Water Drops on Burning Rocks

Here's a rephrased version of the text:

As Léopold (Bernard Giraudeau), a seasoned entrepreneur in his 50th year, returns home, he brings along Franz (Malik Zidi), a 20-year-old newcomer whose life is about to take a dramatic turn. The impromptu pairing sparks an evening of drinks and introspection, during which Franz confesses his doubts about his impending nuptials with Anna, citing a lack of passion in their relationship, instead finding solace in the finer things in life - literature, theater, and life's simple pleasures. Léopold, intrigued by Franz's candor, probes deeper into his desires, inquiring whether he has ever experienced a romantic connection with someone of the same sex. Franz reveals a long-held secret: a recurring dream where a mysterious stranger dons an overcoat and shares a intimate encounter with him. Léopold, who once shared a seven-year domestic life with a woman but found his most thrilling experiences to be with men, sympathizes with Franz's inner turmoil. As the night wears on, their conversations culminate in a passionate kiss, followed by a gentle suggestion from Léopold that they recreate Franz's dream - this time, with roles reversed.

Six months later, Franz has settled into a comfortable routine living with Léopold, who is frequently away on business trips. As Léopold's absence stretches, Franz becomes increasingly passive, attending to every whim and desire of his partner, while Léopold's dominance grows more pronounced. Despite the tension that now exists between them, their physical relationship remains satisfying. However, one evening, Léopold's melancholy mood prompts a confession: he believes his relentless pursuit of success has driven one of his clients to take drastic measures - ending their own life. Franz, unsure how to offer solace, turns to a familiar coping mechanism - reenacting the role-play that marked the beginning of their affair. This time, however, they switch roles.

As the months pass, the animosity between Léopold and Franz intensifies. The threat of separation looms, but Franz remains anchored in the relationship. In Léopold's absence, Franz grows increasingly despondent, finding himself stuck in a cycle of boredom and despair. One day, as he ponders his existence, a firearm becomes an unsettling presence in his life. Just as Franz is grappling with his mortality, Anna (Ludivine Sagnier), his former fiancée, reappears. Her arrival sparks a poignant confrontation, during which Franz relives the man-in-the-overcoat fantasy - this time, with Anna by his side.

As the tension simmers beneath the surface, Franz and Anna's illicit affair reaches a fever pitch, with the pair spending two days ensconced in Léopold's apartment, their passion for each other burning brighter than ever. Yet, despite the intensity of their relationship, Franz remains torn between his desire for Anna and his lingering affection for Léopold. It is this conflicted state that ultimately leads him to make the decision to leave, a choice that Anna greets with unbridled enthusiasm as she waxes poetic about the children they will one day have together.

But just as it seems that Franz's departure is imminent, Léopold returns from work earlier than expected, his arrival marked by an air of nonchalance. When he discovers the pair packing up their belongings, Anna matter-of-factly reveals that Franz has decided to leave, a disclosure that only prompts Léopold to laugh and request coffee. It is at this moment that Véra (Anna Levine), Léopold's enigmatic ex-girlfriend, makes her entrance, her presence marked by an unmistakable air of sophistication.

As the evening wears on, Léopold takes great pleasure in introducing Véra to Franz and Anna, a gesture that sets the tone for a night filled with intrigue and complexity. When he reveals that Véra has a penchant for being tied up, Franz's ire is piqued, his discomfort further exacerbated by the realization that he shares this predilection with Léopold. It is in this charged atmosphere that Anna finds herself torn between her desire to stay and her loyalty to Franz.

As the night wears on, Léopold's dominance becomes increasingly pronounced, his every whim catered to by the two women who orbit around him. For Franz, however, this spectacle serves only as a stark reminder of his own subservience to Léopold's whims. As he watches from the periphery, his disgust and resentment simmer just beneath the surface, a feeling that eventually gives way to a morbid fantasy: the violent elimination of the man who has so thoroughly captivated him.

In the aftermath of this revelatory moment, Franz finds himself torn between his desire for Anna and his lingering affection for Léopold. It is in this state of flux that Véra reappears, her presence marked by a deep sadness that only serves to underscore the complexity of their relationships. As she reveals the true nature of her bond with Léopold – one that is rooted in her very existence as his "creature" – Franz is drawn to her with an unexpected intensity.

In the end, it is this connection that proves fleeting, as Véra's attempts to find solace in Franz ultimately prove unsuccessful. As she watches him succumb to the poison he has ingested, she is left to ponder the cruel fate that has been visited upon them all. And though Léopold's apathy in the face of Franz's death serves only to underscore his own emotional bankruptcy, it is Anna who is left to grapple with the full weight of her loss, a feeling that ultimately proves too much for her to bear.