Our Young Man

Guy, a beautiful young man from the French countryside, is picked up by a modeling scout on a church trip to Paris; he rapidly ascends through the Parisian modeling world and crosses the Atlantic with plans to make it big in the New York fashion scene. Guy is gay, which raised no concerns while living in his native France, but upon arrival in New York the apocalyptic bloom of AIDS is just beginning. Both horrified by the epidemic and charmed by the swinging life on Fire Island, Guy must tiptoe carefully as he becomes a fixture of high-spending fashion circles. This balancing act becomes ever more precarious as he develops a relationship with “the baron,” a wealthy hedonist who takes an uncanny interest in the aspiring model. In spite of his adventurous lifestyle, Guy maintains an angelic naïveté and somewhat provincial moral compass—scruples that trip him up as he navigates this new, extravagant world. Handsome and charming, he is a vulnerable target, consistently manipulated by the powerful characters attracted to him. Although the dialogue falters in places, White renders a beautiful portrait of a time in America that was prosperous, carefree, and increasingly toxic. Suffused with sensual writing and wry cultural observations, White’s tale of disco-era Fire Island is a vibrant portrait of a tumultuous age. Agent: Amanda Urban, ICM Partners. (Apr.)