What Is See You Then About?
The premise of See You Then in 309 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet hum of an early‑morning network security conference, Kris—a trans woman from Phoenix—finds herself stepping off the plane for more than professional connections. The trip also carries a personal promise: a single evening dinner with an old flame who once shared her most intimate chapters. Across the miles to Los Angeles, the city’s blend of sleek tech venues and laid‑back cafés sets a backdrop where professional ambition and private history intersect, inviting a conversation that feels both inevitable and fragile.
Naomi arrives at this meeting carrying her own layers of experience—a professor, mother, and performance artist who once imagined a different path before settling into academic life and family. Their shared past, marked by love, transition, and the inevitable drift of years, forms the emotional core of the night. The tone is intimate yet unflinching, a careful excavation of moments that shaped both of them, from the excitement of early dreams to the quiet compromises that follow.
As the dinner unfolds, the dialogue drifts between the concrete—career aspirations, the demands of parenting, the rhythm of daily life—and the abstract, touching on identity, art, and the lingering echo of choices made long ago. The setting, shifting from a modest restaurant to the glow of a campus hallway, mirrors the fluidity of their conversation, suggesting that every ordinary space can become a stage for profound self‑examination. Subtle interactions with acquaintances hint at the broader social currents that surround them, without steering the focus away from the central, quietly intense reunion.
The film’s atmosphere balances the low‑key realism of everyday responsibilities with a lingering undercurrent of unresolved tension. It invites viewers to linger in the space between what was said and what remains unspoken, promising that the simple act of sharing a meal can unravel deeper truths about love, authenticity, and the countless ways we navigate the lives we choose.
What Happens in See You Then?
The complete story of See You Then, from the first scene to the last, in 477 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Kris, Pooya Mohseni, a trans woman from Phoenix, travels to Los Angeles for a network security conference and to look after her cousin’s two children, setting the stage for a quiet, emotionally charged reunion. Naomi Liu, Lynn Chen, a professor and mother of two, is Kris’s former partner, and the two collide again for a single evening that becomes a careful excavation of their shared past.
Across the night, they revisit Kris’s transition and the fragile thread of their friendship that survived years apart. Kris offers an apology for the breakup, and Naomi opens up about the hurt she felt when Kris ended things. Naomi, a performance artist, confesses that she gave up on her own dreams and briefly moved back home with her parents before meeting her husband. Kris urges Naomi to return to the stage and reclaim her voice, hinting at the possibilities she might have missed. In turn, Kris reveals she has ended a long streak—she broke up with the first person she dated after her transition thirteen years ago—opening a candid dialogue about love, risk, and the courage to pursue happiness. The conversation naturally broadens to questions of gender reassignment surgery, dating, and the need to spend time with loved ones, with Kris insisting that, for her, being a woman carries its own hard-won challenges beyond the label itself.
The mood shifts as Naomi’s colleague Peter Gleason enters the scene, flirting with the pair at a bar. Peter, who is on a date with a former student, underscores a recurring theme: life is full of setbacks, yet Kris counters that every life contains its own, unique path. Naomi then introduces Kris to Martin, Nican Robinson, another colleague who appears to test Kris’s boundaries with a light, lingering flirtation. The night continues with a drive home to check on Naomi’s child, followed by a visit to Naomi’s campus workplace and office, where memories of their last night together surface with renewed intensity. Kris apologizes once more, and a painful memory surfaces: Naomi reveals Kris impregnated her before abandoning her. The revelation helps frame the deeper truth about Naomi’s career shift—she chose to keep the child, a decision that shaped the arc of her life and career. Naomi asserts that she will never be a mother, a statement that underscores the film’s steady examination of identity, responsibility, and the costs of love.
The final beats of the film concentrate the emotional tension into Naomi’s art and its destruction. In a quiet, intimate performance, she lies beside a painting that depicts a pregnant belly and then destroys the artwork, a stark, symbolic act of accepting who she is and embracing the course of her own life. Through intimate dialogue, difficult choices, and the ache of unresolved futures, the story unfolds as a nuanced meditation on gender, memory, and the lifelong work of choosing authenticity over comfort.
See You Then Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Kris arrives in LA for conference and family responsibilities” to “Final performance and symbolic destruction”. 12 events name a place, across 6 locations.
- 1
Kris arrives in LA for conference and family responsibilities
Kris lands in Los Angeles for a network security conference, while also looking after her cousin's two children. The evening is set for a long-awaited reunion with Naomi. Kris hopes to balance work obligations with the personal reunion that could redefine their friendship.
When:Evening Where:Los Angeles
- 2
First reunion and candid conversation about the past
Kris and Naomi reconnect, and they dive into Kris's transition and the state of their friendship. Naomi admits she still felt hurt when Kris broke things off, and Kris offers a sincere apology. The moment marks a fragile thaw in their long-since-fractured relationship.
When:Evening Where:Los Angeles bar
- 3
Kris opens up about past dating
Kris reveals she ended the first relationship she dated after transitioning thirteen years ago. She explains the personal costs of that breakup and the distance it created between her and Naomi. The confession deepens their emotional proximity even as old wounds resurface.
When:Evening Where:Los Angeles bar
- 4
Naomi reveals her past dreams and Kris encouragement
Naomi discloses that she gave up on her dreams and moved back in with her parents before meeting her husband Jim. Kris responds with support, urging Naomi to consider returning to performance. The exchange reframes Naomi's career path as a choice shaped by past disappointments.
When:Evening Where:Los Angeles bar
- 5
Conversations on gender, surgery, and time with loved ones
The two talk about Kris's gender reassignment surgery, dating, and what it means to spend time with loved ones. Kris admits that living as a woman after transition brings its own set of challenges. Naomi listens, offering empathy as their conversation steps away from past hurt toward understanding.
When:Evening Where:Los Angeles bar
- 6
Peter Gleason flirts with the duo at a bar
Peter Gleason, Naomi's colleague, flirts with both Kris and Naomi during a night out. He is on a date with a former student, adding tension and humor to the already charged reunion atmosphere. The dynamic introduces a complication that tests their fragile reconciliation.
When:Evening Where:Bar (Los Angeles)
- 7
Martin is introduced and flirts back
Naomi introduces Kris to Martin, another of her colleagues who flirts with Kris. The playful tension provides Naomi with mixed feelings about her own relationships and their evolving bond. Kris remains reserved, watching how the night unfolds with both professionals.
When:Evening Where:Bar (Los Angeles)
- 8
Naomi drives home to see her child
After a long night, Naomi leaves the bar early to return home to her child. The sense of responsibility anchors her even as she contemplates their evolving dynamic with Kris. The drive adds a shift in pace from flirtation and conversation to familiar, real-life duty.
When:Late night Where:Los Angeles
- 9
Campus visit: Naomi's office and memories arise
Kris and Naomi head to Naomi's campus to visit her office, a setting that triggers memories of their last night together. They resume discussing their histories and futures as they navigate the professional space. The environment underscores the contrast between public work and private intimacy.
When:Late night Where:Naomi's campus / university office
- 10
Confrontation escalates: pregnancy revelation surfaces
Naomi recalls their last night and Kris apologizes again, but the conversation turns accusatory. Naomi reveals that Kris impregnated her before abandoning her, a revelation that reframes both their past decisions. The moment crystallizes the stakes of their relationship and its residual pain.
When:Late night Where:Naomi's campus
- 11
Career change and motherhood: Naomi's stance
Naomi explains that the change in her career was driven by her decision to keep the child, a choice that shaped her path and self-conception. She tells Kris she will never be a mother, a line that underscores her sense of loss. Kris counters, suggesting Naomi is responsible for her own happiness and future.
When:Late night Where:Naomi's campus
- 12
Final performance and symbolic destruction
In the film's closing moment, Naomi performs, lying beside a painting of a pregnant belly before destroying the art. The act stands as a symbolic acceptance of who she is and of the life she chose. The scene closes the night with a quiet, hopeful resilience.
When:End Where:Performance space
Who Are the Main Characters in See You Then?
4 characters, among them Kris Ahadi (Pooya Mohseni), Naomi Liu (Lynn Chen) and Jim (Tim Chiou): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- KA
Kris Ahadi (Pooya Mohseni)
Played by Pooya Mohseni
Kris is a trans woman from Phoenix who travels to Los Angeles for a single evening with Naomi. She navigates her gender transition while reconciling with a former partner and evaluating the meaning of friendship. Kris is direct, compassionate, and willing to confront painful truths to help both of them move forward. Her perspective anchors the film’s exploration of identity, love, and being truly seen.
- 🌈 Identity
- 🗣️ Communication
- 💖 Relationships
-
Naomi Liu (Lynn Chen)
Played by Lynn Chen
Naomi is a professor and mother of two who has paused her artistic dreams and moved back with her parents before meeting her husband, Jim. She reveals the ache of giving up her art and confronts the impact Kris's departure had on her life. Naomi's journey centers on choosing between past disappointments and reclaiming her voice as an artist and woman.
- 👩🏫 Professor
- 🎭 Performance Art
- 🌈 LGBTQ+ Experience
-
Jim (Tim Chiou)
Played by Tim Chiou
Jim is Naomi's husband, representing a stable, family-centered path in contrast to Naomi's artistic ambitions. He serves as a counterpoint to the film's exploration of identity and desire, highlighting the complexities of commitment and the life choices that come with them. His presence grounds Naomi's struggle between personal fulfillment and family duty.
- 💑 Relationship
- 🏠 Family Life
- 🕊️ Past Secrets
-
Martin (Nican Robinson)
Played by Nican Robinson
Martin is Naomi's colleague who flirts with Kris at a bar, bringing workplace dynamics and boundaries into the personal reunion. He embodies a tension between professional interest and personal desire, illustrating how attraction can complicate friendships and loyalties. Martin's interactions test the limits of comfort and ethics in relationships.
- 💬 Workplace flirtation
- 🎓 Academic life
Where and When Is See You Then Set?
See You Then is set in Los Angeles and California (Present-day). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Present-day
The story takes place in the present, over a single evening in contemporary Los Angeles. Kris is in town for a network security conference, while Naomi balances motherhood with a renewed interest in performance. The narrative also references events from 13 years ago, situating their reunion within a long arc of shared history.
Where
Los Angeles, California
Primarily set in Los Angeles, the story unfolds in intimate spaces like a bar and Naomi's campus. The city’s urban backdrop frames private conversations about identity, memory, and the longing for change. These settings highlight contemporary life and the close-knit circles navigating personal truth and connection.
- 🏙️ Urban setting
- 🎭 Relationship drama
- 🌈 LGBTQ+ themes
What Are the Themes of See You Then?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Reconciliation and Art & Parenthood.
-
01
Identity
Kris's gender transition and the question of living authentically are central to the film. The conversations reveal how visibility and self-acceptance impact relationships and daily life. The theme explores how identity intersects with love, friendship, and the choices people make. It presses characters to confront who they are and who they wish to become.
-
02
Reconciliation
The reunion after a long breakup becomes a space to address hurt and reconsider their bond. Honest, sometimes painful dialogue opens doors to forgiveness and redefining their relationship. The film shows that healing can coexist with memory and that imperfect honesty may lead to a healthier connection.
-
03
Art & Parenthood
Naomi's life as a professor and mother intersects with Kris's influence as a friend and artist. Kris encourages Naomi to return to performing, highlighting the pull between creative ambition and family duties. The final act, where Naomi lies beside a painting of a pregnant belly and then destroys it, embodies acceptance of identity, life choices, and the complexity of artistic expression.
What Kind of Film Is See You Then?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
An intimate and emotionally charged drama that unfolds over a single evening, creating a quiet, reflective atmosphere for a deep excavation of shared history and personal identity.
- intimate
- reflective
- emotionally charged
- quiet
- somber
- cathartic
- transition
- reunion
- identity
- regret
Quiz
How well do you remember See You Then? Test yourself on the story.
