The film opens with William Lee (Daniel Craig), an American expatriate, wandering through the colorful streets of Mexico City in the 1950s. Here, he encounters a young Jewish man who he suspects is hiding his true self, creating a palpable tension between them. This fleeting encounter sets the tone for Lee’s life, as he struggles to connect genuinely with others, often retreating into a world of casual flings and the comforting embrace of heroin, which he uses to escape his reality.
Among his few companions is Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman), who shares his occasional escapades at a gay bar named Ships Ahoy. As Lee navigates the challenges of his sexual identity and addiction, he stumbles upon Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a younger man who initially seems disinterested in Lee’s advances, preferring the company of a woman named Mary. However, Lee's persistence begins to break through Allerton's defenses, leading to a complex relationship fraught with misunderstandings and unreciprocated desires.
On one reflective evening, after a wild night out that leaves him embarrassed and unconscious, Lee experiences a vivid dream featuring a mysterious figure sharpening a knife and a disembodied woman questioning his identity. In this dreamscape, he confesses, “I am not queer, but disembodied,” highlighting his internal struggle to fit into societal labels.
As fate would have it, Lee shares his fascination with yagé (ayahuasca), a hallucinogenic plant he believes could unlock hidden truths and enhance telepathic abilities. Intrigued, Allerton eventually agrees to accompany Lee on a transformative journey to South America, where their adventures take a dramatic turn.
Upon their arrival, Lee faces harrowing withdrawal symptoms and the relentless grip of his addiction. They seek the help of a local doctor, who sternly informs Lee that he must abandon his destructive habits to move forward. In desperation, he contacts a botanist who directs him to Dr. Cotter (played by Lesley Manville), who has expert knowledge about yagé and its effects.
As they trek through the lush jungle, the duo must endure terrifying challenges that test their bond. It is only at Cotter's home that they find solace and enlightenment, yet the experience is anything but ordinary. After drinking the yagé, they plunge into a whirlwind of intense hallucinations, culminating in a hauntingly beautiful moment where their souls appear to intertwine, suggesting a profound connection that transcends physical touch.
However, their journey does not end here; what follows is a painful separation that leaves Lee longing for connection. Fast forward two years, and Lee is back in Mexico City, grappling with the weight of the past. He reunites with Joe, who fills him in on Allerton’s mysterious fate, hinting that his friend may have embarked on another quest in South America.
That night, the boundaries between reality and memory blur once more as Lee has an unsettling dream where he faces Allerton in a game reminiscent of William Tell. Tragedy strikes as he inadvertently harms Allerton, resulting in soul-crushing regret that echoes through his mind. As the dream crumbles into darkness, a poignant metaphor for loss, Lee awakens to the haunting solitude of his life.
In the final moments of his journey, we see an elderly Lee, reflecting on love and loss as Allerton's voice gently reaches out to him from the ether. Alone, he drifts into a dream state, imagining younger Allerton's presence beside him, ultimately succumbing to the silence of death — alone but forever entwined with the memories of a love that could never fully bloom.
