Watch Up Against Amanda For Free

Excellent, smart action film.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

I'm amazed this movie received so many bad reviews. I thought the film was extremely gripping and so well made that the fact it was put together on a small budget, didn't even occur to me! The script was tight, the situations both really believable and highly suspenseful, and the acting simply superb. I will admit that all the players were unknown to me. So, for me, they were all fresh faces. I found all but one of the actors thoroughly convincing. And the actor I thought was just a little too grotesque, had such a small (if essential) part that it didn't really matter. Super sexy Justine Priestley delivered a gripping, totally charismatic performance in the title role, while David De Witt was also most believable as Amanda's "victim". I thought writer/director Michael Rissi did a marvelous job, not only with the players but with the script. The way he built up suspense was simply brilliant! Available on an excellent New Concorde DVD. (Although this fact is not mentioned on the cover, the movie's DVD has excellent Spanish sub-titles).

As one other IMDB reviewer has remarked, this movie starts a bit slow, but gets considerably better as it goes along. Yes, it is released by Roger Corman, and yes, it goes over some of the same thematic ground as much higher budget predecessors such as FATAL ATTRACTION and POISON IVY. However, the juxtapositioning of the wife's career as a rising blues singer against the husband's gathering loneliness and his almost Freudian need for filling the emotional and physical "void" or "hole" while she's away along with the clever use of minimal effects and settings is nicely done. Utilizing a very small number of locations and characters, and also using water in almost every scene both as a cleansing and drowning metaphorical symbol throughout, this movie, though clearly suffering from a minuscule budget, reminds me in many ways of the more fully realized and more recent scenario, namely the French film "SWIMMING POOL" which it seems to me at least may have borrowed liberally some useful ideas from "UP AGAINST AMANDA." With a smaller tool set, UP AGAINST AMANDA maintains its suspense with a rudimentary, fatalistic view of surrendering to ones occasional lustful temptations, but accomplishes this as well or better as other films in this genre. The twist of the stepfather abuse of Amanda in the past (again, very Freudian) is also very unique in this genre and interesting. I agree with other viewers about the unexpected and sympathetic reaction for Amanda's plight this aspect of the story elicits. The cast is excellent I think.

So another crazed stalker movie arrives. Well, this one gives some background explanation at least for the demented behavior of its titled villain, AMANDA, played convincingly by Justine Priestley. If fact, despite the low budget and Roger Corman as distributor (apparently he picked this up after it was chosen by some lesser known festivals) the credits on this are actually pretty good. Acting is pretty good and behind the scenes directing, music, etc., much more nuanced than your average slap it together Corman pic. Not for everyone. Budget limitations obvious, but makes the most of its limited scope in fairness.Hope to see more of Priestley, rest of cast and curious to see what filmmakers do next.

I saw this movie when it first came out. It was an official selection for the Temecula Valley International Film Festival and I voted for it for best picture.Justine Priestley is hot as the psychotic, but complex Amanda. This is not your ordinary psycho movie. Lots of interesting and original slants on the genre. Sort of a "Fatal Attraction" for the younger set with some great blues music mixed in as the object of Amanda's affection is married to an up and coming blues singer who has less time for her husband as her career takes off.