Rich in atmosphere and tension, “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” has an intriguing leading man, in looks and acting ability. Romain Duris plays the conflicted Tom, who has shown a modicum of talent as a pianist, but whose profession has become that of an enforcer for a group of real estate sharks with the specialty of driving tenants or squatters out of buildings that can be used more profitably. The practice is ugly, the victims merely pawns. It is also a dangerous business.

This way of earning money is one into which Tom has followed his father, with whom he has estrangement issues traced to the relationship between his father and his late mother, who was a classical concert pianist. Giving his father a new chance leads to Tom’s having to avenge him.

The conflict of what to do with his life is generated when Tom encounters his mother’s former agent, who gives Tom the notion that he might become a professional concert artist. The situation is made interesting when a beautiful young pianist who has come to Paris from China begins to help Tom practice and observe his playing. (The cast also includes Niels Arestrup, Linh-Dan Pham, Aure Atika, Emmannuelle Devos, Jonathan Zaccaï, Gilles Cohen, Anton Yakovlev and Mélanie Laurent.)

Audiard contrasts the lure and beauty of music with the menace of crime, and that is what gives the film its emotional edginess. But more tension is derived from the skill of Duris’s lead performance. The actor is always fascinating to watch, all the more so since the criminal territory in which he moves is so off-putting. He makes you root for him to leave all that behind.