Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Lie with Me (Arrête avec tes mensonges) is about a novelist, Stéphane Belcourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec), who returns to his hometown to be the guest of honor at the celebration of a popular brand of cognac. Although he does not drink, he agrees to speak at the event.
Being back in his hometown triggers memories of his youth and his first love with Thomas Andrieu (Julien de Saint-Jean), a closeted boy his age. The two spent hours together, and while Thomas met Stéphane’s family, Stéphane was never able to meet his. And when the relationship ended, it left Stéphane with a pain he built a literary career writing about.
Although the memories of his youthful affair with Thomas are painful, Stéphane is able to fulfil his obligations for the celebration. It isn’t until he meets Lucas (Victor Belmondo) and discovers that he is Thomas’s son that things get complicated.
Some Thoughts:
Lie with Me is filled with beautiful scenery and some fine acting. What starts as a film about making amends with the past becomes much more as it unfolds. As it turns out, Lucas has read Stéphane’s books and knows that Stéphane and his father were once friends.
The backstory of Stéphane’s secretive relationship with Thomas in 1984 is what holds the present story together. What happened between Stéphane and Thomas and the events, many of which Stéphane are not aware of, are the catalyst for everything that happens. And because of that, the film has some unexpected twists.
The Final Verdict:
Lie with Me is an enjoyable film with fine acting, beautiful scenery, and a well-paced story.
