French Noir Movie Night - "The Beat My Heart Skipped" is Our Celluloid Espresso Shot

The Massive stepped out and headed Uptown yesterday for a late-night showing of the new French film "The Beat My Heart Skipped." The show was sold-out. And after seeing the flim, we realized why. The movie is an excellent remake -- that's actually more of an adaptation -- of the late 70's cult film "Fingers." The critics are loving on this taught and stylish piece of contemporary noir, and we are, too.

The story revolves around a shady young Parisian real estate fixer named Thomas, who aspires to escape the seedy-greedy ugliness of his occupation and become a professional concert pianist. The former manager of his late mother, herself a world-famous concert pianist, invites Thomas to audition for him. Though Thomas gave up piano when his mother passed away a decade earlier, he is inspired to fulfill the promise of his musical talent. He enlists the help of a Chinese piano teacher to help him prepare in his free time for the big try-out. Thomas must struggle to balance the demands of following his dream and the grotty, brutal realities of his real estate work violently collecting debts and evicting squatters.

This summer has seen some excellent French cinema on American movie screens -- "A Toute Suite," "Elevator to the Gallows," and now "The Beat My Heart Skipped." See this one the big screen before it gets packed away to DVD-land.

Essential Linkage

Interview tih Director Jaques Audiard [Wellspring Films]

The Beat My Heart Skipped - Official Movie Web Site

Metacritic Score: The Beat My Heart Skipped

FILM REVIEW; Amid the Pulp, a Meditation on Fathers, Sons and the Ties That Choke [NY Times]

Posted by at July 10, 2005 07:46 PM