Growing up in the Sacramento area, I was very familiar with Mark S. Allen through his time on Good Day Sacramento and his own show Extra Butter. So when I heard he was making his directorial debut with Amy’s F It List, and that it was filmed all in the surrounding area that I grew up, I knew I had to check it out.
Amy is a young woman putting up with the horrors of the modern world such as creepy bosses, scummy businessmen, and the endless slog of garbage on social media. When Amy finds out that an inoperable brain tumor has developed and gives her only days left to live, she decides to F*** it all and go down swinging. With her sister by her side, Amy fulfills the ultimate F*** It List to get revenge on all the people who’ve made her life a living hell without facing the consequences.
This movie had a lot of fun with the dramatization of it’s characters. Amy encounters a self-centered customer on her daily coffee run before work. This character is so over the top with how rude and oblivious she is to the other customers in line as well as the barista behind the counter. And then there’s Amy’s boss, Mr. Smegman, who’s just a creep who belittles everything Amy does. Smegman claims Amy’s uniform isn’t up to store standards, claims she’s bad with customers, and a terrible cashier. These absurd characters (and many more) make the film such a fun watch since it perfectly sets the audience up to want to see them get what’s coming to them.
As the film progresses, we slowly learn more and more about Amy, specifically why she seems so withdrawn in life. This subplot takes it’s time coming to fruition, and feels of little importance to the rest of the movie. However, this subdued plot thread becomes the film’s biggest twist and leads to a very satisfying reveal at the film’s conclusion.
While the film is fun and surprising, there are a few critiques. The story feels a bit incomplete at times, due to characters jumping from scene to scene without a sense of fluidity or reasoning. For example, Amy’s sister, Mary, decides to aid Amy in attacking their dad’s former business partner who screwed the family out of a lot of money. She leaves the scene of the crime just as soon as the attack begins. In the next scene, we see Mary worried about the idea of her sister dying alone in jail. But where was this logical remorse earlier?
Now that’s not to say this spontaneous storytelling doesn’t work. While it doesn’t work for every scene, it does allow for Amy to enact revenge on everyone in her life that has wronged her at a moments notice, derived of consequences. This loose narrative allows us to see Amy live in the moment and feel this rush of excitement as she finally takes matters in to her own hands. Without forcing reason into every action the characters make, we really get to explore this idea of a true F*** It List.
Amy’s F It List is a wild ride from start to finish, keeping audiences on the edge of their seat. From smashing the windshield of obnoxiously large pick up trucks, to running through a cemetery naked, this movie will have you stunned with each crazy turn. Amy’s F It List is a winner of “Best Dark Comedy” at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and an official selection of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival from Indie Rights. The film releases wide on Amazon Prime on February 14th.
While some narrative points leave a little to be desired, the fast pace, absurd and hectic nature of the film makes this for an enjoyable watch. Yet another example of the exciting gems that can be found in local and small budget filmmaking.
- GVN Rating 6
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Ever since I was young, I had always been fascinated in film and the work that goes into them. I love animation, blockbuster hits, indie films and everything in between. Some day I’ll have the privilege of being apart of the filmmaking process.