A brief conversation (at the beginning of this movie) about the added responsibilities that can be thrust upon a son when the father is no longer able to cope as well as he had in the past, flags up a situation that has a strong bearing on the drama that follows. The son's loyalty makes him committed to looking after his father but also makes him feel trapped and then, when a passion from his past re-emerges (in this case, an ambition to be a classical pianist), it causes conflict within him as he tries to decide which way to go in his life and also causes conflict with his father who disapproves of his ambition.
Thomas Seyr (Romain Duris) is a 28-year-old Parisian real estate broker who works with his partners on property deals involving run-down apartments which they buy and sell off at a profit. Their work often involves forcefully removing squatters, immigrants and even legitimate tenants that they want to evict in order to facilitate another sale. Where the people involved show any reluctance to move, various tactics, such as releasing rats into their homes or smashing their windows with baseball bats are used to change their minds. Thomas' involvement in this type of work and his propensity for violence are the results of his father's influence. Robert Seyr (Niels Arestrup) has a long history as a slumlord and has, for many years, used his son to collect unpaid rent by any means necessary.
Thomas' mother, who'd died some years earlier, had been a concert pianist and he's pleasantly surprised one night when he unexpectedly meets Mr Fox (Sandy Whitelaw), who'd been her manager. Fox remembers the promise that Thomas had shown as a classical pianist and offers him the opportunity of an audition. This sparks an enthusiastic response in Thomas who, after a long period of neglect, becomes determined to improve his piano skills. After being introduced to Chinese piano virtuoso Miao Lin (Linh Dan Pham) who's a newly arrived immigrant in France, he hires her as his tutor. Despite her inability to speak French, they soon develop a rapport and Thomas works obsessively to be successful in his new endeavour, which he knows can lead him to a better and more fulfilling life.
Thomas' new obsession causes problems with his business partners because he can't keep up with all his commitments to them and similarly, because his father is no longer able to handle the trouble he gets himself into as a result of his shady dealings, Thomas is increasingly called upon to sort his problems out as well. As a result of these conflicting pressures, Thomas fails his audition. However, a way then presents itself for him to achieve the better life he wanted through classical music, albeit by a different route than he'd originally planned.
This movie's direction, cinematography and script are all conspicuously top class and Romain Duris' performance is exceptional. His explosive volatility when he's playing the thug, his understated interactions with Miao Lin and his unrestrained distress in anther key scene are just some examples of the power and range of his acting. The characters in this story are all particularly well-drawn with Niels Arestrup standing out among the supporting cast with his portrayal of Thomas' crude, overweight father who hasn't got the good judgement to know when the time has come for him to get out of his particular line of work. "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" is well-paced, violent and more affecting than many people might expect.
Thomas Seyr (Romain Duris) is a 28-year-old Parisian real estate broker who works with his partners on property deals involving run-down apartments which they buy and sell off at a profit. Their work often involves forcefully removing squatters, immigrants and even legitimate tenants that they want to evict in order to facilitate another sale. Where the people involved show any reluctance to move, various tactics, such as releasing rats into their homes or smashing their windows with baseball bats are used to change their minds. Thomas' involvement in this type of work and his propensity for violence are the results of his father's influence. Robert Seyr (Niels Arestrup) has a long history as a slumlord and has, for many years, used his son to collect unpaid rent by any means necessary.
Thomas' mother, who'd died some years earlier, had been a concert pianist and he's pleasantly surprised one night when he unexpectedly meets Mr Fox (Sandy Whitelaw), who'd been her manager. Fox remembers the promise that Thomas had shown as a classical pianist and offers him the opportunity of an audition. This sparks an enthusiastic response in Thomas who, after a long period of neglect, becomes determined to improve his piano skills. After being introduced to Chinese piano virtuoso Miao Lin (Linh Dan Pham) who's a newly arrived immigrant in France, he hires her as his tutor. Despite her inability to speak French, they soon develop a rapport and Thomas works obsessively to be successful in his new endeavour, which he knows can lead him to a better and more fulfilling life.
Thomas' new obsession causes problems with his business partners because he can't keep up with all his commitments to them and similarly, because his father is no longer able to handle the trouble he gets himself into as a result of his shady dealings, Thomas is increasingly called upon to sort his problems out as well. As a result of these conflicting pressures, Thomas fails his audition. However, a way then presents itself for him to achieve the better life he wanted through classical music, albeit by a different route than he'd originally planned.
This movie's direction, cinematography and script are all conspicuously top class and Romain Duris' performance is exceptional. His explosive volatility when he's playing the thug, his understated interactions with Miao Lin and his unrestrained distress in anther key scene are just some examples of the power and range of his acting. The characters in this story are all particularly well-drawn with Niels Arestrup standing out among the supporting cast with his portrayal of Thomas' crude, overweight father who hasn't got the good judgement to know when the time has come for him to get out of his particular line of work. "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" is well-paced, violent and more affecting than many people might expect.