Mascarpone

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.

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.

This picture is somewhat reminiscent of 1978's 'An Unmarried Woman' with Jill Clayburgh similar to that film's Antonio. The ending scene of 'Mascarpone' especially reminded me of that '78 movie. Bravo!

First off left me say that I almost never watch movies with subtitles. I get distracted and miss a lot of things because I missed reading something. With this movie I was able to get the full picture.

Antonio has a happy life with husband until one day he learns his husband didn't feel the same way. Antonio had been a house husband so he's now left with nothing.

He rents a room, he makes a friend, he gets a job, and he learns how to be a person he's never before known.

One of Antonio's skills was with making pastries. It was what he did at home, it's what he did in apartment of the room he rented, and he goes to pastry school so that he can pursue this dream.

By the end of the movie Antonio is finally independent. There were some losses but also finding the life he wanted.

Antonio, Denis, Luca, Cristina, and Thomas are all fun characters. Real friends and in one case something more.

We don't know where Antonio is going based on the end of the movie but it's wide open with options.

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.

So what have we here? "Mascarpone" is an Italian LGBTQ+ remake of "An Unmarried Woman", (well, perhaps not but we are in the same ballpark), as Antonio is dumped by his husband and partner of 12 years. For the rest of the movie he's basically having sex with a number of handsome hunks presumably in the hope that one of them will turn out to be Mr. Right. What little spare time he has he spends baking and looking for the perfect Mascarpone recipe until finally he realizes....

Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it. It's obvious the attractive cast were picked for their looks and not their acting abilities though the screenplay does provide a few laugh-out-loud moments. On the one hand, too explicit for mass consumption and on the other too coy, (no full frontals), for its intended audience so it's unlikely to find a market. Not bad exactly, just a bit ho-hum.