I must state from the very beginning that I have not seen "Fingers". Some critics keep praying it and saying how much greater it was. Really? I haven't heard of it so far (not that I am much of a film connoisseur!). I am a normal human being who went to the cinema to see a film very hard to tell friends about without blushing (because it has such a poetic title, lyrical, as some put it). These are just my impressions.<br /><br />The moment I went out of the cinema hall, I though the combination real estate mobster - gifted pianist was highly unlikely in any case, but rendered almost believable by Romain Duris. I thought he was a brilliant actor. I watched and couldn't believe it, an actor of the same rank as Daniel Auteuil...can't think of a young American actor to match. He DID render the whole thing believable, because I am not a fan of classical music either, and I had that music from that film in my mind ever since. Anyway, I see the film as a story about failure. You realize that you are on the wrong track and you want to go back, you do everything in your power to gain your former self, but you ultimately fail. And that is, I think, when his heart stopped beating. When he failed the audition. I think, in a metaphorical way, it stopped beating forever afterward, although he kept on living. But this is my own pathetic and pessimistic view. My friend, who saw the film with me, said the title refers to his emotion when he sees his mother's former piano tutor. I guess that's a more optimistic view!<br /><br />oh and I forgot the most important thing. It is equally about totally mad and insane courage to turn your life around as it is about failure, and it should be praised for showing that. In 9 American movies out of 10 the lost hero decides to take life in his own hands, strives and struggles and fights, loses days and nights and sweats and spills blood and...surprise! He finally wins, his effort is rewarded! How comforting! Let's just take a bow for a moment before a film which DARES show that actually, in these situations, in 9 cases after 10, YOU LOSE. And have to live with that, as well.