Niels Arestrup is striking as the hero's slumlord father.

[Duris] is pure star quality: gloweringly sexy, hypnotically unstable and needy, combining rage and vulnerability in his handsome, delicate face.

Altogether, Audiard's movie hangs together better than Toback's: it's more coherent in its construction, far less arbitrary in its dialogue, and more plausible and considered in its characterisation.

The Beat That My Heart Skipped is a showcase for the incredibly talented Duris, who gained worldwide recognition for his mesmerizing work.