In their very first fiction feature, a sorrowing but warming take on immigration, the Dardennes deal with actions, moods and moralistic issues that would forge all their following films.

Much like any other Dardennes film, using a realist style to explore ethical dilemmas, and in a way that slowly draws you into the drama, doling out information at a steady pace. The three central characters are all very well-performed, with a fine job by young Renier. Gourmet's intimidating presence looms large. As the film approaches the end, the dread of his retribution increases. The ending scene avoids a tidy conclusion but leaves the viewer feeling satisfied that growth has occurred.

A modern masterpiece.

Excellent film. Shot in a realist, almost documentary style, and the characterization and storytelling is similarly very realistic; I was able to sympathize with everyone, even the rather despicable father, and I thought the treatment of the son, who, because of his father, is torn in many different directions, is very well done. I like how the the film doesn't go out of it's way to narrate events, but does a wonderful job of "showing not telling."

Well, it's good and realistic, sure. But i think i'm getting tired of Dardenne's style.

An almost too real film, a coming-of-age tale. The boy's discovery of a sense of morality without any adult guidance is unforeseeably stirring; and the actors (principally Renier and Gourmet, who have a precious moment of familial harmony in a leisure-hours duet at a nightclub microphone) are so natural, in addition to so unfamiliar, that it's sometimes hard to remember they are acting.

Another excellent feature from the Dardenne brothers. They certainly hone their skills in subsequent films, but it's all done very well here: the realist, mostly subjective camera, the lack of music, the simple but profound narrative structure. As in their later films, here we have a character coming out of his self-centered view of the world to make contact with another human being, a beautiful and transformative process.