De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté (2005)
Directed by Jacques Audiard

Film Review

Film noir and social realist themes are woven together in this stylish thriller-drama from Jacques Audiard.  Based on James Toback's minor 1977 work Fingers (which starred Harvey Keitel), De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté explores the inner conflict of a young man who is torn between two worlds - the brutal gangster lifestyle of his father and the serene artistic life of his dead mother.  The character has arrived at a crossroads in his life, the point at which he has to decide once and for all whether to take on his father's baton or else drop it and do something else.  The film noir aspect of the film is reflected not just in the gangster milieu the character inhabits, but also in the apparent futility of his quest for a fresh start.

Whilst the film initially feels aimless and overly concerned with style over substance, Audiard's mastery of his subject and his technique ultimately asserts itself and the end result is quite possibly the director's most inspired, most thoughtful work to date.  The dichotomy in Tom's character is emphasised both in terms of lighting (by night he is a nasty piece of work, by day he comes across far more sympathetically), but also by the style of photography.  The violence and precariousness of Tom's present career is conveyed through a shakily tracking hand-held camera; the serenity he gains from music is shot classically, with a fixed camera.  As his mood switches from one to another, so does the manner in which he is filmed.  It is a simple device, but Audiard succeeds in using it to great effect to convey the seemingly schizoid nature of his tortured protagonist.

And who better to play the character of Tom Seyr than Romain Duris?  One of the most highly rated young actors in France today, Duris has a chameleon persona which allows him to assume the mantle of an astonishing range of characters, each time playing with utter conviction, each time providing a focal point for whatever film he happens to be in.  InDe battre mon coeur s'est arrêté, Duris gives what must surely be his best performance to date.  His naturally spontaneous style brings an edge of tough realism, whilst his soulful portrayal of a young man fighting for control over his destiny is what makes the film so compelling, so real, and so meaningful.  Truly, it's a heart-stopping performance.

After winning critical acclaim and proving an international success, De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté has won a number of coveted awards, including a remarkable tally of eight squashed bits of metal at the 2006 Césars (in categories which included best director, best film and best photography). Audiard went on to win even greater acclaim with his subsequent noir-tinted dramas Un prophète (2009) and Dheepan (2015).

Film Synopsis

28 year old Tom Seyr is the son of a small time gangster and seems set to follow in his father's footsteps.  He earns his crust through crooked real estate deals with his two thuggish associates Fabrice and Sami.  It is a violent and vicious life, and Tom's only release is music, be it techno or classical - a connection perhaps with his dead mother, who was once a great concert pianist.  A chance encounter with his mother's former manager, Mr Fox, reawakens Tom's interest in piano playing and he sees an alternative future for himself.  He engages a Vietnamese music student to help him perfect an audition piece.  However, the grim reality of his present life looks set to thwart his ambitions…