Sister is a captivating tale of two solitary siblings and their struggle for survival

When it comes to crafty tactics to stay fed, 12-year-old Simon lives by the creed: don't get mad - get thievin'

Gillian Anderson, Lea Seydoux and Kacey Mottet Klein in a scene from Sister

Sister (M)

Rating: 3 stars

Director: Ursula Meier (Home)

Starring: Lea Seydoux, Kacey Mottet Klein, Martin Compston, Gillian Anderson

A CASUALLY captivating drama, Sister is the story of two solitary siblings. One of them couldn't care less about tomorrow. Or today, for that matter.

The other is very much concerned with making it from one moment to the next.

Louise (Lea Seydoux) is 20 years old, and her brother Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) is 12. They live in a squalid apartment in a small Swiss town at the base of a mountain.

High above them is a lavish ski resort. It is here they find the means to make ends meet. Or at least Simon does.

Every day, he catches a lift up there, and steals what he can from the rich and unaware. The kid can swiftly size up an easy grab, and his conscience never gets the better of him.

Simon is the providing prime-mover of the pair, Louise is a strangely passive passenger.

Filmmaker Ursula Meier displays a real affinity for this unusual tale, teasing out surprising levels of emotion and humour from a seemingly clinical setup.

Though the stoic work of Seydoux (a recent standout in Farewell My Queen) is not to be underrated here, the film draws a major boost from young Klein's subtly crafty performance.