Those hoping for a glorious piece of cinema this side of Jean-Luc Godard and Wong Kar-Wai may be just a tad disappointed, though Xavier Dolan’s “Heartbeats” is still a delightful splash of filmmaking. Dolan, who made waves in 2009 with his debut “I Killed My Mother,” returns with “Heartbeats,” which leaps out of the cursed sophomoric slump that strikes many emerging filmmakers. “Heartbeats” proudly wears its influences on its sleeve with obvious shades of Godard’s “Contempt” and Kar-Wai’s “In The Mood For Love” throughout the film. “Heartbeats” follows Francis (played by Dolan himself) and Marie (Monia Chokri), two friends who meet and simultaneously go gaga for Nicolas (Niels Schneider), a charming man they both meet a party. What ensues is a vicious fight for the finish as both friends fall deeper and deeper in love with their new friend. Dolan’s direction here is inspiring even if it relies heavily on slow-motion shots and vibrant lighting. As with the work of Jean-Luc Godard and Wong Kar-Wai, the use of music also becomes its own character in the film. Like he did in “I Killed My Mother,” Dolan also plays the lead and is a pleasure to watch. Same goes for the other two leads played by Chokri and Schneider, who also appeared in Dolan’s first film. A cameo by French actor Louis Garrel (“Love Songs,” “The Dreamers”) is bound to cause a contagious smirk for fans of contemporary French cinema of the last decade. It should also be noted that Dolan’s strength as a screenwriter shines through on “Heartbeats,” which is never afraid to push the limits of each character’s emotions and will to get what they want. Dolan’s talent as both an actor and director is growing and really hits a high point with “Heartbeats.” Even more remarkable? He just turned 22. While “I Killed My Mother” was more of a personal piece, “Heartbeats” gives the filmmaker the ability to create his very own “Jules et Jim” and the result is something to write home about. Like it or not, there is no denying that Dolan is a blessing to the international film industry and clearly has a masterpiece in the making just around the corner. Heartbeats will screen at the Cleveland Cinematheque on Friday, June 3 at 7:30pm and Saturday, June 4 at 9:40pm.