"Les amours imaginaires" ("Heartbeats" in English) might remind one of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" in its depiction of a three-way relationship, including between two men. But it does have its own qualities. Slow-paced without being bland, it reminded me of Pedro Almodovar's movies, and subtly gives us a perceptive look at Audrey Hepburn's legacy.

I doubt that Hollywood's franchise-crazy studios would be willing to fund this sort of movie: too low-key and too intellectual. I recommend it, though. Everything about it is well done. I especially liked the complexity that they gave the characters. It's the sort of movie that would have to come from either Canada or Europe.

Definitely see it.

As the second feature from the promising young Canadian director-writer-actor Xavier Dolan, after his remarkable debut I KILLED MY MOTHER (2009),in order not to be a flash in the pan, Dolan chooses to narrow his objects into an illusionary love triangle which concentrates a gay boy and his best girlfriend both fall for a blonde boy (doesn't sound like a triangle, yup!). My personal feeling is that while the story loses its complexity, the film itself also is shoehorned with stylistic slow motions and jumping close-ups of the camera, which are way too replete.

Also the over-abuse of Bach's music, Dalida's interpretation of the Italian version of Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and bold imitations of Andy Warhol all make the film unique in a negative way, commonly I cannot resist the wallop from accumulation of different colorful palette, but in this case, it just doesn't work for me, the alternate interviews doesn't help at all (maybe all because it is French).

The cast is OK, slightly annoying I must say, especially Monia and Niels, very difficult to be likesome, maybe Dolan did it willfully.

The film is much more experimental than Dolan's debut film, it seems that he try to challenge his audience's tolerance, as for me, I feel a bit disappointed, but I still hold expectations for his next work as we know, youth is one's most precious capital, hope he will take good advantage of it and reach the true auteurism. I sincerely hope it will not be my wishful thinking.

'Heartbeats' is a fun little film, a sort of Gallic rom-com, although don't expect the obligatory happy-ending where the two protagonists rejected in love hook up with each other. A simple story of unrequited love and ordinary obsessiveness, the film cuts to the chase in spite of its good looking characters and chic vibe: we're not all equally attractive, and we don't love another in equal amounts. The rejecter in this story doesn't even do anything particularly wrong, except treat others with a combination of openness and carelessness that is surely only natural when blessed with a certain type of good looks. The film's resolution of his hitherto ambiguous sexuality is clever, and the film as a whole is brilliantly orchestrated with a collection of popular songs, from different eras, each of which nonetheless is particularly chosen to fit a certain mood and to complement the images on screen at that time. Oddly, in spite of the emotional pain its characters are in, this film is a stylised paean to being young, beautiful and in love: the fact that it hurts only makes it sweeter.