Dating Amber (2020) Review

Dating Amber (2020) is available now free to watch on Amazon Prime. Our rating: 4/5 Stars.

Starring Fionn O'Shea as Eddie (you may recognise O'Shea from 2016's Handsome Devil) was enough to get me to watch this film. Unfortunately, if like me you were hoping to catch a glimpse of his character in the buff or some raunchy sex scene, you'll be disappointed on that front. However, what I did watch was far more compelling and substantial.

Rather than another ‘coming-out-story’ this is alternatively a ‘staying-in-story’. Set in 90's Ireland, school boy Eddie finds himself struggling to avoid homo-speculation so he joins forces with lesbian Amber (Lola Petticrew) to convince their classmates and family they are indeed straight.

From a youth perspective amid 90's conflict in Ireland (but we won't get in to that as the film only touches on it once or twice for comedic purposes) has a very 'Billy Elliot esque' feel to it, which gives way for some brass, northern-like humour.

One of the more memorable laugh-out-loud moments is when Eddie and Amber are walking through the Irish countryside together, when Eddie randomly pipes up that he's told everyone their relationship has now progressed to him having fingered her.

Lola Petticrew's performance as Amber, and comedic facial-reactions to boot, is what stands out in this film as a breakout star in the making. It's a shame as Fionn O'Shea is cute as hell, but his character remains typically timid or sad or anxious throughout. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned when it comes to gay films, but I was hoping to catch a scene of Eddie experimenting further than taking a pill and snogging some random bloke in a London nightclub. For a lot of the gay community, that's just a standard Friday night, surely? Wouldn’t it have been interesting to have his character indulge in a bit of public toilet cottaging? (For those born after the 90s, that's when guys meet in public for sex. Similar to dogging - without the cars!).

Perhaps the filmmakers got it right this time though and I need to stick to scrolling through UK Gay Lads photos to get my kicks. This is ultimately a feel-good film that you could watch with mum and dad without feeling overly uncomfortable. If you're looking for an easy watch, a few laughs and heart-felt moments, you're sure to enjoy Dating Amber.