Upamanyu Biswas
In ‘Another Simple Favor,‘ Stephanie finds herself back in Emily’s orbit after the latter invites her to attend her wedding in Capri, Italy. The surprise invite comes after we learn that Emily was released from prison because of the intervention of a wealthy Italian businessman named Dante Versano. While the development takes Stephanie aback, she learns that Dante is marrying Emily, changing how the protagonist views the situation. However, as the wedding preparation gets underway, things take a dark turn as a series of murders haunts the guests at the five-star hotel, compelling Stephanie to embark on an investigation of her own. As she pieces together different parts of the story, a huge revelation comes to the fore, showcasing how little she knows of Dante and his real reasons for marrying Emily. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Dante and Matteo’s Queer Love is Kept Hidden From the Public
While ‘Another Simple Favor’ is rife with plenty of twists and turns, one of its biggest plot twists arrives near the end when we learn that Dante Versano and Matteo Bartolo are in a clandestine relationship together. The same-sex couple had kept it a secret from the rest of the world because of the rigid social conventions governing the mafia families. As the head of his family, Dante was under extreme pressure to live the life set out for him by his peers and family members rather than the life he wanted for himself. However, he found a way to be with Matteo by hiding the relationship from everyone on the outside. Additionally, by marrying Emily, he was ensuring that he embraced the heterosexual norm expected by people around him while he could secretly continue his love affair with Matteo.
Many years ago, Emily was living in Italy, where she worked as a bartender at a popular nightclub. During those hours, she grew close to Dante, who frequently visited the place and expressed his frustrations. Emily learned through those conversations that Dante was gay and in love with Matteo. However, there was no way for them to be together. Thus, she played a massive role in supporting and bringing the two men in each other’s orbits, allowing them to express their love while she had their backs. When Emily was sent to prison after the events of ‘A Simple Favor,’ Dante heard about her due to the media’s coverage of her case. Remembering how she knew about his romance with Matteo, he asked her to marry him, which would solve his personal problems while also offering Emily a new lease on life.
Therefore, the marriage between Emily and Dante was a convenient arrangement. Emily would get her freedom back and the opportunity to reunite with her son Nicky, while Dante could carry on his relationship with Matteo out of the public light. The only hurdle was Dante’s mother, Portia, who did not trust Emily because of her past antics and shady behavior. She was also worried that the woman might be playing with her son’s heart. In fact, for large chunks of the narrative, it is hinted that Emily is still stuck in her old habits of conning people out of their wealth. However, this turns out to be false when Stephanie learns the real truth behind Matteo and Dante’s love from Emily’s mouth. It changes the story’s perspective and how the protagonist views Emily as a person.
Dante’s Murder Brings a Tragic End to His Relationship With Matteo
Another plot twist of huge significance in the movie is when an unknown assailant murders Dante during the evening wedding celebrations. Stephanie spots Dante being shot by someone outside an open shed. The blame for the crime falls on Stephanie even though she merely reports what she sees back to Portia and the other wedding guests. As a result, the protagonist is put under house arrest and locked within the confines of her hotel room. While the final parts of the story address Dante’s murder and who killed him, the death ultimately results in the end of the mafia boss’s love affair with Matteo. The latter is distraught upon learning about Dante’s death, expressing his anger and sadness at the event. Even Emily is saddened by how it all plays out.
It turns out that Dante’s murder was part of a larger scheme concocted by Linda McLanden, Emily’s aunt. She and Charity, the previously thought-dead triplet of Emily’s, had devised a plan to weave their way into the Versano family to take away their wealth. After drugging Emily, Charity took her sister’s place during the wedding with Dante. Subsequently, Dante was murdered so that his assets would be transferred to Emily (AKA Charity), allowing Linda to get her hands on an enormous amount of riches at once. After escaping, Emily reveals the ins and outs of the conspiracy to Stephanie, showcasing how Dante was just the collateral in a massive con scheme. Emily states that she is mostly upset because Dante must have thought she was somehow working against him before he died.
Thus, on the whole, Dante and Matteo’s romance forms a peripheral yet integral part of the central mystery, showcasing how people hide different things underneath the facade of perfection. Despite seeming like typical mafiosos pushing their weight around, the two men had another life lurking beneath their public personas. It shows how the expectations on their shoulders as the heads of their families were a burden on them, making them unable to be comfortable in their skin. As a result, they had to sacrifice parts of themselves to ensure that peace and a sense of normalcy were maintained in their social circles by keeping up the pretense of being straight. Yet, in secret, they were both madly in love and had a deeply meaningful relationship under everyone’s nose.
