Finding Amanda is a mixed bag that has some really great moments but also left me wanting more. The film follows Taylor, a television producer with a penchant for drinking and gambling, who is sent to Las Vegas to convince Amanda, his troubled niece, to enter rehab. This isn't a movie for everyone as it deals with a lot of heavy topics such as sex work, abusive relationships, drugs, alcohol, and gambling addiction. But if those topics don't turn you off, I would say it is worth watching for Brittany Snow alone, despite its flaws. I should start off by saying I love Brittany Snow. She is my all-time favorite actor, and I had never seen this one until now. And as previously stated, I have mixed feelings about the film. For the most part, I think Brittany Snow killed it as Amanda. At first, she plays Amanda as a carefree girl who has become a sex worker because it appears as an easy way to make a lot of money. However, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that she is more complex than she first appears. There is one scene where Amanda is talking about her first experience as a sex worker changed her, and it broke my heart. In contrast, I didn't really care for Matthew Broderick's character. He was just too self-centered and detached from Amanda for me to care about him. I would have liked to have seen him take a more active role in trying to help out Amanda. Or that at some point, he would realize he was being selfish and make some sort of sacrifice to help Amanda. However, he never really gets out of his own way. There were some other good actors in this film that it never really utilizes, such as Maura Tierney. Lastly, I didn't care for the ending. I won't spoil anything, but I felt like I was still trying to find Amanda and closure for her. Overall, I would say it was okay and worth watching for Brittany Snow alone.
Review of Finding Amanda
