Love Me Tender film portrays bitter custody battle and identity struggle

Anna Cazenave Cambet’s adaptation of Constance Debré’s novel "Love Me Tender" follows former lawyer Clémence, played by Vicky Krieps, as she navigates a painful custody dispute after leaving her marriage and embracing her sexuality. The film depicts the legal and emotional challenges she faces in France’s family courts, including a year‑and‑a‑half denial of access to her son and the broader theme of state‑sanctioned homophobia.

Critics note Krieps’s nuanced performance and the film’s naturalistic cinematography, which emphasizes quiet, intimate moments over courtroom melodrama. While the pacing can be slow, the story’s focus on love, identity, and motherhood has been described as quietly devastating.