Roland wants his friend Paul to meet his friend Frederic. They go to Frederic's home, and Roland makes introductions. There is no indication, then or later, of why they should meet. But this and every other moment in the film is colored by Paul's narration, which begins by telling us Frederic has died. If that seems like the film's own built-in spoiler, it isn't quite. It is, however, a canny decision to begin with the news. There's nothing like knowing a character will die to make him more interesting.