Heartbeats

Heartbeats begins with an appealing promise: Xavier Dolan will treat its comedy framework as a route into character rather than an excuse for noise. The early chemistry between Xavier Dolan and Monia Chokri gives Heartbeats an immediate pulse. The story of Heartbeats begins from a specific pressure point: The story of three close friends who are involved in a love triangle. By the end of its 1h 41m running time, the value of Heartbeats rests less on novelty than on the care of its execution.

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The acting in Heartbeats is anchored by Xavier Dolan, who treats even functional scenes as opportunities to reveal character. Monia Chokri answers that approach with a different energy, giving Heartbeats welcome friction whenever the pace begins to settle. Around them, Niels Schneider helps Heartbeats feel like an ensemble piece rather than a vehicle with decorative support. Under Xavier Dolan, the performances in Heartbeats share a tone even when the writing gives them unequal depth.

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Heartbeats uses its comedy framework to consider embarrassment, status and the gap between confidence and reality. For the character played by Xavier Dolan, that idea gives Heartbeats stakes beyond the next immediate obstacle. The recurring pressure of an important relationship prevents the theme in Heartbeats from feeling like decoration added after the story. Xavier Dolan makes Heartbeats more thoughtful whenever the implications remain inside action and reaction.

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The directorial personality of Heartbeats comes from Xavier Dolan remaining careful about tone and generally effective when the premise invites excess. Within Heartbeats, Xavier Dolan repeatedly favours readable choices over attention seeking flourishes. That discipline explains why the film delivers more often than it misses in Heartbeats rather than appearing only in isolated scenes. Where Heartbeats becomes less convincing, the middle loses a little urgency, and the loss of control is noticeable without becoming fatal.

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Heartbeats gains much of its identity from performer rhythm, a choice that makes the world readable as well as attractive. The contribution of Mifilifilms allows Heartbeats to combine performer rhythm with a consistent visual language. Within its Canada setting, Heartbeats makes particularly good use of comic timing built around character when the story needs to change scale. Sound and editing preserve the personality of Heartbeats by supporting detail instead of announcing every intended response.

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The narrative of Heartbeats works from a simple but productive collision between the central character and an important relationship. Through Xavier Dolan, Heartbeats keeps that premise rooted in a reaction the audience can understand. Xavier Dolan introduces a difficult choice at a useful point, giving Heartbeats a reason to change pace without abandoning its emotional line. The handling of the wider conflict is not equally fresh, yet Heartbeats usually earns attention through clarity rather than surprise alone.

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Taken as a whole, Heartbeats is a likeable film whose strengths survive its limitations for comedy fans who respond to personality and timing. Heartbeats leaves its strongest impression through performer rhythm, the work of Xavier Dolan and a clear understanding of tone. The limitations around how the middle loses a little urgency should be acknowledged, but they do not erase what Heartbeats does well. I would return to Heartbeats for its personality and its willingness to connect genre pleasure with recognisable feeling.