Barbecue (2014)

In Lyon, fifty-year-old Antoine Chevalier (Lambert Wilson) works at his father’s company. He doesn’t smoke and takes part in sports activities. He is married to Véronique “Véro” (Sophie Duez), a doctor. They have a son, Hugo. Antoine studied at Sup de Co, where he met his friends Yves (Guillaume de Tonquédec), Laurent (Lionel Abelanski), Olivia (Florence Foresti), and Baptiste (Franck Dubosc). They also met Jean-Michel (“Jean-Mich”) (Jérôme Commandeur), who worked at the university cafeteria. Olivia and Baptiste married and have two children. Jean-Mich is a mechanic at Midas. Laurent became a real-estate agent and is married to Nathalie (Valérie Crouzet). They have no children. Laurent bought property in La Mulatière, betting on its value rising when the tram line was extended. Yves married Laure (Lysiane Meis). They have a son, Guillaume. Olivia left Baptiste, who sank into depression and is temporarily staying with Antoine and Véro. Antoine is still attracted to twenty-five-year-old women and cheats on Véro without a second thought. Antoine, Jean-Mich, Yves, Laurent, Olivia, and Baptiste are fervent supporters of OL. They are running in the “Foulées rhodaniennes” when Antoine collapses from a heart attack. He is hospitalized and recovers, but is incredulous. He had been making an effort to look after his health. So Antoine refuses to follow the diet the doctors want to impose on him and wants to have fun and enjoy life. He quits his job, starts smoking again, and does whatever he feels like doing. He happens to learn that the properties Laurent bought are now worthless, and keeps this from Nathalie. Antoine tells their other friends. They decide to act as if nothing is wrong and discreetly help Laurent financially. For years, the group of friends has had a tradition of spending their summer holidays together in Arcachon, at Yves’s initiative. This year, Antoine decides they should do something different and go to a large, magnificent villa with a pool near Le Vigan. When Laurent is there, Antoine says that the residence belongs to some of Véro’s parents’ friends, who are lending it to them for free so it won’t sit empty. Baptiste learns that Antoine had a love affair with Olivia before he did. Guillaume, who is supervising a holiday camp, joins the group and pitches his tent on the property. They go to visit the abbey. Yves asks Antoine to talk to Guillaume because, while putting up his tent, he found hashish in his bag of sardines. That evening, Antoine tells Guillaume not to make the same mistake he did, and to enjoy life while he is young, then buys him his hashish. Yves is outraged. Antoine smokes a joint with Olivia by the pool. Antoine happens to discover that Véro is cheating on him with her cardiology colleague, Professor Fabrice Blomet. Antoine increasingly says exactly what he thinks, without tact and without caring whether he offends his friends. At dinner, Antoine has a vasovagal episode and collapses onto the table. Because of Antoine’s behavior, the group cuts ties with him. Véro and Antoine no longer speak and sleep in separate rooms. Antoine decides to make up with his friends, starting with Yves. He goes to see him at work, and they go for a meal together. Yves tells him that Jean-Mich is having a party at his place and invites him along. Olivia introduces her boyfriend, Alexandre, to the group. After a football match, Olivia announces that she has broken up with Alexandre. Antoine gets a message from Laurent asking him to meet at a restaurant in Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or. Antoine picks Véro up outside the hospital after her shift, asks her to forgive his behavior, and tells her he still loves her. They reconcile. Olivia and Baptiste go outside for a cigarette and reconnect. Jean-Mich tells the group he has a date with a very pretty customer. Laurent lets the group know that he has realized they have been paying his share and Nathalie’s for months while he was having financial difficulties. He announces that the tram line is being extended to his properties in La Mulatière. Laurent therefore pays for his friends’ meal to thank them. They leave the restaurant reconciled, happy, and drunk, in Yves’s car.