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The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005)

De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté (original title)
Not Rated | | Crime, Drama, Music | 16 March 2005 (France)
The Beat That My Heart Skipped Poster
Will Thomas still lead a life of crime and cruelty, just like his thuggish father, or will he pursue his dream of becoming a pianist?

Director:

Writers:

(scenario), (scenario) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
75
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Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 20 wins & 13 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Thomas Seyr
... Robert Seyr
... Fabrice
Gilles Cohen ... Sami
... Miao Lin
... Aline
... Chris
Anton Yakovlev ... Minskov
... Minskov's Girlfriend
Agnès Aubé ... Woman
Etienne Dirand ... Old Man
Denis Falgoux ... Metreur
Serge Onteniente ... Man
Sandy Whitelaw ... Mr. Fox
... Conservatory Professor
See full cast »
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Storyline

Twenty-eight-year-old Tom leads a life that might be termed as criminal. In doing so, he follows in the footsteps of his father, who made his money from dirty, and sometimes brutal, real estate deals. Tom is a pretty hard-boiled guy but also strangely considerate as far as his father is concerned. Somehow he appears to have arrived at a critical juncture in his life when a chance encounter prompts him to take up the piano and become a concert pianist, like his mother. He senses that this might be his final opportunity to take back his life. His piano teacher is a Chinese piano virtuoso who has recently come to live in France. She doesn't speak a lick of French so music becomes the only language they have in common. Before long, Jacques' bid to be a better person means that he begins to yearn for true love. But, when he finally has the chance of winning his best friend's wife, his passion only succeeds in scaring her. And then, one day, his dubious past comes to light... Written by Sujit R. Varma

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

homosexual | gay slur | hitting head on piano keys | watching television | piano | See All (164) »

Taglines:

Can music tame the raging soul?

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Music

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Official Sites:

Wellspring Media [United States] | Why Not / UGC [France]

Country:

Language:

| | | |

Release Date:

16 March 2005 (France)  »

Also Known As:

The Beat That My Heart Skipped  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

€5,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,179,031 (France), 18 March 2005

Opening Weekend USA:

$81,277, 4 July 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,023,424, 11 December 2005
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

, ,  »
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Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Thomas's headphones are Sony MDR-V300. See more »

Quotes

Sami: Playing piano is making you flip. Stop it now!
Thomas Seyr: Nothing's making me flip. I'm not flipping. I'm having a ball. I feel fantastic, dont' you see? It's important, I'm serious about it.
Sami: You gonna make dough from pianos?
Thomas Seyr: Not pianos, the piano! It's not about making money, it's about art.
Sami: What's in it for us? You coming to meetings all, 'Hi guys, I've been playing piano.' Shit, I'll take up the banjo.
Thomas Seyr: It's over your head
See more »

Connections

Remake of Fingers (1978) See more »

Soundtracks

Après une lecture de Dante (Années de pèlerinage II)
de Franz Liszt (as Liszt)
Interprète piano: Caroline Duris
See more »

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User Reviews

Riveting, first-class film-making
4 October 2005 | by – See all my reviews

The "The Beat that my heart skipped" is an immaculately crafted and relentlessly gripping film. Its existential premise (a dodgy estate broker feels a sudden urge to rekindle his long abandoned passion for piano-playing whose rarefied world comes in contrast with his everyday life and seedy activities) is rooted in the world of film-noir. The escalating conflict between his "duties" and his lofty aspirations is unerringly captured while maintaining an eye for subtle but telling characterization of the supporting characters. Through his inner turmoil, the main drama materializes and the theme of unfulfilled potential due to a multiplicity of factors not always within somebody's control poignantly emerges.

Jacques Audiard, not the most famous but certainly one of the most talented french directors of the last ten years, has remarkably transcribed the mythology and some of the most eminent film-noir themes onto the modern era. The framing, lighting, music (especially its juxtaposition), mood and plot development are spot-on while the main performance my Romain Duris is career defining. The film stands out as one of the best modern neo-noir -a film with a rather singular style, akin to the director's equally commendable previous works.
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