"The Key to Change"
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What You Need To Know:
Seedy, dark and violent, THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED weaves in just enough refined culture and mesmerizing piano compositions to whet the appetite of Tom and the viewing audience. However, the worldviews presented are clearly humanist with little or no redemptive messages. Music may soothe the savage beast, but it cannot permanently change the heart of a lost man.
Content:
(HHH, FR, B, LLL, VV, SS, NN, A, DD, MM) Very strong humanist worldview about a young man using music to reform his criminal ways, with brief glimpse of Buddhist altar in woman’s home, and some moral elements, including implied mercy at one point; about 50 obscenities (over half of which are "f" words), two profanities and two blasphemies; violence includes much fighting, man suffers cuts to hand, man hit in face with frying pan, man grabbed in crotch, man bitten by rats, slapping, and bloody murder scene shown; sexual content includes kissing, groping, man regularly cheats on his wife, woman commits adultery, fornication implied, and couple shown briefly in bed; brief upper female nudity and upper and rear male nudity; some drinking; some drug abuse and nearly continuous smoking by characters; and, miscellaneous immorality such as shaking down victims for money, property destruction, violently evicting building squatters, etc., strong theme of revenge with implied mercy shown, and protagonist acknowledges no religious beliefs.
More Detail:
Music soothes the savage beast. Or does it? That is the premise of the French film THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED. By the way, a clever title does not necessarily a clever movie make. To be fair, THE BEAT does not try to be clever in a cinematic sense. In fact, it is a fairly straight-forward story, but, as an attempt to show a conflicted soul pulled between two different worlds, it succeeds admirably.
THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED centers on a French street thug who tries to leave his criminal world behind for the chance to become a concert pianist. Romain Duris proves his amazing acting skills as Thomas Seyr, a young man from a long line of mobster enforcer-types, who convincingly undergoes tremendous change as he is lured to a better life. It takes time, however, and Director Jacques Audiard seems to enjoy following this long and tumultuous transition.
Working around shady business deals by day, violent visits at night to people who owe money, and a troubled relationship with his equally criminal father, Tom practices at his piano and prepares for an important audition that could radically change his life. Not ready to give up his criminal routine, Tom takes music lessons from a talented young woman who speaks only Chinese. Since music is a universal language, he slowly opens up and allows himself to feel the emotions required for his performance. This gradual change does not set well with his dangerous business partners or his selfish, greedy father. Before long, Tom must decide which path he will follow and, therefore, which fate he must suffer.
As Tom nears the emotional place in his life where music can pour out of him freely, he begins to shut down his volatile leanings and experiences a growing distaste for his empty lifestyle. Still, revenge eats at his core, and Tom may never truly break free.
Seedy, dark and violent, THE BEAT THAT MY HEART SKIPPED weaves in just enough refined culture and mesmerizing piano compositions to whet the appetite of Tom and the viewing audience. However, the worldviews presented are clearly humanist with little or no redemptive messages. Music may soothe the savage beast, but it cannot permanently change the heart of a lost man.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
