‘Amanda’ Review – A Witty & Wonderful Directorial Debut That Encapsulates The Complexity Of Modern Life

It’s rare for a film to completely and utterly encapsulate the experience of a generation, but Carolina Cavalli’s Amanda gets miraculously close to the heart of something that a slew of people are going through. The writer/director’s big screen debut, anchored by Benedetta Porcaroli’s lead performance as the titular character, follows twenty-something Amanda as she navigates life with no friends, no motivation, and no direction. After discovering that she might have had a childhood best friend had her family not moved away, she sets out to rekindle this friendship with Rebecca (Galatéa Bellugi) with abrasive force.

The marriage of Cavalli’s witty writing and Porcaroli’s deadpan performance evokes so much of a young person’s experience in Western culture. Adjusting to post-grad life, finding a job, making friends, and learning to interact with family as a full-blown adult fuel Amanda’s anxieties and fears as she moves home after college. Combine this with being part of the first generation of the full-blown internet age and Amanda’s familiar cynical personality is born. Amanda balances the burden of consistently doing nothing with being quick on her feet in any conversation with her witty, deadpan humor. She disarms any attempt at a serious conversation with a quick verbal jab that shifts the attention away from herself.

Amanda garners no sympathy from her family and has been taught the world doesn’t care about her, which only adds kindling to the narcissistic flame inside her. The first part of the film shows her as someone only interested in herself and what she wants. Despite this self-obsession, she is unbearably lonely. She consistently seeks friends at ill-advised locales such as loud clubs and the local cinema. Removed from any meaningful human connection, she turns to talking to her phone’s AI system and braving the video chat carousel online. Isolation and self-absorption frame the starting point for Amanda.

The most effective parts of the film come once Amanda’s friendship with Rebecca gains meaningful traction. Nearly everyone has experienced the giddiness of meeting someone new whether that be a friend or romantic interest. It’s hard to stop thinking about them. There’s increasingly agonizing anticipation for the next time you might see them. Amanda’s mood and sense of purpose shifts almost immediately once she finds a friend. It seems that she is finally caring about someone other than herself. Despite this growth, she still has self-destructive tendencies that come back to bite her.

Technically speaking, there’s a lot going for Amanda. Cavalli’s direction features dynamic camera decisions that are incredibly refreshing to see from a young filmmaker. She lingers with the camera on Porcaroli which allows the viewer to see the wide range of emotions going on behind the hard exterior that acts as Amanda’s defense mechanism. Scenes pop with color and surround the deadpan performances with life.

The emergent triumph of Amanda is the score by Niccolò Contessa, especially the main theme that appears multiple times throughout the film. The soft electric guitar-driven riff brings an ominous tone as the camera rests to see Amanda ruminating on her situation and what her next move should be. The true score of the film is used sparingly. It is inserted expertly at different parts of the film that elevate several moments between an otherwise quiet story. Amanda, like many her age, is surrounded by noise at all times. The film imitates life in that the most genuine moments are often against the backdrop of silence.

Rooted in a brilliant performance from Porcaroli, Amanda hits the nail graciously on many real-life experiences. Classic twenty-something plagues such as finding friends and figuring out your place in the world, jealousy in obsessive friendships, and small moments of growth underscore what it’s like to be of a certain age in modern times. An American version of this film would likely be overly dramatized and feel much further from real life. Amanda is a wonderful reminder that change happens one step at a time, not all at once.

Fremont, Carolina Cavalli’s next feature-length script, has already had a premiere at Sundance and will likely solidify her as one of the signature up-and-coming voices of the future.

Amanda is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories. For details on the national rollout, please check out the movie’s website here. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7w7tDSEqNo]