A keenly observed examination of class differences and tenuous family ties, Ursula Meier’s accomplished second film (after 2008’s equally assured Home) focuses on 12-year-old Simon and his desperate attempts to survive. Simon lives in a bleak housing project in the valley of a posh Swiss ski resort. This tiny, cunning boy steals skis and other expensive equipment, later reselling it to his neighbors. In his indelible, heartbreaking portrayal of Simon, Klein joins the ranks of cinema’s greatest child actors.
