‘Amanda’ movie review: an offbeat coming-of-age tale by Carolina Cavalli
It’s hard to resist a good coming-of-age movie, and Amanda is another worthy addition to the canon. Although Carolina Cavalli’s debut feature focuses on a 25-year-old protagonist that should have already come of age, Amanda explores the experiences of a woman slapped in the face with the realisation that she’s still living like a teenager. Benedetta Porcaroli’s protagonist reckons with her lack of friendships, relationships and career, and she does so with refreshing humour that you can’t help but feel drawn to.
Amanda finds the privileged protagonist living without purpose at her family’s Italian home after staying in Paris. Suffering an existential crisis, Amanda decries the bourgeois while indulging in her safe wealthy bubble, abstaining from work in favour of lounging in the pool – a clear homage to The Graduate. Porcaroli’s character is wildly flawed, and Cavalli presents her contradictory nature with an enjoyably comic sensibility.
Throughout the film, Amanda sets out to fill in the missing gaps in her life. Firstly, she must find a best friend, resulting in her attempt to reconnect with a childhood friend, Rebecca, who turns out to be even stranger than her. In the meantime, Amanda becomes preoccupied with amassing store credits to buy a standing fan, attends empty raves, obsesses over a horse, and attempts to begin a relationship with a mysterious unnamed man.
Despite Amanda’s oft-times bizarre or downright rude behaviour, she is totally likeable thanks to Porcaroli’s performance, who consistently harbours a level of uncertainty behind each action. Plenty of Amanda’s questionable moments are juxtaposed with scenes that make you genuinely feel sorry for her, such as her sister’s unnecessarily cold statements.
The film utilises many interesting cinematic techniques, such as humorous flashbacks, which play as Amanda explains situations to people like Rebecca or her sister. Whenever the unnamed love interest appears on screen, he is framed in a claustrophobic close-up, reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai’s Fallen Angels. Elsewhere, Amanda is depicted with a Wes Anderson-esque sensibility, looking directly at the camera as she is introduced to the audience.
There’s a lot to love about Amanda, although receiving more insight into the other characters would’ve elevated the film to greater levels. Although Cavalli has almost certainly used this technique to emphasise Amanda’s self-obsessive bubble, you can’t help but wish for a little bit more to chew on.
Moreover, the film certainly lacks relatability if you aren’t a wealthy person able to flounder your time by the pool without a job. Although Cavalli highlights that being rich can be extremely isolating, often driving wedges between families, only a tiny percentage of the audience will genuinely relate to this. Regardless of Cavalli poking fun at the malaise of the upper classes, the film still feels completely absorbed in this privileged microcosm.
Of course, a film doesn’t have to be relatable to be enjoyable, which is why Amanda still holds up as a fun coming-of-age tale. With well-written, funny dialogue and quirky characters that you can’t bring yourself to hate, Cavalli’s debut is a fresh and unique take on the female quarter-life crisis. The movie certainly isn’t perfect, and you might find yourself wondering why Amanda wants that fan so badly, but you’ll also find yourself enraptured by her presence.
