father | nickname | father son reunion | foster home | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violence, brief language and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Diaphana [fr] Official site

Country:

Belgium France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 May 2011 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Untitled Dardenne Brothers Project

Filming Locations:

Liège, Wallonia, Belgium

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$45,933 (USA) (16 March 2012)

Gross:

$1,384,749 (USA) (8 June 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, Lucky Red

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script was structured with a fairytale in mind, where the boy would lose his illusions and Samantha would appear as a fairy-like figure.

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Goofs

When the hairdresser is leaving the orphanage after she returned Cyrill's bike the car she iss driving makes the sound of Diesel engine, but in the next scene with the same car the car sounds like it has a petrol engine.

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Connections

Features Gears of War 3 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Adagio un poco mosso"
from Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 73
written by Ludwig van Beethoven
performed by Alfred Brendel and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Bernard Haitink

User Reviews

Skillful Straightforwardness.

12-year-old Cyril lives in an institute for kids, and is adopted by a woman during the weekends. He wishes to see his father, who however is deliberately avoiding him, overly stressed about his financial problems. Soon after this disappointing realization, Cyril meets a bad-reputed elder kid who persuades him to plan a little robbery. The bright cinematography and the vivacious protagonist (wonderfully played by Thomas Moret) contrast the melodrama of this touching story; a coming-of-age film that can be both tender and sharp, sad and upbeat. Everything is simply narrated, no secrets are hidden or implied: the Dardenne Brothers' simplistic (almost minimalistic) directing style however encloses the narrative structure with a near-perfect circularity, swiping away any kind of ambiguity.