For the Love of George

Early 2014, in Surrey, England, Poppy Wakefield enjoys a life that looks almost too perfect: she plays the domestic goddess for her husband Stephen while also pursuing a freelance magazine career from the comfort of a sunlit home. Her seemingly flawless world shatters when she uncovers that Stephen’s latest birdwatching hobby is a cover for an affair, unraveling the careful balance she’s built around love, marriage, and success.

For Stephen’s birthday, she plans a romantic evening designed to dazzle: an expensive gift, a specialty cake, a sexy teddy, and rose petals scattered across the bedroom. Yet a call interrupts the moment, and he hints he’s off in search of a rare bird. He doesn’t hang up properly, leaving Poppy to overhear him confessing to his lover how gullible she is, a revelation that cuts through her like a cold wind.

In the wake of the revelation, she finds a temporary escape in a televised segment about George Clooney’s charitable work, a film-hero ideal who embodies the suave, sophisticated, and genuinely caring man she longs for. It’s a fantasy she clings to as she tries to make sense of her broken life.

A timely invitation to visit her close friend Justin in Los Angeles sets the plan in motion. Justin, who once worked as her wedding planner, becomes the gateway to a different world, and Poppy is drawn toward a future she hopes will heal her heartbreak. On Justin’s suggestion, she begins seeing celebrity specialist Dr. Faye Carter, who asks pointed questions about her George Clooney fixation and how it mirrors her sense of herself. She bristles at the insinuation but remains enthralled by the idea that Clooney could be the perfect partner.

The next morning, while drafting a piece for Chit Chat magazine, Justin lures her to a farmers’ market in case Clooney might show. A flirtatious vendor catches her eye, yet she doesn’t take the bait. To increase her odds, she buys a selection of Clooney’s tequilas and reaches out to his publicist, trying to set up an interview under the pretense of writing a profile. She then drags Justin to a biker bar after learning he owns a Harley, chasing a sense of thrill and romance that has eluded her for too long.

Deciding to extend her stay, Justin introduces Poppy to Marcy, a lonely newlywed, and they discover that Clooney is scheduled to attend Marcy’s party. She spends days preparing, but a comedy of errors and miscommunications keeps her from ever crossing paths with him, leaving her frustrated and more than a little desperate. When Irina, Justin’s Russian cleaner, encourages her to see a psychic, Poppy’s attempt at solace backfires, turning into a disaster that leaves her feeling even more adrift.

A surprise announcement that Clooney is now engaged shatters the fantasy once more, and Justin nearly ejects her from the orbit of his life. Yet she promises to straighten out her chaotic impulses, even as the lure of Hollywood’s sunshine remains irresistible. The pursuit continues as she lands a weekly TV segment in London and poses for photos on a luxurious hotel roof, savoring the glamour even as the real world gnaws at her.

In a small, crucial moment of distraction, Poppy waits for an elevator and, absorbed in her phone, misses the chance to greet Clooney when he steps inside the cab, sealing the missed connection in a single, painful beat. Throughout the journey, she also wanders into a flirtation with Luke, the playful juice vendor who becomes a brief, light-hearted companion for several days. Their budding liaison adds a splash of spontaneity to her carefully curated life, though it never quite fills the emptiness she’s chasing, and Luke hints at taking things to the next level—perhaps even involving Irina in a reckless moment she’s not sure she wants to repeat.

On her birthday, the night spirals as she drinks with Justin, Marcy, and Irina, while Stephen reappears with a more romantic gesture, hoping to win her back. He delivers flowers and a renewed promise, but she recognizes that he wants things the same as before and, with a decisive resolve, ends the relationship for good.

As the days roll on, the pull of Clooney’s world remains potent, yet the reality of her life — the broken trust, the restless chase for a perfect romance, and the hollow thrill of fleeting connections — begins to feel heavier to carry. The London TV chapter and the rooftop shoot accentuate the contrast between the glittering surface and the deeper yearnings she’s trying to satisfy, culminating in a moment of quiet truth: the opportunity to meet her idol has slipped away, leaving her with a lingering question about what, if anything, she should chase next.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:03