First, let's confirm the actual narrative, as many online summaries get the details wrong.
The film is an adaptation of Philippe Besson’s bestselling autobiographical novel. It follows Stéphane Belcourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec), a famous, successful writer who returns to his hometown of Cognac for the first time in 35 years to accept an award. There, he is reintroduced to Lucas (Victor Belmondo), the son of his first great love, Thomas. lie with me film 2022 verified
Through a series of flashbacks, we see the passionate, secretive affair between young Stéphane (Jérémy Gillet) and young Thomas (Julien de Saint-Jean) in the 1980s—a time when homosexuality was far less accepted. The film does not dwell on tragedy but rather on the lasting impact of a love that was never fully expressed and the secrets that echo through generations. First, let's confirm the actual narrative, as many
The story follows Stéphane Belcourt (played by Guillaume de Tonquédec), a celebrated, successful novelist in his 50s. He accepts an invitation to return to his hometown of Cognac (famous for its brandy) as a guest of honor at a distillery’s bicentennial celebration. There, he is confronted by two overwhelming forces: the bittersweet memories of his adolescence and a handsome young man named Lucas (Victor Belmondo). There, he is reintroduced to Lucas (Victor Belmondo),
As Stéphane navigates the public relations duties of the event, he discovers that Lucas is the son of Thomas, his first great love—a secret, passionate summer romance from when they were both 17 years old. Thomas, now absent from the town, left behind a legacy of silence, marriage, and family. Through a series of flashbacks, we witness teenage Stéphane (Jérémy Gillet) and teenage Thomas (Julien De Saint Jean) navigating a clandestine affair in the 1980s, a time when homosexuality was far less accepted in rural France.
The verified crux of the film is not a reunion between the former lovers, but rather a quiet, devastating exploration of what happens when the person you loved chooses a "normal" life over you—and how decades later, their child becomes an unwitting messenger of the truth.
| Actor | Role | Description | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Guillaume de Tonquédec | Stéphane Belcourt (present) | A renowned, closeted novelist. Elegant, guarded, and brittle. He has built his life on beautiful lies. | | Victor Belmondo | Lucas Andrieu | Thomas’s adult son. Warm, observant, and searching for his father’s hidden life. He is the catalyst for confession. | | Jérémy Gillet | Stéphane (1984, age 17) | Intense, bookish, and braver than he knows. He falls first and hardest. | | Julien de Saint Jean | Thomas Andrieu (1984, age 18) | The golden boy—athletic, popular, with a violent father. He loves Stéphane but is paralyzed by fear. | | Anne Le Ny | The Publisher | Stéphane’s sharp, loyal publisher and confidante in Paris. |