• Director: Olivier Peyon
• With: Guillaume De Tonquédec, Victor Belmondo, Guilaine Londez, Jérémy Gillet, Julien de Saint Jean, Cyril Couton, Pierre-Alain Chapuis, Marilou Gallais, Laurence Pierre, Dominique Courait
• Music by: Bravinsan & Thylacine
• Based upon the novel ‘Arrête avec tes Mensonges’ by Philippe Besson (2017)
• Duration: 1h38
• Rating: 9,5/10

Review:

Even though this is a French movie (I watched it in the original French spoken language, with English subtitles. Even though the subtitles were not really necessary as it’s not to difficult to follow if you speak and understand French), I will write my review in English. (also I make too many mistakes writing in French)

Stéphane Belcourt is a famous author who is invited back to his hometown in the Cognac area, to help promote a distillery. When he arrives he is overwhelmed with all the memories and heart pain this town has given him. While he reminisces on his past, he thinks back to his first love when Stéphane was 17, in 1984. That was when he met Thomas for the first time. Thomas was the quiet but popular boy from school. Stéphane never interacts with him until Thomas leaves him a message to meet him somewhere no one else comes. This is the beginning of a secret love affair between the two boys. But when summer comes, Thomas leaves for Spain for a month, leaving Stéphane. But Thomas never comes back.

Now Stéphane is 35 years older, has written a lot of books, and he’s back in his hometown, he meets Lucas. And then he learns Lucas is Thomas’ son. The coincidence of meeting the son of the man he loved so dearly, the son of the man who is a subject of his novels so many times, brings back so many memories and he tries to connect with Lucas, only to discover his coming to his hometown may not have been a coincidence after all!

A few year ago I read the novel (in Dutch) and I knew this movie had been made but so far I never found a decent and affordable bluray, until a few weeks ago I finally found it and bought it.

The movie differs somewhat of the novel, as is always with books and adaptations, but it doesn’t kill the vibe nor the feelings behind the story. The scenes with the younger Stéphane and Thomas are so sweet, so sexy and so very heartfelt (and heartbroken at times) that you’re so enthralled by the movie and the story. (I recommend everyone to read the novel, it’s available in English as well!)

In the movie they even recreated the scene that was also the photo on the cover of the French edition (see below)!

The role of Lucas is played by Victor Belmondo, son of Paul and grandson of the actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (he even resembles a young Jean-Paul!)

The young Stéphane is played by Belgian actor Jérémy Gillet!

The young actors (Thomas, young Stéphane and Lucas) are handsome boys, making this movie worth a watch. But mostly it’s the story between the two young boys in the eighties who fall in love but are torn apart by the fear of love, the love between two boys in a community and time where this is still frowned upon by certain people.

The bluray had some really fabulous promotional pictures as an extra. Read this book and watch this movie because it is such a beautiful story!