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L'ENFANT (THE CHILD) Send This Review to a Friend
One of the special films at the 2005 New York Film Festival, the Belgian import “L’Enfant (The Child),” which was also the top winner of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, is now getting a commercial release and is an important addition to the 2006 film scene.
Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the story is a gritty exploration of what happens when Bruno (Jérémie Renier) a dispossessed young man who is a petty thief, tries to sell the infant of his girlfriend Sonia (Déborah François). The act is a flagrant abuse of trust and Sonia is understandably distraught and angry.
The style of the film is stirringly direct, and both stars combine to provide an earthy atmosphere of desperation. Renier as Bruno has an intensity that is reminiscent of early Jean-Paul Belmondo. François as Sonia balances pathos and determination. The story is fraught with tension and a feeling that anything can happen.
Although Bruno’s actions are those of a louse, his ultimate effort toward redemption stems from the realization that he has done wrong. But righting his betrayal is no easy proposition. The film gains in strength as Bruno’s struggles in his transformation. The drama is exceptionally well directed and acted. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
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