The Beat That My Heart Skipped

De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté

France, 2005

Crime, Drama

Synopsis

Tom, a talented pianist, is set to follow in his thuggish father’s footsteps in the sleazy and sometimes violent world of real estate, neglecting his music career following the death of his mother. Then a chance encounter leads him to believe that he can become, like her, a concert pianist.

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The Beat That My Heart Skipped Directed by Jacques Audiard

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Awards & Festivals

Berlin International Film Festival

2005 | Winner: Silver Bear (Best Film Music)

San Sebastián International Film Festival

2009

BAFTA Awards

2006 | Winner: Best Film not in the English Language

César Awards

2006 | 8 wins including: Best Film

2006 | 2 nominations including: Best Actor

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Cast & Crew

Critics reviews

It’s more than a simple improvement, inverting some of the original’s qualities so that the impersonal, well-crafted filmmaking remains lucid throughout.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

July 15, 2005

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[It’s] a distinctly modern picture with its heart in the ’70s: It has the nervous, kinetic energy, and the swaggering pioneer spirit, that marked ’70s American filmmaking.

Stephanie Zacharek

July 02, 2005

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The New York Times

Along the way there will be violence, some ugly enough to make your heart skip, and sex that might do the same. Mostly, though, there will be beautiful images, strong emotions and the joy found watching a movie aimed straight at the heart and head.

Manohla Dargis

July 01, 2005

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What are people saying?

El Biffo's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
El Biffo

A French remake of "FINGERS", which starred Harvey Keitel. Dad wants him to go into the family business of being a small-time hood, a thumb-buster collecting debts, but he wants to be a concert pianist like mom. A great story, and I loved both films.
April 22, 2019 18:23
- 9
- 0
LaHaine's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
LaHaine

Thefilm thats actually better then Fingers the film it was remade after. Duris gives the performance he's forever going to be known for and the soundtrack is wonderful plus they redeem some of the sexism that ruined Fingers with powerful female characters. I love Fingers but this is a far better film just imagine if Scorcese and De Niro had made this in their prime peroid of the late 70's thats how good it is.
May 05, 2019 22:13
- 2
- 0
Lee's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Lee

This is as near to a masterpiece as anything I've seen in a long, long time. Passionate, powerful and emotionally devastating. The performances are astounding and Jacques Audiard's screenplay is flat out incredible. One of the finest French films I've seen, and an instant favourite.
May 03, 2019 19:34
- 6
- 0
Tony Zhou's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Tony Zhou

I've come to expect a character study like this to stall on its plot in the third act. Not this film. The last twenty minutes is incredible in the way it plays on our expectations and desires for Thomas. Love the final shot.
May 04, 2019 21:58
- 6
- 0
PROKOSCH's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
PROKOSCH

Just watched this for a third time, and it's bar none one of the most entertaining and nervy character studies of the decade. The film smells of grim malice, and Audiard's eye and ear are without parallel. Very, very highly recommended. Duris is given much to work with and doesn't for a second fail to deliver. "Écoute-moi, GlooGloo: argent, tu comprend ça? Monnai, BIG monnai..."
May 01, 2019 23:29
- 3
- 0
madebydanlam's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
madebydanlam

Although I haven't seen the original "Fingers", this film is very special to me and I love it through and through. Mr. Duris' performance is real and it reminds me of the Dardenne brothers but laced with cocaine and on techno-pop. Very wonderful camerawork and the supporting cast are as interesting and compelling as the story, which is very.
May 04, 2019 23:08
- 3
- 0
Joks's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Joks

I honestly can't believe people prefer this to Fingers. Fingers is a far more psychologically complex movie than this!!!
February 14, 2011 10:26
- 1
- 1
Tyler Aikens's rating of the film The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Tyler Aikens

I'm surprised so many of my MUBI friends have rated this so highly. I thought it was predictable cheese full of character stereotypes.
April 19, 2019 23:53
- 2
- 0