Beating Hearts: a polarising French film featuring violent scenes and 'fabulous diaglogue'

Gilles Lelouche’s drama about a troubled, charismatic youngster drawn into criminality was supposed to be one of the big winners at this year’s César film awards, but despite 13 nominations, it only scooped one prize (best supporting actor for Alain Chabat).

While not unanimously praised by critics, Beating Hearts (L’Amour Ouf in French) was a 2024 box office smash, ranking sixth in the end of year chart with nearly five million tickets sold.

Adapted from Irish author Neville Thompson’s 1997 book Jackie Loves Johnser OK? this is certainly not a film to everyone’s taste, given its often shocking portrayal of violent gangster activity in a depressed northern town. 

Read also: Legendary French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard

This sits a little uncomfortably with its other main theme of star-crossed love between its two principal characters, Clotaire and Jackie, portrayed by two pairs of actors over a ten-year period. 

While the film is overlong at two hours and forty minutes, with the second act in particular dragging, there are some fabulous pieces of dialogue. Most admirable are the performances from the eclectic ensemble cast, notably from Malik Frikah as the young Clotaire and Adèle Exarchopoulos as the older Jackie. Frikah, a former breakdancing champion in his first major role, is surely destined for great things on this showing.

Available to stream on Prime Video.

Also out: Astérix et Obélix: Le Combat des chefs (The Big Fight)

Five brand episodes of a new 3D animated version of the 1961 book are now available on Netflix. Alain Chabat directs.