Worth: $12.00
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Cast:
Vincent Lacoste, Stacy Martin, Isaure Multrier, Ophélia Kolb
Intro:
...chooses not to wallow in sentimentality but to stand as a message of endurance for a country threatened by external forces that challenge its culture.
2018 French drama Amanda follows David (Vincent Lacoste), a 25-year-old Parisian who juggles an abundance of jobs to make ends meet, whom after the tragic death of his sister Sandrine (Ophélia Kolb) must decide whether to take guardianship of his seven-year-old niece, Amanda (Isaure Multrier).
Paris as a backdrop and the circumstances by which Sandrine passes speaks to the current challenges faced by France and is done-so not to create a mood of despondency but as a showing of resilience in the French spirit.
Relationships and the process of recovering after a loss are at the core of the film, with David and Amanda able to deliver on these themes in delicate performances that range from heart-rending to saccharine.
Use of parks and tennis add subtext to Amanda, with issues relating to mounting prejudice that threatens to derail French culture – this aspect is acknowledged but it never negatively impacts the characters arcs.
Despite tackling heavy subject matter, there is an intimacy that works to the benefit of Amanda, thanks to scenes mostly involving no more than two characters – with this no better on display than in a heart-warming mother-and-daughter embrace.
At 107 minutes in length, Amanda does feel its run-time and where director Mikhaël Hers could have tightened the focus of the film, instead injects an excessive amount of side-characters and stories as if to punish David and create opportunities for him to cry.
Where films focusing on children losing their parents have a knack for being manipulative, Amanda chooses not to wallow in sentimentality but to stand as a message of endurance for a country threatened by external forces that challenge its culture.
