Set in the enchanting backdrop of 1900s Belle Époque Paris, Chéri intricately weaves the tale of a passionate affair between Léa, a wealthy, middle-aged retired courtesan portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer, and the exuberant and self-indulgent Chéri, the 19-year-old son of a more affluent courtesan, brought to life by Rupert Friend. Nicknamed "Chéri," meaning "Dear" or "Darling," he is a figure of luxury and excess, living a life of opulence and neglect.
Initially, Léa rescues Chéri from the clutches of her former rival Charlotte, who finds his reckless behavior intolerable. What starts as a short-term arrangement blossoms into a six-year relationship filled with both emotional and physical intimacy, as Léa sustains Chéri's lavish lifestyle, despite his access to his own considerable wealth. Revolving around their unorthodox bond, they navigate their feelings in a world that views them as outcasts, yet together they feel at ease, as myth and truth blur.
As the plot thickens, Léa discovers that Chéri's mother intends for him to marry Edmée, an innocent young woman of just 18, desired for her freshness due to Charlotte's regret over Chéri's neglect. Despite Chéri's disinterest in Edmée, he faces the inevitable prospect of marriage to inherit a vast fortune. In a bittersweet act, Léa dismisses Chéri from her life whilst extracting a promise from him to be gentle with Edmée.
> "You must always be kind, for she deserves happiness," she advises him, masking their shared pain with superficial indifference.
When the wedding unfolds, Léa refrains from attending, and during the honeymoon, both Chéri and Léa face the harsh reality of their feelings. Though Chéri attempts to connect with Edmée, she senses his heart still lingers with Léa, sowing seeds of doubt that burgeon into turmoil.
After a spiraling sequence of events—a visit to Charlotte, an illicit affair during a vacation, and an unexpected return to Léa's life—Chéri's jealousy overwhelms him, leading to a passionate rendezvous between the two former lovers. Their encounter reignites old flames, igniting desires they tried to bury for the sake of appearances.
However, the morning after reveals a stark truth; as they confront the harsh light of reality, life's circumstances and their age gap impose insurmountable barriers to their happiness. Léa, reflecting on their bittersweet past, compels Chéri to return to Edmée, insisting their love is, ultimately, a fantasy.
In a poignant ending, as Chéri walks away, Léa faces her aging reflection in the mirror, symbolizing lost time and unfulfilled love. The narrator echoes the somber reality of their story, emphasizing that Léa's birth precedes her soulmate's by two decades. In the wake of their parting, Chéri survives the trials of war without scars but ultimately succumbs to the realization that Léa was his true love, leading to a tragic fate of his own.
