Genre: personal drama
Directors: Luc and Jean-Paul Dardenne
Release: 2006
Studio: Archipel 35 et al. - Sony Pictures Classics
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.1/10
Anything for Money
When Sonia (Déborah François) leaves the hospital with her newborn baby Jimmy and learns that her boyfriend Bruno (Jérémie Rénier) has sublet their apartment, she calmly goes around town and finds her man wheeling and dealing on the street. Bruno is always busy scheming and selling stolen goods but Sonia feels happy with him, even more so with a child of their own. But is Bruno totally committed to fatherhood? With Jérémie Segard (Steve), Fabrizio Rongione (the young thief), Mireille Bailly (Bruno’s mother), Olivier Gourmet and Stéphane Bissot.
The dictum « Small is beautiful » certainly applies to this minimalist movie expertly crafted by the Dardenne brothers from Belgium. Like LE FILS, another of their works, L’ENFANT won raves in Cannes for its simplicity and realism. How do the brothers manage it? The trick, I guess, is finding a solid story and giving it room to develop. It all looks easy to do, but everything must be perfect… and these guys have a lock on perfection.
Of course, you will find lots more in L’ENFANT than is revealed above. The story itself, at once ordinary yet sensational, will grip you from the start and never let you go. As for the production, it offers pared-down dialogues, natural acting and excellent pacing; it doesn't even feature a music score but you will scarcely notice. You should concern yourself only with the characters on screen. Their lives may be marginal, but they deserve your undivided attention.
MBiS
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