From the moment Julie (Julie Ledru) is introduced in Rodeo, it's made clear that the only thing she cares about is motocross. However, the expensive sport doesn't exactly fit into the twenty-something's current lifestyle and financial plan. Living in a housing project apartment with her mother and brother, every day of Julie's life has been a fight. Still, first-time director Lola Quivoron never presents Julie as a waif. Though her slender frame and wild mass of hair could have certainly had her walking runways in another life, in this one, she spends her days stealing motorbikes from unsuspecting eBay sellers after she cons her way into getting test drives.
As a loner, companionship -- romantic or otherwise -- doesn't seem to be high on Julie's list until a faithful encounter with the B-Moore bike gang changes everything. Riding solo, Julie happens upon one of the all-male group's illegal rides. Enamored, she watches them as they thrust their bikes in the air, twisting and turning their bodies over the seats and handles with elegance and style. The scenes are some of the most mesmerizing of the film. Quivoron worked with acclaimed stuntman Mathieu Lardot of Mission: Impossible fame to capture the shots on-screen.
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