The story begins “somewhere in Northern Italy” in 1983 chez Perlman,
a multicultural and well-educated family. Every summer, the family (Michael
Stuhlbarg & Amira Casar) host a classical-arts graduate student for six
weeks at their holiday home. Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), the family’s 17-year-old
precocious son, is expected to act as host and guide to the selected student,
this year a 24-year-old American named Oliver (Armie Hammer). From the
beginning, the two have a love-hate relationship; an unspoken emotional tension
exists between them. Uncertain of how to handle this tension, Elio begins
exploring his sexuality with his female friend, Marzia (Esther Garrel). He
eventually, albeit obliquely, admits his feelings for Oliver, and the two begin
a brief love affair during which Oliver suggests, in bed, that they call each
other by the other’s name. Noticing the closeness of the young men, the Perlman
parents suggest that Elio accompany Oliver as he spends a few days in Bergamo
prior to leaving for the United States. The sojourn concludes with a bitter
goodbye: Oliver departs by train, leaving Elio on the railway platform. Unable
to complete his journey home alone, Elio makes a tearful call home for his
mother to come pick him up. Back in town, Marzia, seeing a grief-stricken Elio,
approaches and forgives him, insinuating that she knows about his recent tryst
and that she will always be his loving friend. Months later, the Perlmans
return to the town for Hanukkah. While his parents are in the process of
picking next summer’s student, Elio gets a bittersweet surprise: Oliver is calling
to inform the family that he is engaged, to a woman. The film concludes with
Elio, grappling with a tumult of emotions, staring into the dining-room
fireplace, the light flickering in his red, tear-sodden eyes.
