Nothing tugs on the heartstrings like a tale of tragic teenage love! I finally got to Besson's short novel before seeing the new film adaptation and I'm glad I took the time to read the text first. The story follows famous author Philippe who glimpses a man walking by and suddenly he's swept back to memories of the past. Having grown up in a rural agricultural region of France in the 80s, he was frequently bullied and felt alienated because of his sensitive bookish nature. He was also fully cognizant of his own homosexuality and didn't hide it. His openness means that his handsome, popular and quiet classmate Thomas feels emboldened enough to proposition him for a furtive fumble – basically demanding a series of secret trysts. Given Philippe's powerful attraction towards Thomas he gladly acquiesces to this attention though it's entirely stripped of romance. After a number of meetings and candid discussions they develop a deeper passion for one another.
Philippe naturally wants their relationship to continue believing they can find a place together outside of their provincial home town. However, Thomas won't deviate from his expected familial role continuing his father's business, finding a wife and remaining in their native region. He also believes there is a fundamental difference between them stating “We come from different worlds.” Their split leaves an indelible haunting mark upon Philippe who abruptly loses his first love. After an extended opening section about their teenage affair the story leaps forward to decades in the future when Philippe gradually discovers the shocking truth about Thomas' life. The novel brilliantly calibrates the release of information to surprise the reader and stir a sense of aching longing for those fleeting moments of intense youthful passion. It also cleverly plays with notions of the truth since as a novelist Philippe is a professional liar. But, in choosing to live a more “honest” life that conforms to expectations,Thomas spends his personal life lying about his true self.
The book's structure presents an interesting dilemma for the filmmaker because the later two sections are almost entirely composed of dialogue. If the story was adapted in a straightforward way it'd make for long visually static scenes. However, director/screenwriter Olivier Peyon came up with a clever way to centre this tale in the present using frequent flash backs to Philippe's tender early love affair. The movie builds to a corporate lecture Philippe has been sponsored to give as the visiting literary artist in his native region and through a surprise encounter he learns the truth about what happened to his first love Thomas. Through this interplay between past and present we get a strong sense of the longing and loss which informs Philippe's writing. A more complex drama unfolds in the contemporary time period which also includes a distinct female character who wasn't in the novel. Gaëlle begins as a figure of light comic relief but gradually she's shown to have more depth and complexity as Philippe is overwhelmed by revelations about his past love. It's a highly sensuous and emotional film. It's also very moving how this story demonstrates the way we can feel so much regret even when we've chosen the best path in life.
