Synopsis: Longtime best friends TJ and Amanda, a.k.a. Fuffy and Fream, share a friendship that's always seemed like so much more — only it's not quite love either. So what's in between friendship and love? (From Netflix Philippines)
The film is about TJ and Amanda, who refer to each other throughout the film as "Fuffy" and "Fream", two long-time friends navigating the ups and more often, the downs of life. Rather than a solid plot, the film is more focused on emphasizing the strength of their bond, while dangling the question of "will they or won't they" as they share their history and problems. But rather than being riveted by the romance angle, I found myself being more invested in their friendship. Through Piolo Pascual and Alessandra de Rossi's masterful and natural acting, I am pulled in by the devotion that they showed to each other as friends. While the film gives us moments where you'd think "is this it? will they kiss? confess their feelings?" the characters always brush it off as a joke, and instead of disappointed, you find yourself, laughing along, almost relieved in a way, that something so pure and strong wouldn't be mired by a typical love scene.
One of the film's stand-out elements is certainly the script. Refreshingly candid and just the right amount of crass, the film has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that may remind you of your conversations with your friends. Despite this, the more serious and introspective dialogues are not out of place, and I didn't find myself eye-rolling at "fake-deep" lines. Plenty of lines will hit the heart of anyone going through a hard time and just wants someone to be their rock.
Equally riveting is the film's cinematography. The film was not operating on a billion-peso budget, but despite the limited camera work, they made every shot intentional and meaningful. I especially liked the warm color grading, matching the warm friendship of the pair. I also want to give props to the transitional scenes, which can often be ignored. The film made use of a lot of elements of nature in transition, which they also managed to tie in with symbolism and dialogue throughout the movie.
The ending may not be everyone's cup of tea, and (warning for a slight spoiler!) we never really get a definite answer on whether or not TJ and Amanda had feelings for each other, or one of them was in unrequited love with the other, or if the relationship was strictly platonic, which disappointed me after the film. Personally, I wanted the film to be in-your-face and say that no, this was a completely platonic adventure. But then I realized that the ambiguity didn't matter. Because despite our uncertainty on their romantic stances, the film made this very certain: TJ and Amanda are each other's persons. That no matter what storm passes, no matter how many people come and go, they can count on each other to be the one constant.
This is not a film for hopeless romantics. This is not a film for people who are in love with their best friend. But I hope this film makes you realize that you have your own "Fuffy" and "Fream", and I hope you tell them that they matter to you today. Also, "Through the Fire" will never sound the same.
My Amanda is available on Netflix Philippines.