Close your eyes and imagine the thrill of success and the glitz of fame, only to have it all come crashing down when you discover it was never really yours, to begin with. This is the gut-wrenching premise of Beat, a poignant film directed by Jye Currie and brought to life by an outstanding cast, including Rachael Carpani, Cleo Massey, Alexandra Jensen, Ben Hall, Chris Sadrinna, and Alexis Lane. The film takes us on a journey with Ellie, a gifted musician who rises to fame after receiving a heart transplant, only to uncover that her success was rooted in someone else’s pain.
Spoilers Ahead
The Heart Transplant
The story centers on three people whose lives intersected in the most unexpected way. The first was a homeless troubadour named Kevin, whose daily bread came from street performances that moved the hearts of those who stopped to listen. The second was Susan, a hardworking waitress who juggled double shifts to make ends meet for her and her beloved daughter, Ellie. And finally, there was Ellie, a bright-eyed young girl whose life took an unexpected turn after a terrible accident left her in dire need of a heart transplant. Susan’s world was turned upside down as she watched her daughter suffer and the medical bills pile up with no end in sight. But then, a glimmer of hope emerged – a text message on Susan’s phone indicating that a donor’s heart had been secured for Ellie’s transplant. However, fate had a cruel twist in store for the family as the heart turned out to be a mismatch, leaving Susan and Ellie stranded once again. The mounting pressure of mounting bills and the looming threat of losing her daughter drove Susan to the edge of desperation. To cope, she turned to alcohol, hoping to numb the pain that was tearing her apart. Miraculously, hope was not lost for Susan and Ellie as the hospital managed to secure another heart for Ellie’s much-needed transplant. The surgery went smoothly, and Susan finally breathed a sigh of relief after months of living in constant fear and uncertainty. While Ellie was eager to get back to her normal life, she couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight on her heart – the knowledge that someone had to pass away for her to have a chance at a new life.
The Unexpected Opportunity
Ellie’s love for music was not just a hobby but a passion that delighted her soul. She had always loved to dabble with instruments and sing her heart out, but after the accident, something unexpected happened. During a volunteer bar performance, Ellie played a tune so perfectly that it felt like it belonged to someone else entirely. Ellie couldn’t shake the feeling that she was channeling the music of another, but who could it be? As fate would have it, Ellie was approached by Tee, a music producer who saw something special in her talent. He offered her a chance to open for the main show at the iconic Musical House, and Ellie couldn’t believe her luck. She took to the stage and wowed the audience with her raw talent and incredible voice. Susan was in awe of her daughter’s talent and knew in her heart that Ellie was going to be a superstar. The success of her first show led to a five-show contract to play for the most discerning audiences in Australia, and playing at the Grand Theatre seemed like a very real possibility. Despite the glittering lights and glamorous venues, Ellie felt like she was missing something. It was true that she was living her dream, playing music for an audience and getting paid for it, but something still felt off. The people she performed for were often rich and privileged, using classical music as a way to flaunt their status rather than appreciating it for its true beauty. Ellie yearned for a more authentic connection with her music and her audience. Moreover, she also keeps hearing screaming noises, which does nothing but make her anxious. As Ellie’s star continued to rise, she found herself struggling with the weight of her newfound fame and the pressure to maintain her success. One night, while at a party with some of her new celebrity friends, Ellie decided to try cocaine for the first time. It was supposed to help her feel more creative and more alive, but instead, it made her feel even more lost and disconnected than before. As Ellie continued to spiral out of control, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the music she was playing wasn’t really hers. It was like someone else’s fingers were moving across the keys. In reality, the heart that gave Ellie a new shot at life and fame belonged to Kevin, a young homeless guy her mother used to tip every day while going to work. Kevin was a homeless musician who was killed by a couple of drunk men who believed he was not fit to be a part of society.
‘Beat’ Movie Ending
Ellie had been struggling to find meaning in her music career, feeling lost and disconnected from her own passion. She knew she needed a change and decided to turn her back on playing for the wealthy elite, who only saw classical music as a status symbol. However, after some reflection, Ellie decided to take one last chance and perform at the prestigious Grand Theatre. She wanted her mother, Susan, by her side for the biggest show of her life. As Ellie prepared for the performance, Susan entered her makeup room and could see the weight of Ellie’s anxiety and doubt. Susan knew she had to do something to lift her daughter’s spirits, so she decided to reveal a secret she had been keeping for a while. Susan had done some research and discovered that Kevin, the young homeless man she had always tipped on the way to work, was actually Ellie’s heart donor. This revelation hit Ellie hard, and she couldn’t help but feel guilty. She realized that the music she had been playing, the music that had brought her success, fame, and money, was actually Kevin’s. As Ellie delved deeper into the truth about her donor, she was confronted with another shocking realization. Liam, the man she had been spending time with, didn’t actually exist. He was a manifestation of her own loneliness, much like how Kevin had created his own coping mechanism. After the transplant, Ellie started seeing Liam, but now she understood that he was simply a product of her own mind. This new understanding weighed heavily on her, making her feel like all her achievements, from her music to her fame, were meaningless and not hers. This feeling of insignificance is too much for Ellie to endure, and she stabs herself in the gut and ends her life. In the final moments, we see Susan sobbing in a comfortable chair as the titles roll. A kind therapist’s voice permeates the space as she attends closely to Susan’s tragic account of her daughter’s death.