The Kid with a Bike

"The breakout here is 13-year-old Doret, the Dardennes' latest stunningly naturalistic, non-professional acting discovery."

"Good enough to survive evoking "Bicycle Thieves" and "The 400 Blows," this small story contains universal truths, told with irresistible force."

"Doubles as both an engrossingly perceptive human drama and a powerful religious parable."

"Leery filmgoers can exhale: The Kid With a Bike may hew faithfully to the Dardennes' house style of spare, lucid storytelling. But without giving anything away, let's just say that with this simple, deeply affecting tale, they never set out to break your heart."

"The film is unafraid of emotion, unafraid of plunging into basic human ideas: the need for trust, and the search for love."

"The most mysterious character in The Kid With a Bike is not the kid, who after all, has a story it's fairly easy to understand. It is the hairdresser, played by Cecille De France with her sad beauty. This actress carries lifetimes in her eyes."

"With customary restraint, the Dardenne brothers have added yet another exquisite entry to their masterful body of work."

"In outline it sounds trite - a disenfranchised kid is turned around by a kindly stranger - but the Dardennes' make it so much more. Raw but compassionate, naturalistic but compelling. If you're looking to get into the Dardennes, this is a great place to start."