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Matthias & Maxime (2019) movie poster

Plot Summary

Matthias & Maxime (2019) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 119 mins · French
Echo score 64
JustWatch #3,587 1
Starring
Harris Dickinson, Michael Kelly, Adib Alkhalidey, Alexandre Bourgeois, Anne Dorval, Antoine Pilon

Two lifelong best friends find their bond tested when they are asked to share a kiss for a student film project. The seemingly simple request sparks unexpected feelings and lingering doubts within both men, forcing them to confront their personal preferences. This situation creates tension within their close-knit social circle and ultimately leads to significant changes in their lives, challenging the foundations of their friendship.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Matthias & Maxime
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Matthias & Maxime (2019)

Where can you watch Matthias & Maxime? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on MUBI, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Matthias & Maxime: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Matthias & Maxime (2019) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Matthias and Maxime are lifelong friends in their late twenties living in Montreal, each carrying a different rhythm in life. Matthias is driven and ambitious, a successful businessman with a caring girlfriend named Sarah, while the quieter, gentler Maxime works behind a bar and spends long hours caring for his abusive, alcoholic mother. Matthias seems destined for a big promotion at work, and Maxime is quietly preparing to move to Australia for new opportunities. Their contrasting paths set the stage for a weekend that will blur the lines between friendship, desire, and the fear of what they might become if they let themselves truly listen to what their hearts are telling them.

When Rivette invites them to his lakeside cabin, the atmosphere shifts as his pushy sister, Érika, a film student, pressures them to star in her student short film after her two actors drop out. What begins as a lighthearted favor quickly reveals a deeper current running beneath their lives. Maxime capitulates and agrees to participate, and Matthias is later forced to join after losing a bet to Rivette. The news that their scenes will require a kiss catches them off guard, but their old history—years earlier in high school, or so the party legends claim—adds a charged undercurrent to the moment. They end up sharing a kiss, offscreen, which unsettles them in ways they did not expect and unsettles those around them as the film asks what such a moment could mean for two men whose identities have long been tethered to different social scripts.

That kiss becomes a turning point. Matthias cannot sleep the following morning, takes a swim in the lake and seems to drift between confidence and doubt, while Maxime begins to feel the weight of the moment in a more private way. Matthias also starts to question his choices at home: he declines a promotion and argues with Sarah, and the discovery that Erika has completed her film intensifies his sense of upheaval. Sarah seems to understand the conflict that has erupted inside Matthias, even as their relationship shifts in the wake of the kiss. The two men hold a growing tension that is easy to miss in the bustle of family obligations and future plans, but it quietly reshapes how they see themselves and each other.

As the weekend unfolds, the two return to their everyday lives with new questions. Maxime hands over the care of his mother’s estate to his aunt and seeks a letter of recommendation from Matthias’ father, a successful Chicago businessman, hoping to smooth the road ahead. The long-gestating questions about desire, loyalty, and identity only deepen as Maxime worries about leaving behind the life he knows, and Matthias confronts the ache of a love that seems to threaten the future he has built. The two men are simultaneously pulled toward different futures and pulled back toward each other by a moment they cannot quite erase, a moment that has already altered the course of their days and their nights.

The party at Maxime’s social circle becomes a crucible. Matthias arrives late, gives a halting speech for Maxime, and initially refuses to join an afterparty, only to be encouraged by Sarah to stay. A heated moment during a party game leads to a fresh tear-down of the old boundaries, with Matthias insulting Maxime’s facial birthmark and then storming out before returning to apologize. The night culminates in a fleeting, tender moment: a kiss and a brief sexual encounter between them that leaves Maxime hopeful yet hurt, and Matthias unsettled, as if the old certainties could shatter at any moment.

In the days that follow, Matthias finds himself wasting time at a strip club with a business associate, while Maxime begins cleaning his house in preparation for the move. He uncovers a childhood drawing of himself and Matthias living on a farm together, a poignant reminder of a simpler past that somehow feels more true than the present. A phone call finally delivers a crucial piece of the puzzle: the letter of recommendation was not lost in transit but had actually been sent to Matthias, who failed to forward it to his father. The truth lands with a quiet heaviness, helping Maxime see that Matthias has been in denial about what he truly wants and where his loyalties lie. He forwards the letter to his own email and prepares to leave for the airport, only to discover that Matthias is waiting for him, not far from the doorway, ready to face the uncertainty together.

What follows is not a flashy resolution but a tempered, patient reckoning. The two men stand at a crossroads where love, friendship, duty, and the fear of change collide, and they choose to walk toward one another rather than away. The film leaves them on the cusp of a new chapter, where their relationship—and the lives around them—will be transformed by honesty, vulnerability, and the choice to say yes to what they truly want, even if the road ahead remains uncertain.

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:04

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Plot questions answered

Matthias & Maxime Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Matthias & Maxime (2019): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Matthias turn down his job promotion after the kiss?

The kiss forces Matthias to confront feelings he has buried beneath his ambitious, structured life. The promotion represents the future he has been building with Sarah, stability, success, conventionality. By declining it, he signals that the kiss has made him question whether that path truly aligns with what he wants. He is not rejecting success, but recognizing that his priorities have shifted in a way he cannot yet articulate.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the film establishes Matthias as someone driven by achievement, making his sudden refusal feel like the first visible crack in his carefully constructed life.

  • matthias
  • promotion
  • job
  • kiss
  • denial
  • identity
Q2

Why does the kiss affect them so much if they already kissed in high school?

The high school kiss existed only as legend, something discussed at parties but never seriously examined. Years later, both men have built identities around heteronormative assumptions, Matthias with his girlfriend Sarah, Maxime planning a conventional life in Australia. The second kiss occurs when they are older, more self-aware, and at a crossroads. This time, they cannot dismiss it as youthful experimentation; it demands they confront what they actually feel rather than what they have always assumed.

Foreshadowing: The film reveals the high school kiss only as hearsay, emphasizing that it was never processed or acknowledged, leaving it to simmer beneath their adult friendship.

  • kiss
  • high school
  • memories
  • feelings
  • identity
Q3

Why does Matthias insult Maxime's birthmark during the party game?

Matthias is overwhelmed by the tension between them and his own denial. When the party game forces him to be vulnerable, his defense mechanism erupts as cruelty. The insult is not really about the birthmark, it is about Matthias lashing out at Maxime because he cannot admit the feelings the kiss has awakened. It is a moment of self-sabotage born from fear and confusion, and his immediate apology shows he knows he crossed a line.

Foreshadowing: Earlier tension builds between them throughout the weekend, with Matthias struggling to reconcile his attraction with his established life.

  • maxime
  • birthmark
  • party
  • insult
  • confrontation
  • matthias
Q4

What happens at the end between Matthias and Maxime?

Maxime is about to leave for the airport to move to Australia when he finds Matthias waiting for him. Rather than letting Maxime leave without addressing what happened between them, Matthias chooses to face the uncertainty together. The film ends on a hopeful note, not a guarantee of forever, but an acknowledgment that they are choosing to walk toward each other instead of away. The future remains uncertain, but they have chosen honesty over denial.

Foreshadowing: The phone call about the letter reveals Matthias' denial, setting up the moment where Maxime finally understands Matthias has been hiding from his true feelings.

  • ending
  • reunion
  • airport
  • australia
  • hope
  • matthias
  • maxime
Q5

Why is Maxime planning to move to Australia?

Foreshadowing: The film establishes early that Maxime's future lies elsewhere, making his internal conflict about staying versus leaving central to the story.

  • australia
  • move
  • departure
  • maxime
  • escape
Q6

What is the significance of the childhood drawing Maxime finds?

While cleaning his house, Maxime discovers a drawing from childhood showing himself and Matthias living together on a farm. This image represents a dream or vision they shared as children, before societal expectations, before labels, before fear. It resurfaces at a crucial moment when Maxime is deciding whether to leave, serving as an emotional anchor to the deeper, unspoken bond they have always shared. It reminds him that their connection transcends the surface-level friendship everyone sees.

Foreshadowing: The drawing connects to their lifelong history, suggesting their bond has deeper roots than either man has acknowledged.

  • childhood
  • drawing
  • farm
  • memory
  • maxime
  • matthias
Q7

Why did Matthias fail to forward the letter of recommendation to his father?

Maxime needed a letter of recommendation from Matthias' father, a successful Chicago businessman, to strengthen his application for opportunities abroad. The letter was sent to Matthias, who never forwarded it. This was not malicious but rather a manifestation of Matthias' deep denial, he could not consciously acknowledge how much he wanted Maxime to stay, so he unconsciously sabotaged Maxime's departure plans. When Maxime discovers the truth, it crystallizes his understanding of Matthias' internal conflict.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Maxime asks Matthias to help with the letter, establishing this subplot that pays off with the revelation.

  • letter
  • recommendation
  • father
  • chicago
  • denial
  • maxime
Q8

Why does Sarah push Matthias to stay at the party?

Sarah senses that something has changed in Matthias after the kiss. When he tries to skip Maxime's party, she recognizes he is running from his feelings rather than facing them. By encouraging him to stay, she is giving him the chance to confront what the kiss has stirred up, even though she likely suspects this confrontation might pull him away from her. Her push shows she understands the situation better than Matthias realizes, and she chooses integrity over holding onto someone who is not truly present.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Sarah observes Matthias' restlessness after the kiss and seems to understand his internal struggle.

  • sarah
  • party
  • matthias
  • support
  • understanding
Q9

Why does Matthias go to a strip club and then run through the streets?

After his intimate encounter with Maxime, Matthias is overwhelmed and pulls away. He accompanies a business associate to a strip club, a gesture toward his old, conventional life, but cannot engage. He leaves abruptly and runs through the streets in a daze, physically acting out his internal chaos. This scene illustrates his inability to settle into either his old life or this new reality; he is caught between who he has been and who he might become.

Foreshadowing: This scene follows the afterparty encounter where Matthias pulls away after their kiss, deepening the emotional wound between them.

  • strip club
  • running
  • confusion
  • matthias
  • emotional crisis
Q10

Why does Matthias pull away after kissing Maxime at the afterparty?

The afterparty kiss and brief sexual encounter represents the first time they act on their feelings openly. For Maxime, it is a hopeful moment. For Matthias, it triggers panic, he has built his entire adult identity around being with Sarah, being successful, being 'normal' by societal standards. Pulling away is not a rejection of Maxime but rather a terrified retreat from the implications of what they just did. His denial runs deep, and even this moment of connection is not enough to shatter it completely, until the film finale.

Foreshadowing: This follows the confrontation where Matthias insults Maxime, showing the push-pull dynamic of their relationship.

  • kiss
  • afterparty
  • pull away
  • denial
  • matthias
  • maxime
Q11

Why does Maxime hand over his mother's care to his aunt?

Maxime has spent years caring for his abusive, alcoholic mother, a role that has weighed heavily on him. Handing over the estate responsibility to his aunt is part of his preparation to move to Australia. It represents his decision to stop sacrificing his own life for someone who has hurt him. This act also frees Maxime to make a genuine choice about his future, rather than staying out of obligation.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes early that Maxime's life has been defined by caring for his mother, making this release an important step in his character arc.

  • mother
  • aunt
  • estate
  • care
  • maxime
  • moving

Movie threads

More Movies Like Matthias & Maxime, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Matthias & Maxime tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Slow burn emotional dramas like Matthias & Maxime

Stories where quiet tension and subtle moments lead to profound personal change. If you liked the slow, contemplative pace and emotional depth of Matthias & Maxime, explore these movies that similarly build tension through quiet moments and character introspection. These stories often feature friends or lovers confronting unspoken desires and life transitions in a realistic, moving way.

  • slow burn
  • contemplative
  • tender
  • melancholic
  • quiet
  • introspective
  • Tone: melancholic, contemplative, tender
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread follow a linear but introspective path, centered on a pivotal event that acts as a catalyst. The core conflict is internal, as characters grapple with repressed feelings, identity, and the fear of change, leading to a gradual but inevitable emotional climax.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared melancholic tone, slow pacing, and medium emotional intensity derived from internal character conflict. They create a relatable, immersive experience focused on the bittersweet pain and beauty of self-discovery and complicated relationships.

Friends to lovers movies with emotional stakes like Matthias & Maxime

Intimate stories where friendship is risked for the chance of romantic love. Fans of Matthias & Maxime who enjoyed the tension between friendship and romance will find similar stories here. These films explore the delicate and often painful process of two friends navigating unexpected attraction, facing social pressures, and redefining their bond.

  • romantic
  • emotional conflict
  • unspoken desire
  • anxious
  • tender
  • nostalgic
  • Tone: romantic, melancholic, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, emotional
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around a catalyst moment that makes romantic attraction undeniable. The central journey involves denial, fear, and emotional conflict as the characters weigh their friendship against their desires, often causing tension within their social circle before reaching a transformative resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies share a strong romantic core balanced with dramatic weight, focusing on the complexity of transitioning from friends to lovers. They feature moderate narrative complexity, high romance scores, and often bittersweet or hopeful endings, creating a deeply engaging and emotionally resonant vibe.

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Every angle

Matthias & Maxime (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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