overall found film good exceptional acting disturbing scenes some essential useless weak second half contains spoilers film divided  parts thought first half pianist terrific meet erika kohut wonderful isabelle huppert piano teacher get introduced world single struggling find space overprotective borderline tyrannic mother understand lost seldom experienced love physicalemotional chemistry protects sharp offensive people releases sexual tensions sexshops voyeur sadistic selfmutilations  first half clinical builds incredible tension film almost unbearablebr br then comes walter young handsome outgoing man played superbly benoit magimel though gets feel erikas coldness beginning seduces slowly wreaks erikas fortress loves deeply needs fulfil sadistic desires fall him disgusted world end discover erika unable love feel especially since walter portrayed someone impossible love second half film touching see erikas inabilityinexperience love lead selfdestruction second half seemed less mastered haneke sometimes noncredible ie shocking scenes paradoxically lessened dramabr br of course crude film least french version see porn sequences sex shop daring mutilation sex scenes much talkedabout fellatio scene magimel huppert quite good thought central understand erikas sick relation love actors huppert marvelous film magimel gets better better perfection girardot the mother excellentbr br 