Light hearted and quick paced rom-com Mascarpone is the newest addition to the gay self discovery genre from Peccadillo Pictures.

Set in Rome, a young gay man’s life is turned upside down when his hubby kicks him to the curb for some fresh meat.

Convinced it’s just a phase, devasted Antonio ‘temporarily’ moves in with the promiscuous Denis, whose occupation would make a nun keel over and kick it, never mind blush. 

Getting by with a little help from his friends, Antonio soon rekindles his passion for baking and men, diving head first into a baking apprentice and the Grindr hookup culture – just like any recently single pringle should.

While Mascarpone’s plot might not shake the foundations of cinema, it’s a very watchable film as Antonio navigates his break up. It’s sweet where it needs to be, funny, awkward and sad. Italian actor Giancarlo Commare does a great job transforming Antonio from a sulky, snooty queen with a stick up his arse to someone who is for the most part quite likeable.

Oh, and it’s also filled to the brim with sexual tension.

Every character looks like they should be on a billboard trying to sell you your underpants. If you’ve ever delved into the world of Grindr then you’ll recognise that all too familiar ping as Antonio power bottoms his way through Rome. It’s great if you’re more interested in pretty boys than plot, but let’s face it. Isn’t that the point?

The overall message of Mascarpone is one of healing and discovering yourself anew – evidenced when Antonio compares himself to a dessert cheese. You’ll need to pay attention though, as Mascarpone is an Italian film with English subtitles, but it’s ideal for your slow Sunday watch cuddled up under a nice warm blanket.

Can’t get enough of gay cinema? Don’t worry, we can’t either. Take a look at what else you might have missed here.

You can treat yourself to Mascarpone on the Peccadillo Pictures website – it’s also available on the Prime Video platform.