nearly every modern french film boast a leading actor who have a magnificent obsession outside of their professional life and have you ever notice that . frequently it music and sometimes a quest for a rare item and rock climbing or even act ( that last one a favourite for all the rather pretentious play within a play option it throw up ) . this film plough the same furrow but the obsession in this case the piano be more than just a showy tack on and it the very agent of the protagonist eventual redemption . everything good in his old life relate to his mother who foster his interest in play the piano while his present of moral turpitude and anger he owe to the influence of his deadbeat father . my heart stop beating be the literal translation of the french title ( the beat my heart skip sound more like exhilaration than spiritual stasis to me . ) and surely relate to this period and after tom mother death and where tom heart be moribund . his be a world that whilst not outlandish ( he go to bar and work in an office and have mate ) be subtly kill him . comparison have be make with scorcese mean street and the squalid but recognisable world depict there and truly duris do have more than a hint of the early de niro that disarmingly sweet face ally to a troubled often explosively violent character . his be a superb and nuanced performance and lead u in time to an understanding and an empathy for what at first appear a lost boy and just a he come to find what have be lose within his spirit . magnificent stuff and proof that european cinema be still light year ahead of hollywood in term of film that actually mean anything .