Leaving a life you’ve always known isn’t easy, but more so if you’ve been born into organized crime, having followed the footsteps of a parent. The Beat That My Heart Skipped is a remake of 1978 American film Fingers, but reversed– The film brings a real estate broker to piano rather than the other way around. With the lessons bringing Tom back to the music his mother loved and dedicated her life for, Tom reconnects to a childhood hope, and connects with teacher Miao Lin, with music bridging where words cannot, due to the language barrier. Tme and the desperation his current life begets, of course, threatens to keep him for it. The Beat That My Heart Skipped takes a more visceral and neo-noir approach, but the balance between Tom’s relationship with his dad and his love makes his decision over a new path all the more compelling.

Romain Duris. This wouldn’t have worked without his being able to juggle both the pianist and the gangster.