Review: “Good as You”

“Good As You” is marketed as Italy’s first gay comedy, but it’ll take something less flamingly stereotypical than this retro romp before the country can say, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” Mariano Lamberti’s sophomore feature, adapted from a homonymous play (the title forms the acronym “GAY”), is like an overwritten sitcom that happens to function as a guide to Rome’s few pink locales. Embracing every queer cliche — the screaming queen, the obsessive serial monogamist, the predatory dyke, etc. — hardly throws the gauntlet down for equality, though omnivorous gay fests may come calling.

On New Year’s Eve, shy, HIV-positive Claudio (Enrico Silvestrin) is set up on a blind date with immaculate Adelchi (Lorenzo Balducci). But this is no tete-a-tete: The party includes Claudio’s hard-edged lesbian sis, Francesca (Lucia Mascino); Adelchi’s confused straight sis, Silvia (Daniela Virgilio); his outrageously camp friend, Marco (Diego Longobardi); and other hangers-on. That evening, and in the months (clumsily signaled) to follow, they all fight, sleep together, sleep with others, and ultimately form a family, yet the tired tropes become wearisome. Lensing is unremarkable, while a midsummer night’s costume party is plain embarrassing.