‘Love & Gelato’ is a romantic comedy film about Lina, a young American searching for herself and her origins in Rome, and also, a lot of gelatos. It is streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Lina prepares her suitcase for her trip to Italy. Her mother, Hadley, wanted her daughter to go there at the same that she had visited there. Although saying goodbye to Addie, her best friend was difficult, she develops the confidence to visit Italy.
Lina resides with Francesca in Italy, who was also her mother’s closest friend and vows to show her everything her mother took joy in while she was there. Howard Riley, who was also her mother’s friend, is introduced to Lina as Francesca’s cousin. When he met Hadley through Francesca, he had arrived in Italy to attend university.
She meets Harvard student Alessandro Albani, the well-off son of a rich family while strolling around the Italian ruins. He shows a keen interest in her. Hadley wanted her daughter to read her diary once she arrived in Italy, so Francesca hands it to Lina.
Alessandro invites Lina to a party that she attends. Later that evening, she meets aspiring chef Lorenzo Ferrazza, who exposes Lina to the world of patisseries and gelatos.
Howard gives Lina’s mother the camera she used while she was there; she took it with her everywhere. Lina was unaware of her mother’s fascination with photography.
Alessandro takes Lina on a date, where she experiences her first kiss and later, her first heartbreak. She follows the diary as she travels across Italy as seen by her mother.
After learning about her father, Lina travels to Florence to see him and encounters Lorenzo there. They wander the city talking about relationships.
If you still have doubts about the ending, here’s a full breakdown.
Love & Gelato ending explained in detail:
Disappointments
Lina visits the Florence gallery of Matteo Fossi, her father. She replies that she is here for Mr Fossi and that she is his daughter when the gallery manager inquires as to her purpose.
She discovers a picture that is hanging in the gallery. As she looks at the photograph of her mother, she becomes emotional. As a result of Mr Fossi’s denial of being her father, Lina becomes enraged and grabs the photograph of her mother before leaving the gallery.
Meanwhile, the judges ask Lorenzo about the recipe he brought from home but unfortunately, he tells them he did not have it as he gave it to Lina on the train. The judges did not understand Lorenzo and were disappointed.
Lina cries sitting on a bench with her mother’s photograph by her side as Lorenzo arrives. When she inquires about his audition, he replies that it did not go well. They embrace and kiss while encouraging one another.
They return to Rome by rail later. Lorenzo makes it clear that he does not want to blow up their relationship once they get to Rome. Lina, however, turns him down, stating that it was a mistake and that he already has a girlfriend.
Friends and family
Lina chooses to go back to America. Howard tries to persuade her to remain when she returns her mother’s camera, but he is unsuccessful.
Francesca begs Howard to not let her leave, saying that he will regret it just as much as he did when he let her mother go. She goes on to say that Hadley wanted him to be the one her daughter finds rather than her biological father.
Lina packs her suitcase to leave but hears the doorbell ringing. To her surprise, it is Addie on the other side of the door. Howard contacts Addie the next morning, and she takes a flight to Italy to stop her from leaving.
As they stroll through Rome’s streets along with Francesca, they talk about Lina’s confusion over Lorenzo and Alessandro. Addie further makes her more confused about the situation than she already was.
Addie warns her that she must make a decision or she will have a problem for the night. When asked, she tells Lina that there was a graduation party that night at Alessandro’s house.
Happy ending
Dressed up, Lina and Addie attend Alessandro’s graduation celebration. Alessandro is cautioned by Addie not to hurt her best friend’s feelings. Lina tells Alessandro that she likes him.
As they speak, Lorenzo’s girlfriend comes to blame Lina as Lorenzo left for Paris. Lina tries to explain but quickly departs to prevent Lorenzo from leaving when Alessandro appears baffled.
She explains to Lorenzo at the airport that their kiss wasn’t a mistake and realizes that the purpose of the trip was for Lina to find herself.
As Howard and Lina enjoy a beautiful view of Rome, Howard is informed by Lina that she will remain for a year. He requests permission to become her adoptive father which she agrees to.
They have their happy ending as they ride Lina’s bike to fetch some gelato when Lorenzo returns after a year.
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