August 29, 2020
Amber Appleton is a cheerful and earnest high school student, a very active member of the drama club, and would organize a variety show yearly to raise funds for various causes (this year, to buy a new tuba for the school band). She was also a talented singer, and had been invited to audition for a prestigious music school in Pittsburgh.
Unknown to her friends though, Amber and her alcoholic mom Becky (and her scruffy little chihuahua dog Bobby Big Boy) were actually homeless. They had been living in a parked bus since they left the house of Becky's abusive partner Oliver. To save up for a decent apartment, Amber had to work as a night-school teacher, a donut shop worker and a nursing home aide.
Of course, things cannot simply go on like this forever for Amber and Becky. Their illegal shelter on the bus was found out and so desperate decisions had to be made. This led to a series of bad circumstances resulting in Amber becoming a shell of her old self as she threw herself into working full time, to the detriment of her education, her friends and her dreams.
This film introduces us to the face behind the talented young lade we only heard as the voice of Disney's Pacific island princess, Moana. Auliʻi Cravalho was a very likable performer in this, her first feature film. She projected genuine sincerity and kindness as Amber. We may not completely understand or agree with the decisions she made when she felt her world cave in on her. But then her character was a teenager after all, so angst and rebellion naturally welled in her. Cravalho managed to balance on that fine line very well.
Justina Machado played Amber's mom Becky, who seemed to be an irresponsible parent. The way this thankless role was written, there was no redemption for this unfortunate and bitter character, not even in retrospect. Rhenzi Feliz played Ty, the young man who liked Amber and constantly supported her, the ideal prince charming films like this always had for Cinderellas like Amber. Judy Reyes played Donna, the mother of Amber's best friend, who treated Amber as her own. The beloved comedy veteran Ms. Carol Burnett was in a special role as one of the seniors Amber entertained in the nursing home.
This was a very wholesome film, language-wise and humor-wise, about teenagers for teenagers. You can see the inspirational arc of the story from the beginning, so you can sort of expect how it was going to end. However, the way Amber got to that ending was not as predictable. This film, like many inspirational fairy tales before it, assures that rewards can be reaped from the kindness that you sow to the people around you. We certainly need that reminder during these difficult times. 6/10.
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