Boyfriend Material

In the drink tent, Luc finds Mia and the two commiserate over the strained dynamic between Christopher and Oliver. Luc digs for information. Mia relays that, from Christopher’s perspective, the Blackwoods constantly push their support of his work in an overly performative way. Mia also shares that she and Christopher do not want children, but the Blackwoods want grandchildren and disregard Mia and Christopher’s desires.

Christopher and Oliver enter the drink tent, where they apologize for their behavior. Oliver takes Luc on a tour of the gardens but repeatedly apologizes for bringing Luc along.

Luc tries to provide support and comfort about the way Oliver’s parents treat him. However, Oliver sides with his parents. Their conversation is interrupted by a speech from David Blackwood, which is filled with insulting jokes directed at his wife and sons.

The longer the party goes on, the more deflated Oliver becomes. Oliver and Luc speak to Miriam Blackwood, Oliver’s mother, who asks Oliver about past boyfriends before crying about how “worried” she is for Oliver, claiming he will never understand “because [he’ll] never have children of [his] own” (366).

Oliver’s parents and uncle Jim insult his weight, hair, and occupation. His father lambasts Oliver’s lack of career advancement, but when Oliver describes senior positions that would require him to move out of London, his mother cries because she doesn’t want him to move away.

Luc, unable to tolerate their behavior anymore, speaks out in defense of Oliver. In doing so, he insults the Blackwoods. David kicks him out of the house; Luc pauses long enough to apologize to Oliver, telling him all the ways he is wonderful before leaving.

Oliver chases after Luc, and they leave together. Oliver speeds to the end of the lane, pulls over, and bursts into tears. After he calms down, he apologizes for exposing Luc to his family, making poor excuses for their behavior. Luc tries to comfort him while simultaneously explaining the ways Oliver deserves better; Oliver ends the conversation. Oliver expresses his desire for a bacon sandwich, and Luc convinces him to let him make one, citing the fact that he has already purchased the bacon and to not eat it would be wasteful.

At Luc’s apartment, Luc fries bacon and makes Oliver a sandwich. They sit on the couch while Oliver debates his own ethics. Finally, he eats the sandwich. The conversation returns to the party. Luc emphasizes that Oliver deserves to be treated with respect, but Oliver interprets this as a slight against his parents. Oliver ruminates on why he took Luc to the party, knowing Luc would not behave perfectly; he continues to grapple with this while Luc does the dishes. They move to the bedroom, where they make love.

The next morning, Oliver wakes Luc by kissing him on the forehead and telling him goodbye. Oliver breaks up with Luc, claiming the last few months have been a fantasy. Oliver says that they are not good with each other and that he would rather end the relationship in a place of fondness than continue it and watch it grow cold. Despite Luc’s protestations and efforts to come up with a solution, Oliver leaves.

Three days later, Luc arrives at a restaurant for dinner with Jon. Jon stands him up, leaving him to wade through paparazzi alone. Luc calls his mother, who invites him over. When he arrives at her home, she shares that Jon does not actually have cancer; he was misdiagnosed. Now that he is no longer dying, he is also no longer interested in fostering a relationship with his son. Luc is hurt but now knows that his father was always a bad person. Odile promises not to do an album with Jon. They discuss the ways Jon has hurt them and the strange process of healing.

Luc tells his mother about his breakup. She comforts him. She also highlights how Luc is in a better place now than he was before his relationship with Oliver. She emphasizes all the good things Luc has in his life. Luc stays the night in his childhood bedroom and ruminates on his mother’s words, coming to believe them.

Bridget calls Luc while he is at work. She explains that Oliver has left for Durham for a job interview and worries that Oliver plans to move away. She pressures Luc to intercede, believing that their breakup is the cause for Oliver’s behavior. Luc initially rejects Bridget’s idea to intercede, but Bridget texts the group chat and requests the use of Priya’s truck to drive Luc to Durham.

Luc’s whole friend group arrives to join the adventure. Luc airs his anxieties and fear of rejection; his friends alternate between teasing him and comforting him throughout the drive. While talking through his feelings, Luc decides that Oliver is who he wants to be with.

The group arrives at a hotel in Durham, where they try to convince the front desk attendant to give them information about Oliver. Bridget finally calls Oliver, only to learn that he did not go through with the job interview and is back in London. Bridget and Luc buy dinner for their friends before beginning the long drive to London. Luc grows increasingly depressed, feeling like he has failed. His friends bicker about gas prices and driving as Luc falls asleep.

Bridget wakes Luc up. He gets out of the truck before he realizes that they are outside of Oliver’s home; Bridget locks the door before he can get back in the vehicle. Luc starts yelling at his friends but is interrupted when Oliver steps outside.

Luc tells Oliver that he had originally gone to Durham to ask him not to leave. Luc explains all the ways that Oliver is imperfect. He emphasizes that he cares for Oliver despite these imperfections, wanting the difficult things alongside the good. He tells Oliver that he loves him and wants to help him. Oliver rejects Luc and goes back inside.

As Priya drives the group to Luc’s apartment, they both comfort Luc and critique his performance while trying to reconcile with Oliver. Bridget insists on developing a new plan, an insistence that is rooted in her worry that Luc will fall into another harmful spiral like he did after Miles betrayed him. Luc promises her that he will be okay. At his apartment, Luc invites his friends to stay and drink; only Priya does so. They stay up late and are woken in the early morning by Luc’s intercom buzzer.

Luc answers it to find Oliver outside, requesting to speak. Luc meets him downstairs. Oliver apologizes for his behavior, saying that he pulled away because of fear and shame. He tells Luc that he loves him, and the two kiss. They decide to try to have a real relationship even though they are both scared of being hurt. They sit together on the stoop, and Luc reflects on how light he feels.