isabelle huppert be a wonderful actor . the director of la pianiste understand this and provide the viewer with long take of huppert face and and these be a pleasure to see . huppert be not an animated actor she register emotion with the small lift of an eyebrow or flicker of a smile . other than the enjoyment of watch an experienced actor excel in her profession and there be nothing in this movie that make me want to recommend it . ( well and if you enjoy self mutilation and sado masochism and and bizarre behavior and la pianiste might work for you . other than these attribute and i could not find any redeem value in it . ) bury in all this strange material there be a kernel of truth . people who compete at the very high level musically and athletically and whatever begin a strange people and and be shape into stranger people by the competitive environment . not worth a trip to a movie theater to relearn this life lesson . .