Mascarpone

"Mascarpone" is a gay masterpiece; I have not seen a film like this in a very long time. Contrary to the general consensus, I believe the rating should be way higher. This film excels where most gay films fall short: character development. Every character is fully fleshed out, making their journeys deeply engaging and relatable. Italy has been bringing some serious gay cinema lately, and "Mascarpone" is a prime example. The movie is superb, and our community needs more films like this. The story is heartfelt, the direction is impeccable, and Lorenzo Adorni is simply gorgeous. This film is a must-watch for anyone seeking quality gay cinema.

This is an excellent heartfelt film, directed by Alessandro Guida. We are looking at a coming of age film. Antonio is almost 30 and has been married since he was 19 years or so to Lorenzo. (I forgot if they tell this fact in this first film or in the sequel, because I am writing this review after I wrote the review for 'Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake' (original title: Maschile Plurale). Normally a romcom has the 'and they lived happily ever after' ending. I mean, 'Mascarpone' (Maschile singolare) ends on a positive and on a hopeful empowered note, but it is not the happy two lovers going towards a sunny horizon. Antonio was in his marriage to Lorenzo the care taker. Always at home, always cooking and always planning their lives. But he forgot his own development, he forgot to open up to and relate with the outside world. In the end he finds passion, makes new friends, doesn't fall in love with the first guy who gave him in a new chance in life, by employing him in his own bakery (Luca). Normally a romcom ends with the protagonist falling for the love interest who is offering the start of a new life. But the filmmakers wanted Antonio to truly become independent. Find his own path. Not just passion but also focus and hard work. We have another gay character in this film: Denis. He eventually dies and Antonio needs to deal with this loss, and it makes him and us as viewers, realise that life can always end suddenly and that it is important to make conscious decisions. Antonio was about to follow another Alpha man: Thomas. Thomas is in charge of his own life, just like Lorenzo and Luca are. And again Antonio was almost prepared to drop everything and follow this new man to Milano. Denis' death makes him realise that he has to follow his own path and so he decides to stay in Rome, where he is finishing his bakery school, where he has his friends and where his future lies. I really like the fact that Denis is not dying from like HIV, suicide or homicide. That's what often tends to happen to homosexual characters. No, Denis just died during a car accident, he just was unfortunate to die this young. And we learn from meeting Denis' mother that Denis was also not living his true life and made up many fantasies to appear independent and free. Anyway, this is a beautiful, well made film with strong main actors but also the supporting actors do a superb job. I think there's a future for director Alessandro Guida in Hollywood also. Although I really would love to see him more Italian films also. Recently I watched romcoms like 'A family Affair' (with Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron) and 'The Idea of You' (with Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitizine) and they both didn't really succeed. They didn't have the depth and well written script of this Italian film and its successor. These Hollywood films were bland without heartfelt subtexts. We need more films like this: Smart, human and real. Without a sugar sweet ending, but still a positive and hopeful ending. 'Mascarpone: The Rainbow Cake' the sequel to this one ends in such a way that there is room for a 3rd film. I say: yes please. I wrote also about this in my review there. Make it a trilogy. And then later on when people are much older another trilogy. Please. These films are worth your while. I miss all the characters already and wished I was living in Rome amongst them.

Totally enjoyed this romp of a young gay man finding himself dumped by his lover and having to build a new life. It has some twists and turns and is always interesting to see how he will rekindle his groove. The story kept reminding me of AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, but this time with a gay perspective. The actors are all solid and not bad to look at! In the end, what remains is a stalwart screenplay that is not just entertaining, but also one that makes you think about your own choices along the way.

The lead actor is a standout in this funny, often irreverent, story about a house husband who's partner gets itchy feet and dumps him for someone else. Will he regret it? And so Antonio is forced to move out and rent a room with a free spirited twink who is wiser than his years and outrageous too. What unfolds is that re-reckoning many have to do with the dating scene and apps after a relationship ends. The story is funny and well paced with many smart observational jibes at the transitory nature of gay relationships and the unfulfilling side of hookup culture. The acting is very good indeed and the cast is gorgeous. Thoroughly recommended.

Antonio (Giancarlo Commare) thought he was going to be a family man for life, but then he's dumped by his husband Lorenzo (Carlo Calderone ). Now he has no place to stay, no job and no purpose, but in the process of finding all of those things, he'll discover what it means to be independent. Directed by Matteo Pilati and Alessandro Guida, who wrote the script with Giuseppe Paternò Raddusa, who also is in the film, Mascarpone follows Antonio as he finds a roommate and friend in Denis (Eduardo Valdarnini) and a job in Luca's (Gianmarco Saurino) bakery. He also discovers that the cooking that he did to feel love from his husband may mean even more. It could be his true calling in life, as long as he passes the rigors of pastry school (which is so much tougher than you'd think). Re-entering the dating world after a lifetime away, finding your path and forging true relationships are universal themes that this movie explores. I enjoyed the time I spent with Antonio on his journey.

This movie reminds me of my youth where I also experienced something similar with my self-realization as a person and as a human being. Antonio, who is the main protagonist, had a sudden change when he went from economic and emotional stability to fully entering the gay sexual world of our times in which less and less stable and long-lasting relationships are sought but rather anonymous encounters and a loss of identity. Integrity as a person! For those who took the time to describe that this film has no coherence and that it only shows repeated occasions of sexual liaisons with partners, I can say how wrong they are because this director always maintained a logical coherence from the beginning after Antonio's breakup with his partner, the search for a place to live and the introduction to a new world full of adventure and excitement as meeting multiple recreational couples with sex. Then The film brought some different point of view when Denis his new roommate ended up also losing his life after his impetuous superfluous life. This movie rescues the personality of the gay individual essence and that is why it is one of my favorites! Good for it!

This film out of Italy deals with a man's fork in the road as he turns 30, uncertain of what his path forward is. Antonio, who has been in a relationship since high school with Lorenzo, is in for a rude awakening when he's suddenly thrust into the uncertain world of 'single hood' after Lorenzo unceremoniously dumps him after 12 years. Antonio didn't see this coming. He's now on his own, feeling his way without the life tools he didn't learn having been sheltered for so long. He meets some interesting characters along the way. Denis, though very different, becomes his closest friend, helping him to find work and a place to live. Through him, he meets Luca, a bakery owner who hires Antonio since he has expressed a strong interest and talent in baking. The writing is very good, as are the direction and acting. The three main characters blend well together despite their very opposite backgrounds and natures. They support each other and help Antonio to finally grow up and cast his own shadow rather than being in other people's. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, especially the interplay between the characters who grow to love each other.

While the concept of the movie may have been to follow an individual on his journey of self discovery after a bad break up, the execution of the film is so bad that this message gets totally lost. The content just seems to be filled by one sex scene after the other, none of which add anything to the story. The dialog is trite and superficial, and the story just seems to be waiting to be told, but never does. The film is a pointless exercise, lacking sufficient continuity to be coherent. It's as if there is no script, but just a series of scenes that are randomly stuck together in the hope that some story will emerge! Just silly!

What a beautiful film story. And yes finally, a film made on gay characters who really project real life stories and do not reproduce the stereotype of a troubling gay life. On the contrary, it is about people who enjoy life, make mistakes, hurt and lough a lot, and they do it all in their own unique way. This is totally different from your average romance, or a story of a wedding that falls apart. This is about two young men who cannot make it work out any more and try to navigate themselves through a divorce, which makes them revise all things, they took for granted. In the end life finds the way, but the journey in which the film takes us upon, is the real pleasure.

Original name: Maschile singolare. Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance. Plot, Antonio is a 30 yo family man, whose life finds an unexpected twist when he's suddenly dumped by his husband, whom he depends both psychologically and economically: he needs to find a new place to stay, a job and a new purpose in life. Antonio finds a room in an apartment owned by Denis and starts to work in a bakery owned by Luca, while attending pastry school. Through this process he discovers that it was wrong of him to give up his independence for the sake of his relationship in the past. Pros, I love the hidden meaning of this movie to not depend on other people. That's why I love the character of Denis, and he deserved better. Cons, I didn't find any comedy in this movie that made me laugh. Idk, maybe it's because I'm not the target audience.