RODEO
Cert 15
106 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, threat, sexual assault, bloody images, domestic abuse
This movie is for the asphalt warriors, comes the claim as the credits roll, and that sentence sums up why I struggled to touch first base with Rodeo.
Nobody could question the commitment of director Lola Quivoron in reflecting these young people who are on the fringes of French society.
She even recruited non-professional actors to ensure her film's authenticity, and in Julie Ledru, she has a lead actress who is completely convincing.
My problem was that the storyline was repetitive, its detail was very niche, and its ending could be predicted well in advance.
Ledru's character, Julia, is an angry young misfit who rows with almost everyone in her orbit.
Meanwhile, her passion is scrambler bikes, so she cons sellers into allowing her to test drive and then steals them.
Having her own ride means she can mix with the young men who gather at illegal motorbike meets and show off their tricks.
However, some distrust the girl who becomes part of their gang without being invited, which is magnified when tragedy strikes.
Quivoron's movie will be lapped up by fans of motorbike stunts and is raw enough to attract those involved in the underground scenes.
But, while I appreciated the authenticity of non-professional actors and how that added to the credibility of the characters, it just didn't chime with me.
Reasons to watch: If you are into motor bikes
Reasons to avoid: Unlikeable characters
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6/10
Did you know? Last year, French politicians called for a crackdown on urban dirt-bike riding as a 10-year-old girl was critically ill in hospital after being hit by a motocross bike while she played on a housing estate north-east of Paris.
The final word. Lola Quivoron: "I’ve been riding bikes since the age of nine; I started learning with my brother on his dad’s bike. So when I found myself in this cross-bitume environment (for Rodeo) I was surrounded by men, yes, but it wasn’t a problem for me because I’d grown up with riders." AnOther
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