erika kohut be a woman with deep sexual problem . at the start of the film and we see her arriving home late . when her old mother protest and erika go into a frenzy and attack the old woman without pity . erika and a it turn out and be a musical teacher of a certain renown in the conservatory where she teach . when we next see her and she be the model of composure and but she show a cruel side in the way she attack a young male student because she feel he be waste his time and and hers . the same go for the insecure anna and a talented girl who erika hate and maybe because she see in the young woman a promise that she be not willing to promote . at the end of the day and we watch erika a she go into an amusement area and proceeds to one of the cabin where pornographic material be show . erika be transfix a she watch the thing that be be perform on the screen . on another occasion and erika come to a drive in where a movie be in progress . her attention go toward a parked car in which and two lover be perform a sex act . the camera linger on erika a she be lose in reverie watch what the two lover be do and until she be surprise by the young man inside the car . erika flees horrify she be discover . when a wealthy couple invite erika to perform in a recital in their opulent home and she meet an eager young man and walter and who be relate to the host . walter be immediately take with erika play while the young man be a talented pianist himself . his eagerness to compliment erika be meet with skepticism on her part . walter decide to audition for erika master class and and be accept . thus begin walter pursuit of erika and who be take aback when she realize what the young man motif really be . in turn and erika and begin to fantasize about walter in way that only her mind could and imagine what she would like him do when and and if and they get together . walter get turn off by the letter erika have write to him and detail sexual act that be repugnant to the young man . the film end and remind u of the last sequence of mr. haneke current cache . we be take to a concert hall where erika be go to perform . she be see stalk the lobby look for the arrival of walter and who go on into the hall without notice her . erika expression to the camera reveal a lot more of her state of mind in that last minute of the film . a she flee the lobby area after inflict a wound on herself and the camera abandon her and concentrate on the building facade that seem to stay on the screen for a long time . la pianiste be a personal triumph for isabelle huppert . this magnificent actress do one of her best appearance on the screen and guide by the sure hand of michael haneke and one of the most interesting director work today . ms. huppert work with economic gesture and yet and she project so much of her soul a she burn the screen with her erika . the support cast do wonder under the director guidance . annie girardot and always excellent and be perfect a erika mother . she seem to be the key of whatever go wrong with her daughter . there be a hint of incest that be play with subtleness in the context of the film . benoit magimel be perfectly cast a walter . this young actor do a wonderful job in the film a the young man and so in love with a woman that be possess by demon and that he will never be able to chase away or get her to love him in a normal manner . michael haneke film be always disturb to watch and yet they offer so many reward because he dare to go where other men do not . the magnificent music heard in the film be mainly by schubert and schumann and two composer that be erika own favorite . the movie be help tremendously by christian berger cinematography .