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The Kid With a Bike
The Kid With a Bike
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The Kid With a Bike

The Kid With a Bike

2011
Drama
1h 27m
Abandoned by his father, a young boy is left in the hands of an unqualified childcare provider. (imdb)

Directed by:

Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne

Screenwriter:

Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne

Starring:

Cécile De France, Jérémie Renier, Olivier Gourmet, Fabrizio Rongione, Jean-Michel Balthazar, Thomas Doret, Claudy Delfosse, Egon Di Mateo, Batiste Sornin, Samuel De Rijk, Carl Jadot, Frédéric Dussenne

Genre:

Drama

AKAs:

Le Gamin au vélo, Set Me Free

Countries:

Belgium, France

Language:

French
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The Kid With a Bike

2011
Drama
1h 27m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 64.93% from 1075 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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kasperlKasperL
Rated 10 Sep 2011
75
77th
The realist style of the Dardenne auteur brothers is still highly effective, their output among the most interesting in contemporary European art cinema. Though this film never reaches the heights of 'Le Fils', my favorite of theirs, it's a completely solid film, if a bit familiar by now. I'm not sure I'd want them to try something else, though. The few moments with loud score here (in an otherwise, as usual, music free film) were, for instance, not at all a good idea.
Rated 10 Sep 2011
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 28 Sep 2011
88
91st
The Dardennes aren't straying much from their established style, but there's no reason to. Again, we have an effective look at people in emotional crisis and moral dilemmas. Again, the camerawork is immediate and unfettered by stylistic flourishes. Again, the performances are so natural they feel almost documentary. The movie deals with several parallel themes, leaving room to explore different avenues. I'm not sure if this is among the best of the Dardennes, but it made a strong impression.
Rated 28 Sep 2011
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 23 May 2011
8
78th
One of the their finest, most accessible films, harking back to the unadorned vitality of De Sica and Truffaut. Doret is a revelation, the intensity of his performance amplifies his character's strength and stubbornness, whose father is unable to return the same unconditional love he's desperately trying to offer him. Watching him bury that pain really struck a chord with me. The brothers hardly cover new ground with their oh so familiar formula, yet it's one that never disappoints.
Rated 23 May 2011
karlsonkarlson
Rated 20 Mar 2024
95
98th
Samantha is my new favorite hero! Dardennemovies have a tendency to depict people with rigid behavior and low skills in the emotional and interactional department, which makes them very suitable for following them close to the skin and to let the acting tell the story. She enters the sad world of Cyril with a more developed system of mentalization and with head held high, and her struggle brings me so close to the story that I end up in tears of joy about the hope that we can feel in life.
Rated 20 Mar 2024
sproostsproost
Rated 18 Mar 2024
94
98th
I'm obviously in my Dardenne-phase, i'm eating it all up like never before and i'm throwing around megascores left and right like it's nothing. The formula is always very similar and -every- movie in the first 5 minutes i feel resistance to watch it, but i always feel so happy by the end, a little more empathetic, a little more streetwise. Unusual to hear music in their movies, but it's an interesting 5 second transitional fragment of a familiar concerto, perhaps a meta-play on this exception
Rated 18 Mar 2024
parcalihamparcaliham
Rated 11 Dec 2013
95
95th
11 Aralık 2013 & iki gecedir basimi yastiga koydugum zaman, film zihnimin icinde devam ediyor. Ne diyeyabilirim ki? Allah herkese ne istedigini bilen, sevgi dolu, guclu bir kadin nasip etsin. Allah herkese, hirpalanmis bir haldeyken yerdeki komur paketini alip basi dik bir sekilde yoluna devam edebilme gucu versin. Allah Dardenne kardeslere daha uzun omurler versin.
Rated 11 Dec 2013
djrossdjross
Rated 28 Apr 2013
70
78th
I'm not sure it is quite true to say this avoids sentimentality, as the whole fairy tale structure, combined with a child protagonist, has a slight air of audience manipulation about it. Nevertheless, or because of this, it is quite an involving and affecting tale. I guess the bike riding more or less symbolises freedom in an unfree milieu. A couple of obvious breaks with "realism" jar a little.
Rated 28 Apr 2013
sirrobbieSirRobbie
Rated 27 Dec 2012
80
81st
A simple but charming story about finding ones happiness.
Rated 27 Dec 2012
arkadinarkadin
Rated 19 May 2012
62
30th
the woman reminded my mother who is in my childhood
Rated 19 May 2012
dtortumdtortum
Rated 21 Apr 2012
100
95th
Artik kalbim dayanmiyor boyle filmlere.. Neden beni bu kadar uzuyorsun?
Rated 21 Apr 2012
plasticsoulPlasticSoul
Rated 21 Feb 2012
65
37th
Eğer bir bisiklet kilidi olsaydı bunların hiçbiri başına gelmezdi. / Se avesse avuto un lucchetto per la bicicletta non gli sarebbe successo niente. / Nothing would have happened to him if he'd had a bicycle lock.
Rated 21 Feb 2012
chemical404chemical404
Rated 06 Feb 2012
58
54th
Kid acts like a little dick because his dad doesn't love him. I hate kids. It's unusually bright and positive film for Dardenne brothers. It feels like something one do between serious projects. Most character motivations seems far-fetched. And yet, there's something about this film that sticks.
Rated 06 Feb 2012
realmacgyverRealMacgyver
Rated 18 Jan 2012
50
15th
Really long 80 minutes with muddled character motivations, some completely absent. It has it's moments but so much of what happens just happens. There's no logical reason for it, it just is. This can work, but doesn't here. And the main kid is pretty flat, as are a lot of the cast. pretty merde
Rated 18 Jan 2012
braddad68braddad68
Rated 08 Aug 2023
94
74th
Excellent international film. Just a simple straight-forward drama, well-acted, directed and written.
Rated 08 Aug 2023
larsvontrierLarsVonTrier
Rated 18 Jun 2022
2
31st
for some reason the movies of dardenne brothers feel so superficial and showboaty. it is like they don't care about what they tell, they just want to say "look, this is so emotional, you have to be affected!". it is like haneke, but haneke can pull it off (sometimes) without looking like a hack.
Rated 18 Jun 2022
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 05 Jul 2021
92
91st
O Garoto da Bicicleta estreava há 10 anos no Festival de Karlovy Vary. Você tem que se preparar psicologicamente para ver um filme dos Dardennes, sempre pesadíssimo no realismo social, é um retrato nu e cru do abandono familiar e as consequências trazidas por ele, tudo muito bem amparado pela beleza minimalista típica dos Dardennes. BlurayRip no MakingOff.
Rated 05 Jul 2021
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 25 Apr 2021
65
65th
Dardenne movies at large could perhaps be termed 'moral porn' because they always try to make your moral sense tingle. This one is perhaps a little blatant, but it's still good. I was mainly bothered by the kid only having one shirt.
Rated 25 Apr 2021
bfnbfn
Rated 15 May 2020
93
98th
My first Dardenne
Rated 15 May 2020
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 28 Mar 2020
64
22nd
The Kid's a handful!
Rated 28 Mar 2020
burrrburrr
Rated 31 May 2018
85
70th
85.00
Rated 31 May 2018
yiannosYiannos
Rated 05 Oct 2017
65
60th
(Viewed in 2012): The extreme praise for the Dardennes is somewhat mystifying. They represent a dying breed of socially conscious European film makers operating within an established tradition, which explains part of the critical reaction, but their lack of ambition is routinely mistaken for subtle mastery. Their films are simple and well made, but they are also middling and never truly excel. T.K.W.A.B actually benefits from its departure from drab realism, but it's ultimately nothing special.
Rated 05 Oct 2017
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 11 Jun 2017
60
20th
Pretty half-baked, especially by the standards of the Dardennes. For most of its length it's an exercise in frustration, watching an extremely unpleasant child with no impulse control cause chaos around him and push the limits of how unlikable a protagonist can be. And then suddenly everything gets resolved and the movie ends. It's abrupt to the point of feeling unfinished. My favourite part was Renier's character treating his son like a crazy ex-girlfriend.
Rated 11 Jun 2017
cinegeekdecinegeek.de
Rated 20 Apr 2016
90
85th
(...) Doch die Dardenne Brüder verweigern derartige dramatische Höhepunkte. Mit ihrer knappen und direkten Art zeigen sie das Leben selbst: Die Angst eines kleinen Jugen davor, einfach weggeworfen zu werden. Cyril denkt immer noch, der Vater hätte ihn bloss vergessen und würde ihn zurückholen, so dass alles wieder gut wird (...)
Rated 20 Apr 2016
jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 07 Mar 2016
63
61st
Although the title seemingly alludes to the Dardenne Brothers' spiritual forefathers of Italian Neo-Realism, this film can just as easily be seen as their entry into the long Gaelic tradition of troubled coming-of-age films, from The 400 Blows to (in particular) Pialat's Naked Childhood (which this more than vaguely resembles). As such it's perhaps a tad less distinctive than some of their other films, but it's still quite well done for what it is, as per usual for the Dardennes.
Rated 07 Mar 2016
qwershadyqwershady
Rated 09 Dec 2015
74
51st
kid was dumb. his father made best decision to keep him out!
Rated 09 Dec 2015
lf_2404LF-2404
Rated 06 Nov 2015
89
89th
Goodness this movie is depressing. Flawless acting by a child is a rare commodity in film so it's worth it just for that- all of the actors do a great job, the script is painfully honest, and it's just a really stripped-down look at a kid's shitty situation.
Rated 06 Nov 2015
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 03 Oct 2015
8
80th
The Dardennes like to introduce a dilemma and let us watch as their characters respond to it. This makes for lean filmmaking, because the plot is always moving (as are the characters, quite literally), and we learn about the characters not through monologue or explanation, but by watching how they respond to conflict. This film has a few jarring and overly confected sequences, but the bond between Cyril and Samantha was very moving, as was the fable-like story.
Rated 03 Oct 2015
nonselfnonself
Rated 19 Jun 2014
77
56th
Çocuğu yanına alan kadının arka planda seyreden hikayesi(zligi) de iyiydi. Çoğumuz için sıradan gelebilecek bir yalnızlık elestirisiydi...
Rated 19 Jun 2014
td888td888
Rated 19 Apr 2014
60
57th
It's not bad, but I expected a little bit more from it.
Rated 19 Apr 2014
wezzoWezzo
Rated 17 Apr 2014
93
89th
A refreshingly honest, naturally moving and evolving picture. The themes of love, loss and the search for connection weave together neatly, and the titular Kid makes a great outlet for the Dardennes' powerful story. It's really heart-rending to see a three-dimensional child struggle with such a difficult situation. In terms of looks, this is brighter than early Dardennes, but it still feels uber-naturalistic, and the limited non-diegetic sound enhances the experience thoroughly.
Rated 17 Apr 2014
neonmanNeonman
Rated 29 Mar 2014
81
66th
I like how effortlessly emotional this is, with the best scenes seeming realistic yet quietly cinematic at the same time. What really makes this film work is the terrific kid actor, who right from the start proves to be the best actor in this film. I didn't think this ended on the most appropriate spot, unless the rest of the film had been as scattered. Definitely a must-see, compulsory watch for anyone in a similar situation -- not that it has any solutions, but it is comforting.
Rated 29 Mar 2014
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 12 Mar 2014
85
59th
It's a good film, but doesn't add anything interesting to the Dardennes' oeuvre, in my opinion. Maybe I would have more enthusiasm for it if I wasn't already familiar with a lot of their work.
Rated 12 Mar 2014
thehynesthehynes
Rated 02 Feb 2014
46
23rd
It's a little known fact but in France if a baseball bat so much as brushes your clothes it renders you immediately unconscious
Rated 02 Feb 2014
glm01glm01
Rated 03 Oct 2013
85
83rd
85.000
Rated 03 Oct 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 25 Aug 2013
90
94th
The boy is just the right mix of sympathetic and annoying that I care what happens to him but don't get particularly anxious for him. It allowed me to make a connection but still consider his actions from both an emotional and a rational perspective and consider the way perception can alter how big the gap between those things can seem.
Rated 25 Aug 2013
sveneriksvenerik
Rated 02 Aug 2013
80
64th
I'm a bit underwelmed; doesn't have the same impact as most other Dardennes.
Rated 02 Aug 2013
obtiosovobtiosov
Rated 18 May 2013
80
69th
My first Dardenne brothers movie. This is exquisite story-telling, folks.
Rated 18 May 2013
sebbysebby
Rated 07 Feb 2013
55
37th
Man, that kid is such a little shit. No way a fox like Cecile would just swoop in and take in a kid like that. Total bullhockey.
Rated 07 Feb 2013
maakalmaakal
Rated 29 Jan 2013
82
83rd
Beautiful, unsentimental story which is an absolute pleasure to watch from beginning to end. It should be heartbreaking, but this poor kid's abandonment is handled with such realism -- there are just as many good people as bad -- that you can't feel anything but hopeful.
Rated 29 Jan 2013
addisondewitAddisondeWit
Rated 13 Jan 2013
90
93rd
The kid with a bike was such a delightful film to watch. Thomas Doret made a great performance as Cyril and his chemistry with De France is lovely. I love that the directors didn't explain her motivations of Samantha. Cecile de France was so spot on playing this beautiful character guided by the instinct and goodness. The usual raw realism by Dardenne but with a refreshing optimism.
Rated 13 Jan 2013
cinesexualcinesexual
Rated 11 Jan 2013
82
82nd
No directors imbue child-characters with more agency and authenticity than the Dardennes. However, this slice of life about a young boy who loves his bike and whose dad doesn't want anything to do with him held much less power over me than The Son, La Promesse or Rosetta. And the scenes of violence and the aftermath were ineptly staged, draining them of impact. Still, a breeze to watch.
Rated 11 Jan 2013
aflickeringAFlickering
Rated 09 Jan 2013
5
73rd
undeniable.
Rated 09 Jan 2013
mandymandy
Rated 12 Nov 2012
8
92nd
Touching a subject close to my heart. This simply told story of such complex emotions is raw and real and never passes judgement.
Rated 12 Nov 2012
ofterdingenOfterdingen
Rated 30 Oct 2012
76
89th
FIlmakers with no budget - watch and learn.
Rated 30 Oct 2012
isaboojumisaboojum
Rated 07 Oct 2012
3
59th
The boy is a complex and delicately handled character. But what about the woman? It's as if the authors don't believe a real human being would ever undertake such a challenge, so they didn't bother writing one into the script. She's just a cardboard cutout of saintliness. And that's too bad, because the film is good, but could have been great.
Rated 07 Oct 2012
comepeliculacomepelicula
Rated 24 Aug 2012
70
72nd
This is fun very European film with some nice town shots and a simple story, sometimes the story is too simple.
Rated 24 Aug 2012
jazzalohaJazzaloha
Rated 30 Jun 2012
72
76th
Like the film, *Ballast*, this is a movie about at-risk adolescent males and what they need. Where *Ballast* involves the lower-class African-Americans, this film involves more middle-class Belgians. Both films suggest (not preach, thankfully) that responsible and caring adults are the key and hope for these boys. I did have a problem with believing the female character--as I don't think the film established the character well enough. The actor was too glamorously attractive, too.
Rated 30 Jun 2012
kercKerc
Rated 08 Apr 2012
18
23rd
The film goes at great length to examine why the titular kid would find precarious father figures more appealing than the unfamiliar maternal love of his new foster mother. As others continue to desert the boy, she refuses to leave him alone regardless of his actions, possibly the Dardennes making a point about the patience of a mother's love. Even though the mother refuses to raise a hand towards the kid, a coda let's the audience know that the film takes place in a zero-sum moral universe.
Rated 08 Apr 2012
doughbarondoughbaron
Rated 05 Apr 2012
78
75th
It's so refreshing to see a film about childhood struggle that doesn't resort to extreme sensationalism and eternal suffering. The raw directorial style here allows us to experience the ups and downs of Cyril without artificial emotional cues. It's like the exact opposite of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and that's a good thing.
Rated 05 Apr 2012
icarusIcarus
Rated 04 Apr 2012
95
96th
A masterpiece from the Dardenne brothers, though their consistently high level of film making likely will cause this to be underrated. A Bressonian meditation on the mystery of grace, the film benefits from a strong lead performance, an empathetic camera, and a refusal to sentimentalize a story about a child. The use of music seems a direct reference to Bresson's A Man Escaped, while the use of red brings Lamorisse's beautiful The Red Balloon to mind. And yet, the final product is all their own.
Rated 04 Apr 2012
quickyapiQuickyAPI
Rated 01 Apr 2012
72
68th
The brothers Dardenne are so good at taking a chunk out of a person's life and portray that to their viewers in such an honest and heart-touching way. In their latest film, a troubled boy trying to get his father back is lured by some darker forces.
Rated 01 Apr 2012
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 30 Mar 2012
80
74th
A very solid character drama, nothing less than what you would expect from the Dardenne brothers.
Rated 30 Mar 2012
kakkikakki
Rated 15 Mar 2012
85
63rd
Abandoned child history breaks our hearts and sometimes we undervalue the simple things we have in life.
Rated 15 Mar 2012
bunkenBunken
Rated 10 Mar 2012
70
71st
Le gamin au vélo has it's magic moments, but sadly there are to long in between. The boy is credible as the truly feisty teenager who no one have ever loved and now that someone does, it's hard to figure out how to deal with it.
Rated 10 Mar 2012
burkayadaligburkayadalig
Rated 05 Feb 2012
87
81st
some issues in the flow of the story, but overall it's a great portrayal of a troubled child abendoned by his parents
Rated 05 Feb 2012
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 26 Jan 2012
80
84th
Very good. Cecile de France still looking good (and (perhaps too) buff).
Rated 26 Jan 2012
oldgoatoldgoat
Rated 16 Jan 2012
79
82nd
Complex, yet so simple. Watching a child try to deal with rejection, belonging and morality that surrounds that and the people it'd include. In a world he can understand to an extend but not express himself properly.
Rated 16 Jan 2012
gokseltuzungokseltuzun
Rated 07 Jan 2012
95
83rd
it is not a suprise for me it won cannes:))
Rated 07 Jan 2012
mertmert
Rated 05 Jan 2012
70
35th
The film is so slow.
Rated 05 Jan 2012
rufamRufam
Rated 18 Dec 2011
75
72nd
The naturalistic camerawork and occasional dramatic bursts successfully suck the viewer into the little protagonist's world in "Le Gamin au vélo", a modestly crafted, unsentimental and yet touching effort by the Dardenne brothers. The film benefits from Thomas Doret's powerful portrayal of a problematic child as well as from an obviously superior and more intense second half. The ending itself however comes as a slight disappointment.
Rated 18 Dec 2011
pigletPiglet
Rated 13 Nov 2011
80
91st
All you need is love.
Rated 13 Nov 2011
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 28 Oct 2011
83
89th
The Dardenne brothers shot an affective but not too sentimental drama about a kid abandoned by his father, and this time they took their chance to change their style just a little bit. The camera is not so close to the main character, and now they use a score -- a good one, by the way. Some might say it's conventional. I just think this is the peak of mature, confident filmmaking.
Rated 28 Oct 2011
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 15 Oct 2011
35
90th
"Per usual, the Dardennes introduce a conflict and jump right in, with subsequent details gradually illuminating the narrative." - Fernando F. Croce
Rated 15 Oct 2011
schnofelschnofel
Rated 17 Sep 2011
57
48th
Their fluid storytelling details seem now to be entirely at the mercy of thematic and symbolic concerns.
Rated 17 Sep 2011

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