Sumith Prasad
Originally titled ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses,’ Netflix’s French film ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ centers around Tristan Badiola and Vanessa Merteuil, the most popular couple in Victor Hugo High School. Tristan and Vanessa, who pretends to be in a relationship for pleasing and maintaining millions of Instagram followers, challenge each other to use their charm to seduce people around them. When an already engaged Célène Riva joins their school, Vanessa challenges Tristan to have sex with her. Tristan’s efforts to fulfill the challenge stir feelings in him for her, threatening Célène’s relationship with her fiancé Pierre. But do they end up together at the end of the romantic film? Let’s find out!
What Happens Between Tristan and Célène?
Tristan and Célène first meet when the former saves the latter’s dog, Balzac, from an accident. Tristan, a national surfing champion and Instagram celebrity, takes a liking to Célène, only for her to dismiss his initial approaches since she is engaged to Pierre. Still, they continue to stay friends. After creating the bet with Vanessa, Tristan tries his best to get closer to Célène. He invites her to a movie and tries to kiss her. Tristan’s persistence starts to stir feelings and confusion in Célène. She becomes attracted to him and goes to see a cave with him.
Célène decides to have her first sex with Tristan at the cave, only for the latter to back off. He realizes that he has feelings for her and cannot have sex with her just for the sake of his bet with Vanessa. Pierre, who visits his fiancée at the time, sees her with Tristan and confronts her. Pierre realizes that Célène has feelings for Tristan and leaves. Tristan, on the other hand, understands that he can build a life with Célène and finally put an end to his pretentious life with Vanessa.
Dangerous Liaisons Ending: Do Tristan and Célène End Up Together?
Yes, Tristan and Célène do end up together. Tristan’s feelings for Célène change him as a person. The narcissistic seducer, for the first time, ponders over what he can do to get closer to Célène because of his love. The school musical production of ‘The Princess of Montpensier’ offers them a chance to spend their time together. The duo goes to the beach to relax and write the fifth act of the musical. While Tristan goes surfing, Célène joins him but gets hit by a giant wave. Tristan saves and takes her to the little hut at the beach and removes her suit to keep her warm.
Tristan embraces Célène in bed to make her body warm, which paves the way for their first sex. The incident makes them both realize how much they crave each other emotionally and physically. Célène, who believes that her life with Pierre is damaged beyond any repair, finally accepts Tristan as her new partner and companion. Tristan, who loves Célène from the bottom of his heart, wishes to end his meaningless contract with Vanessa so that he can start a fresh chapter of his life with Célène. However, Vanessa fails to tolerate the same.
As far as Vanessa is concerned, being the girlfriend of the national surfing champion and an Instagram celebrity has become a part of her identity. She has gained immense popularity because of the same and the millions who follow her on Instagram exist in her life because they want to see the “match made in heaven.” Since she cannot let go of her fame and followers, just because Tristan wants a life with Célène, she demands him to break up with Célène in return for not leaking a video clip of Célène having sex with Tristan.
The tensions that arise between the two narcissistic rivals, Tristan and Vanessa, pave the way for Célène to know that Tristan approached her because he wanted to win a bet. Vanessa leaks the video clip when Tristan makes it clear that he cannot remain her fake boyfriend, only for Pierre to see the same while watching his fiancé’s musical. When Pierre storms off from the auditorium, Célène follows and attempts to kill herself by drowning in the sea. Pierre saves her before she dies. They talk about the nature of their relationship to clear the confusion in Célène’s mind.
Célène got engaged with Pierre only because her dead mother approved of him. By being with Pierre, Célène wanted to be close to her and her memories. However, the time she spent with Tristan makes her understand that there isn’t any love between them. Pierre understands the same and reveals to her that their feelings are platonic. After finally confronting the truth about her relationship with Pierre, Célène chooses to share her life with Tristan. Célène sees goodness in him to give him a chance.
As far as Célène is concerned, Tristan is a changed man. His efforts to put an end to his pretentious life with Vanessa show how much he wants Célène. At the end of the film, Tristan asks Célène whether she can ever forgive him, to which she replies “challenge accepted,” indicating her willingness to give him a chance to reform so that they can lead a life together.
Read More: Is Netflix’s Dangerous Liaisons Based on a True Story or a Book?
