Recently finding their film Two Days, One Night on Netflix UK,I started looking out for other works from the writer/directing team the Dardenne brothers. Taking a look at what movies have been put on BBC iPlayer,I spotted a Dardenne offering that was going to be removed in an hour!,which led to me getting on my bike.
The plot:
Left in foster care, Cyril Catoul tries to escape in order to find his dad,and to track down his missing bike. Held by Cyril as care workers try to pull him back to the care home, hairdresser Samantha reveals that she purchased Cyril's bike from someone,and that she is willing to become Cyril's foster mother. Joining Samantha,Cyril gets on his bike,and goes searching for his dad. Looking forward to the reunion,Cyril receives a less than warm reception.
View on the film:
Riding with Cyril,writer/director Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne closely work with cinematographer Alain Marcoen and editor Marie-Hélène Dozo to give the film an incredible documentary rawness,via blunt edits and slightly shaky camera moves blur the lines between fiction and documentary cinema. Bringing out the naturalistic background noise in the soundtrack,the Dardenne's give the violence a chillingly stilted mood,as the camera stays on the sidelines,allowing the viewer to make their own mind on the violence being inflicted.
Keeping the point of view at Cyril's level,the screenplay by the Dardenne's does not shy away from making Cyril look like a little brat,with the coarsely cut dialogue pulling Cyril's frustrations across the screen. Originally planned as a "fairy tale",the Dardenne's subtle keep this element intact,by brilliantly linking the bike with the relationship between Samantha and Cyril,as Cyril tries to find the right gear in life.
Kicking out in anger, Thomas Doret gives a superb performance as Cyril,whose complex frustrations at finding a place to fit in Doret faces with a maturity well beyond his years. Trying to keep Doret on track, Cécile De France gives a great performance as Samantha,whose every attempt to support Cyril France lays bare,as the boy finds his bike.
The plot:
Left in foster care, Cyril Catoul tries to escape in order to find his dad,and to track down his missing bike. Held by Cyril as care workers try to pull him back to the care home, hairdresser Samantha reveals that she purchased Cyril's bike from someone,and that she is willing to become Cyril's foster mother. Joining Samantha,Cyril gets on his bike,and goes searching for his dad. Looking forward to the reunion,Cyril receives a less than warm reception.
View on the film:
Riding with Cyril,writer/director Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne closely work with cinematographer Alain Marcoen and editor Marie-Hélène Dozo to give the film an incredible documentary rawness,via blunt edits and slightly shaky camera moves blur the lines between fiction and documentary cinema. Bringing out the naturalistic background noise in the soundtrack,the Dardenne's give the violence a chillingly stilted mood,as the camera stays on the sidelines,allowing the viewer to make their own mind on the violence being inflicted.
Keeping the point of view at Cyril's level,the screenplay by the Dardenne's does not shy away from making Cyril look like a little brat,with the coarsely cut dialogue pulling Cyril's frustrations across the screen. Originally planned as a "fairy tale",the Dardenne's subtle keep this element intact,by brilliantly linking the bike with the relationship between Samantha and Cyril,as Cyril tries to find the right gear in life.
Kicking out in anger, Thomas Doret gives a superb performance as Cyril,whose complex frustrations at finding a place to fit in Doret faces with a maturity well beyond his years. Trying to keep Doret on track, Cécile De France gives a great performance as Samantha,whose every attempt to support Cyril France lays bare,as the boy finds his bike.