KID WITH A BIKE has been watched. By me. Finally.

And it was every bit as good as I was lead to believe! Those who have caught a flick with me at the IFC Center in the last couple months (which rightfully is at least half of Manhattan) know that I could not freakin' bear to sit through the trailer one more time. Nothing against it other than I have literally seen it more than ten times. Fine, no problem - I'll accept that as my punishment for somehow missing this one at TIFF 2011.

My friend Janis says this is one of her favorite movies of all time. I wouldn't go that far, but I do think it's a pretty stunning piece of filmmaking. Foster kid. Douchey dad. Neighborhood gang.  Even if not too terribly much happens, the performances are so solid and the character is built so carefully and subtly that I cared about this kid like he was family. And I didn't. Know. What. Was going. To Happen.  Lip biting. Heart bleeding. Good stuff.

I'll also give major props to the IFC Center for not just showing this movie but offering the last few Dardenne brothers films in the weekends leading up to its release.  I was lucky enough to catch LORNA'S SILENCE and L'ENFANT which I may have already written about, can't remember. 

It seems like brothers pair up and make good movies.  The Coen, the Polish, the Duplass.  Any theories why sisters aren't joining forces for film? Too busy forming singing groups?