Because the plot is condensed, especially in the final act when Antonio must make big life decisions, there remains an emotional disconnect.
However, there is a lack of substance that becomes more apparent as the film reaches its conclusion. The screenplay juggles the relationships convincingly, following Antonio as he explores the momentary pleasure of one-night stands and the difficulty of balancing responsibilities and relationships. Even so, there is melodrama galore, and the actors are more than capable of enlivening the conflict. This interaction is genuinely heartfelt, and Commare proves that he can instantly go from happy to clumsy to sad.ĭespite handling serious subject matter, a lively score and a smooth, casual pace keep the atmosphere and tone generally light. One of the most memorable scenes is when Denis interrupts Antonio’s time of mourning after a bad date, offering some life advice. Commare, Valdarnini, and Saurino bring so much charisma and depth to their roles, hence why their on-screen friendship leaves a positive impression. The most endearing aspect of the story is the friendship between Antonio, Denis, and Luca, largely due to their good chemistry. Commare delivers an excellent and emotionally potent lead performance, strongly conveying the anxiety, dejection, and pleasure of Antonio’s newfound pursuit of independence. Since he had to rely on someone else for so long, he forgot what it felt like to relish individual experiences and passions. Antonio is a fleshed-out character who is understandably anxious about the future. Mascarpone is a lovely and modestly intense drama about a young man discovering who he is and what he aspires to achieve. “… Antonio is given a job at a bakery owned by Luca, which awakens his passion for baking.” As Antonio navigates a new job and new relationships, he realizes that it was wrong of him to abandon his independence for the sake of a relationship. Hoping to elevate his craft, he attends pastry school on top of everything else. With the help of Denis, Antonio is given a job at a bakery owned by Luca (Gianmarco Saurino), which awakens his passion for baking. He rents a room in an apartment owned by Denis (Eduardo Valdarnini), a spirited eccentric who goes with the flow. Now faced with independence, Antonio needs a job, a passion, and a new place to live. Antonio is blindsided, but there’s nothing he can do but move out. Lorenzo lets it slip that he fell in love with another man, so he asks for a divorce. One day, his husband comes home with something on his mind. Antonio stays home and follows a daily routine: he gets dressed, goes to the gym, and prepares food. Think of An Unmarried Woman, but flip the genders, rearrange the existential dilemmas, and voila!Īntonio (Giancarlo Commare) is a 30-year-old man who lives with his husband Lorenzo (Carlo Calderone). This June, give yourself the gift of a piece of trans cinema history.In Mascarpone, love and baking are a delectable blend in this undeniably sweet gay romantic comedy directed by Alessandro Guida and Matteo Pilati.
digital media, it’s important to remember films like I Want What I Want that would be completely wiped out of history if it were not for internet preservation as the film has been out of print since before many of us reading this were alive. With the constant debates surrounding physical vs. Yes, there are some aspects that haven’t aged well considering it’s nearly fifty years old, but even the decision to have a cis woman (Anne Heywood) play the trans woman lead is groundbreaking considering we’re still putting male actors in bad wigs and calling it “cinema” in 2021.
Based on the book of the same name, I Want What I Want is an out of print movie lost to time and it’s a terrible shame because it is one of the most sincere presentations of a trans affirming film ever made. Trans representation in cinema is pretty damn terrible if we’re being honest, but there are a handful that rise above the top and offer a genuinely thoughtful approach to telling a trans story.