Amanda is a sedate journey of a 20-something’s reconnection with a forgotten friend, equipped with quirks, blasé shows of wealth, and some awkward social moments. Character-driven at its core, Benedetta Porcaroli delivers a commanding performance as Amanda in this genre-blending film.
★★★★✰
Amanda follows a wealthy young woman on her mission to reconnect with a childhood friend. Coming from a pharmaceutical dynasty, she has no need to work, and her few friends remain intertwined with her family. Though seemingly having it all, in reality she seeks connection—usually in some odd places. Amanda, like the character, doesn’t fit into one genre: with comic elements, coming-of-age tones, and some real drama, it’s a fun adventure into the world of the wealthy elite without any high-stake concerns. Written and directed by Carolina Cavilla, Amanda marks the former actress’ feature film debut and showcases what she does best—character.
Amanda’s main arc lies in a mission to revive a childhood friendship. However, this new bid for companionship proves just as difficult as forming an entirely new connection—because the mark of Amanda’s mission, Rebecca (Galatians Bellugi), doesn’t leave her room. Odd beginnings aside, you can feel Amanda and Rebecca’s connection through the screen as they begin to form a bond and lighten each others’ day-to-day lives. And although there are only small bouts of turbulence through their friendship, Amanda keeps the anticipation and pace.
Though a relatively inconsequential journey of Amanda’s life, interspersed with spikes of adventure, Amanda doesn’t fail to build interest. From the start, Amanda grabs your attention. Her honest, if ill-fated, attempts at friendships and her desire for both company and the feeling of freedom—so intense that she visits a horse isolated in the middle of a field every so often—is relatable and entertaining. The mid-20s blues, though more comical than stressful when you have a wealthy family to back you, is a refreshing experience to be seen on screen.
The irony of trying to meet people at a cinema and a techno rave is successful at providing comedy and levity during Amanda’s more vulnerable moments; standing outside the toilets of a warehouse rave littered with about twenty people would never be an advisable choice for anyone seeking long-lasting connection. Though the focus on humour lessens the impact of Amanda’s vulnerability in some ways, it also curates a more well-rounded way of looking at life—there’s always a silver-lining. This remains an enduring quality throughout Amanda: regardless of an awkward encounter occurring or lacking solid friendship, nothing is that terrible.
Despite Amanda being in her early twenties, the film feels like a teenage coming-of-age venture. With the appeal of The Edge Of Seventeen, Amanda plays on the quintessential dramatics of the genre whilst bringing unique situations to the table to make the film entirely its own. Porcaroli, in combination with the script, manages to encapsulate this aimless young woman with all her subtle personality quirks. Known for Netflix’s Baby, where she portrays a stoic teen with incredibly adult problems, Amanda is a refreshing distance from her past project with all the angst and turbulence of a young adult.
Though friendship (or rather an absence of it) dominates Amanda, dysfunctional family dynamics prove just as influential on the narrative. Amanda’s relationship with her sister, Marina (Margarita Missoni), and her mother, Sofia (Monica Nappo), although pretty unchanging, remain pillars of the narrative. From a particularly cringe-inducing scene where Sofia is in the bath and Amanda offers her foot-care to the regular family dinners, where words fly in spite, they’re sources of comedy throughout. However, Marina’s frustration with Amanda’s sedentary lifestyle feels brushed over. Their relationship felt like it was waiting to erupt, a potential plot point that is left unexplored.
Amanda is a visually stunning film. The bid for symmetry in cinematography offers an Anderson-like charm. Though the comparisons stop there; with its neutral colour palette, Amanda feels authentic and grounded in reality, a world away from the glamourous pastel palettes of Anderson’s filmography. Although Amanda has a refined quality, the style of filmmaking is accessible. A full picture of Amanda’s life is shown, both the vulnerable and the fun moments of Amanda’s life made available to us.
One of the most aesthetically pleasing shots is a birds-eye view of Amanda laying atop a float in her family’s private pool, with her family’s villa as the background. Seemingly straight out of a travel-magazine, it epitomises the wealth woven into her lifestyle and starkly contrasts the less glamourous moments of her life; hanging laundry in her hotel bathroom, or boiling an egg on her plug-in stove. Amanda is a collation of multitudes, all of which combine to showcase the complex journey of one character and all her vulnerabilities, quirks, and dysfunctions.
The Verdict
With moments of adventure and tension, Amanda is a refreshing take on the mid-20s blues. There’s no real threat in the protagonist’s lack of connection, her wealth and her aimlessness, but you root for her regardless. Though you’d think her privilege would lessen our empathy, it does the opposite. The film grounds you in her experience, and despite her less than relatable lifestyle, you value Amanda’s very human struggles all the same.
Amanda is available now on Curzon Home Cinema.
Words by Annabel Smith
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