What We Wanted (2020) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

In the sun‑kissed lull of a Sardinian seaside resort, a couple that has spent years wrestling with the quiet ache of infertility seeks a brief reprieve. Alice and Niklas arrive with the hope that turquoise waters and gentle breezes might soften the strain of countless failed attempts at in‑vitro fertilisation, and the film settles into a tone that feels both languid and charged, as the idyllic setting mirrors the yearning that lingers beneath the surface.

Their temporary escape quickly intertwines with the vibrant rhythm of another family that has set up next door—a German couple and their two lively children, whose carefree presence becomes a subtle catalyst. The contrast between the couple’s muted longing and the neighbors’ exuberant everyday moments creates a delicate tension, inviting the audience to sense the unspoken envy, grief, and hope that flow between them. The resort’s bright palette and relaxed pace mask an undercurrent of emotional turbulence, allowing the story to explore intimacy without resorting to melodrama.

As the days unfold, the couple finds themselves reflected in the lives around them, prompting quiet introspection about what they desire, what they fear, and how they define themselves beyond the notion of parenthood. The narrative dwells on small, charged interactions—shared glances, lingering silences, a brief, inexplicable disappearance—each hinting at deeper currents without laying them bare. Within this sun‑drenched microcosm, the film balances melancholy and tenderness, inviting viewers to contemplate how love endures, adapts, and reshapes itself when the future is uncertain.