Dating Amber 2020

In the small town of The Curragh, Ireland, 1995 is a year marked by isolation and torment for two teenagers, Eddie and Amber, as they face relentless homophobic abuse. Feeling like outcasts, they concoct a plan to hide their true identities by masquerading as a straight couple.

Amber’s motivations are twofold: she seeks escape from the suffocating grief of her father’s suicide and yearns for a more liberated existence as a lesbian punk in London. To achieve this goal, she secretly rents out caravans on her mother’s parkland to provide a means of earning money for her departure. Meanwhile, Eddie is torn between his uncertainty about his own sexuality and the pressure to follow in his insensitive and absent father’s footsteps into the Irish Army.

As they frequent Dublin, the faux couple begins to immerse themselves in the city’s vibrant gay culture. During one of their trips, Eddie finds himself passionately embracing another man in a gay bar, only to be spotted by someone from their hometown. Panic sets in as Eddie lashes out at the witness and others who saw the kiss, while Amber starts secretly dating Sarah, a girl she met in the same Dublin bar.

The tension builds when Amber finally opens up to her mother about her desire for a relationship with Sarah, leading her mother to meet the girlfriend and ultimately understand her daughter’s desires. However, this newfound acceptance is short-lived, as Amber’s mother shares the news with the local priest, who then spreads it throughout the town.

Initially, Eddie struggles to come to terms with the end of his charade with Amber and lashes out at her in public. He then attempts to establish a heterosexual relationship with schoolmate Tracey before enlisting in the army.

Just as Eddie is about to board the bus for basic training, Amber reappears, offering him the chance to escape his fabricated life with her savings. Hesitantly, he begins to accept his true identity and the money to fund a new beginning. As Eddie opens the box containing the funds, he’s surprised to find half of a photo booth picture strip inside. The film concludes with both protagonists beaming, finally embracing their authentic selves.