fbpx

THE KID WITH A BIKE

"Love Heals Psychological Wounds"

Watch:

What You Need To Know:

THE KID WITH A BIKE is an acclaimed drama from France. Cyril is an 11-year-old boy. His father abandons Cyril to an orphanage. The boy has already lost his mother. Cyril keeps pursuing his father to get an answer why he was abandoned. When Cyril finds his father, however, the father asks the hairdresser who drove the boy to never come see him again. The kindly hairdresser, Samantha, takes Cyril under her wing to care for him. Still looking for father figures, Cyril falls under the sway of a teenage gang leader. The leader talks him into assaulting and robbing people for him. Cyril’s actions risk losing Samantha, but she refuses to give up. Can Cyril change for the better?

THE KID WITH A BIKE is shot in a realistic style, so it often feels like a documentary. The plot is simple but powerfully acted and ultimately uplifting. The movie’s two directors make the simple rhythms work in a quietly addictive fashion. THE KID WITH A BIKE is about the transforming power of parental love. Caution is advised for older children, however, due to brief foul language and some mature themes.

Content:

(BB, Ro, L, V, N, A, MM) Strong moral worldview in a slice of life drama following the tale of an 11-year-old French boy whose father abandons him, and the female hairdresser who takes him in and gives him a new shot at life, with some light Romantic elements because of the boy’s dysfunctional father who endangers the boy’s character and future because of his rejection of the son; four obscenities and profanities, including one “f” word; light violence includes a couple of threatening chases by other young boys and teenagers as they steal main boy’s bike and he fights them, including biting them, to get the bike back, boy flees his orphanage and runs to the city, defying guards and police and ultimately shoving and hitting a woman hairdresser who tries to stop him for police, boy learns how to use a baseball bat to knock out a shop owner and his son, and rob them for an older thug, boy chased by shop owner’s son up a tree, where he falls out and appears to be dead, but manages to survive, hop his bike; no sex; brief upper male nudity as boy towels off after a shower, some light drinking of alcohol by adults; no smoking or drugs; youthful rebellion boy, 11-year-old boy repeatedly yells with disrespect at the woman who takes him into her care, and stealing, robbery and mugging but rebuked.

More Detail:

THE KID WITH A BIKE is a French slice-of-life drama that shared the second-best movie prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. The plot is simple but powerfully acted and ultimately uplifting.

Cyril is an 11-year-old child in France who finds himself abandoned to an orphanage by his father, who says he can’t afford to care for him any more. The boy has already lost his mother. Left to his own devices, he’s morally adrift.

Cyril keeps fleeing to the city in pursuit of his father and to get an answer why he was abandoned. When he finds his father, however, the father asks the hairdresser who drove the boy to never come see him again.

The kindly hairdresser, Samantha, takes Cyril under her wing to foster care for him. Earlier, she had helped Cyril find the bike that his father had sold after he abandoned Cyril.

However, Cyril is still looking for father figures. He falls under the sway of a teenage gang leader. The leader talks him into assaulting and robbing people for him. Cyril’s actions risk losing Samantha, but she refuses to give up without a fight. Can Cyril learn to change for the better?

THE KID WITH A BIKE is shot in a very realistic, cinema verite style, so it often feels like a documentary despite it’s fictional nature. The acting by Thomas Doret as the young boy and Cécile de France as the hairdresser is excellent. Not much happens plotwise, but the movie’s two directors make the simple rhythms work in a quietly addictive fashion. In the end, the viewer cares about the boy and his fate, despite the boy’s acting out. Eventually, the boy does reform his behavior under his foster parent’s care and affection.

Ultimately, THE KID WITH A BIKE is an uplifting story about moral transformation through love, but caution is advised for older children due to brief foul language and some mature themes.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.