Stream It Or Skip It: ‘My Amanda’ On Netflix, A Moving Anti Rom-Com From The Phillippines

Best-friends-who-turn-into-more is a classic romantic comedy premise; When Harry Met Sally, What If, Just Friends, and the more drama-heavy One Day have all explored the power of friendship evolving into romance. My Amanda, a Filipino film now streaming on Netflix, sets things up in a way that feels familiar, but is more interested in exploring the beauty platonic friendship can offer. 

MY AMANDA: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Amanda (Alessandra de Rossi) and TJ (Piolo Pascual) are best friends. They have no problem sharing a twin bed, barging into the bathroom when the other is in the shower, and have nicknamed each other Fuffy and Fream. They joke often about their close connection and the fact that it’s never turned into anything more, but neither of them seem to want to act on it. Family and friends try to nudge them together, but they brush it off, appreciating their bond for the rare gem it is. Amanda, reeling from a recent breakup with her fiancé Kelvin, considers whether or not getting back together with him is the right choice. She and TJ hit the road, party it up, and get matching tattoos in the meantime.

While it initially seems as though My Amanda is heading down a path of romantic love between these two BFFS, the film – written and directed by star de Rossi – instead chooses to focus on the beauty of platonic love and all that it has to offer. Will they? Won’t they? Should they even try? The love story of Amanda and TJ may not be a typical one, but it’s still a story worth telling.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: My Amanda initially seems a little reminiscent the Before trilogy, and also of the will-they-won’t-they friendships in flicks like One Day, Plus One, and What If, but at its heart, the film is more about the romance of a platonic friendship than it is about romantic love.

Performance Worth Watching: Alessandra de Rossi wrote and directed My Amanda and based it on a real friendship in her life, so it makes perfect sense that her performance is the strongest in the film. She’s able to go from ridiculously funny to absolutely heartbreaking in the drop of a hat, likely because so much of the film’s story comes from her lived experiences. de Rossi has the kind of screen presence that feels natural and lived-in, and she’s a big reason why the simple premise of My Amanda works as well as it does.

Memorable Dialogue: “A man and woman can be good friends without falling for each other,” says Amanda. It’s simple, but it felt like the antithesis of When Harry Met Sally‘s core – and it really stuck with me.

Sex and Skin: There are a few above-the-waist shower shots, but no sex here.

Our Take: It’s not often a film is brave enough to put a spotlight on a platonic heterosexual friendship without it turning into something more. The ‘will-they-won’t-they’ almost always ends in ‘they will’, and friendships are usually seen as stepping stones for romantic relationships. My Amanda finds the ‘won’t they’ more interesting than the alternative; the friendship at its core is one certainly fueled by electrifying chemistry, but it doesn’t need to evolve into anything more. Most of the film is just conversations between Amanda and TJ. It’s not often that something this talky and low-stakes works, but My Amanda manages to create something genuinely compelling with its largely uneventful story.

My Amanda may veer on soapy at times, but the grounded performances from its two leads reel it in with grace. At around 90 minutes, the film doesn’t overstay its welcome – a rare occurrence when it comes to more serious, understated dramas like this one. The ending goes off the rails a little too much for my taste, and the narration doesn’t always work. Whatever flaws My Amanda may have, however, are redeemed by its honest heart and unwavering focus on the magic of these kinds of intimate, life-changing friendships not usually given their chance to shine in this genre. It’s an unromantic romance, the rare love story of two friends and their impact on one another.

Our Call: STREAM IT. My Amanda draws strength from its simplicity; it’s a heartfelt, honest film about one of the most meaningful kinds of bonds life has to offer.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream My Amanda on Netflix