Maschile Singolare [Mascarpone] *** (2021, Giancarlo Commare, Eduardo Valdarnini, Gianmarco Saurino, Carlo Calderone) – Classic Movie Review 12,377

The 2021 Italian gay comedy romantic drama film Maschile Singolare [Mascarpone] is sparkling, sexy and fun. Giancarlo Commare stars as handsome Rome man Antonio, who is devastated when he gets suddenly dumped by his unfaithful partner.

Directors Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati’s 2021 Italian gay comedy romantic drama Maschile Singolare [Mascarpone] is sparkling, sexy, vivacious and fun.

Giancarlo Commare stars as Antonio, a handsome 29-year-old Rome boy, who is devastated when he gets suddenly and totally unexpectedly dumped by his controlly, bossy, unfaithful partner of 12 years, Lorenzo (Carlo Calderone), and quickly needs to find a new place to stay, a new job and a new purpose in life. Desperate, he rather riskily moves in to flat share with an outrageous gay guy called Denis (Eduardo Valdarnini). Though Denis is wayward and infuriating at times, it turns out to be a lucky chance.

Denis helps Antonio find work as a pastry cook in a bakery owned by the handsome Luca (Gianmarco Saurino), and sets Antonio off on the dating market, meeting a series of guys on a gay app. It is all about one-night stands, that’s the rule of meeting guys on gay apps, but it then gets serious, but he has found his true talent making mascarpone in pastry school cookery classes. Denis, despite all his frivolity, turns out to be a fount of wisdom.

What’s not to like? Giancarlo Commare hits the nail on the head, just nails it. He is sweet bewildered niceness personified, with charm by the bucketload. Eduardo Valdarnini and Gianmarco Saurino are real good too. The witty and amusing screenplay is by Giuseppe Paternò Raddusa, and the directors Matteo Pilati and Alessandro Guida. It feels real as well as funny, with plenty of credible tasty flavour of Italian gay life and gay characters. It’s a relaxed, feel-good entertainment, with some well judged poignant and strong dramatic moments.

Antonio proves a good hero, and great role model, initially subservient having given up his independence, and then severely tested but ultimately strong and self-reliant. He takes the fast track to travel to his safe place – himself. And that’s what he has had to find on his hero’s journey. He also has to find the perfect pastry. Making ace mascarpone is going to be his key to unlocking his future.

The film was shot in an alluring looking Rome in only three weeks from 18 January 2020 to 8 February 2020 just two weeks before the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,377

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com