One must be generous to the young, but there are exceptions.
Take Xavier Dolan ("Take him please," as Henny Youngman might have said). He's 22 years old, directing "Heartbeats," his second movie. But directing is not enough for this would-be Canadian filmmaker. He also wrote it, was the editor, designed the costumes, served as the art director and co-stars as one of a triangle of grimly inadequate people, dreaming fitfully of a sexual relationship. Or two. Or maybe three.
Dolan portrays Francis. Monia Chokri is Marie and Niels Schneider is Nicholas, thin and handsome, ablaze in blond curls and totally wrapped up in himself. Nicholas is used to being an object of desire by people of both genders, and both Marie and Francis spend time in imaginary amorous afternoons in his arms.
Dolan shows may have talent as a director, but he is simply all over the place in this movie. It's obvious that taking on all these tasks is too much, and the sloppy, overwrought result takes self-aggrandizement to new levels.
Heartbeat opens today at the Plaza Frontenac
—Joe