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Richard Lahr’s “Front Row” blog, which he does for The New Yorker, features a video clip where Lahr talks about symbolic elements in Dardenne films, and notes their atypical reference to another film (to Pickpocket, in L’Enfant). I strongly suggest you don’t watch the clip until you’ve seen L’Enfant, as he opens the video with the film’s big revelation, and then goes on to consider its ending.

(In fact, if you’ve not seen L’Enfant, I have two very strong recommendations for you: 1) go rent the film and watch it, and 2), don’t read anything about the film before watching it, not even the back of the dvd case. As with all Dardenne films, best you should let the filmmakers have their way with you, discover what they choose to reveal exactly when and exactly how they choose to reveal it.)

Also best to skip the clip until you’ve also seen Pickpocket – I had to bail part way through, as the Bresson film hasn’t made it to the top of my queue yet. Soon. Then I’ll be back to check out the rest of what Mr Lahr has to say.