Holden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out ... Read allHolden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian.Holden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian.
- Awards
- 5 wins & 16 nominations total
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- (as Carmen Lee)
- Nica
- (as Kelly Simpkins)
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Featured reviews
I almost wish that I hadn't seen it again, because I remembered it as a good piece of film that was really deep and meaningful, well put together and tightly written.
In actuality, aside from the self-serving in-jokes (which, as a fan of the Jersey Trilogy, I still greatly appreciate) there's really not much to it. It's the typical romantic comedy type story with a twist of gayness and comic books.
The point is: Mallrats will always be better, Clerks will always be best, and Dogma will always be the one with Chris Rock. (also, Rick Derris will always be a jerk and there will be a member of the Hicks clan around ever corner.)
This film not only is a great story and a meaningful message about friendship, love, and accepting the past, but an allegory for the years before he made this movie. Notice how "Bluntman And Chronic" is a hit but critically slammed (in the DVD special features of deleted scenes), just like Mallrats was. Also, Alyssa is (literally and figuratively) Joey Lauren Adams, Smith's girlfriend at the time who he broke up with over her past. Holden writes the comic in the end as an apology to her, just like Smith made the movie as an apology/Valentine to Joey. All the characters are him on some level.
This movie rocks. Skip renting the video and buy Criterion's awesome DVD, with deleted scenes, an awesome commentary track, and much more
It's also a bad "hetero bro movie" or "hetero gal's night movie" because it gets into the subject of homosexuality in a way that will probably make you feel awkward with your friends.
So basically you should either watch this movie alone, or with a gay friend. Or if you are gay, congrats, you can watch it with anybody.
That said, "Chasing Amy" is a hard-hitting sex comedy from writer/director Kevin Smith who brought us "Clerks", "Mallrats", "Jay & Silent Bob" (who make a brief cameo here), and "Dogma". "Chasing Amy" is perhaps the most serious of the bunch, diving boldly into themes of homophobia, sexism and sexual double standards. Yes, there are some great gags, particularly in the first half. But the love story gets pretty intense in the 2nd half, and humor is downplayed. There are some downright upsetting arguments which shift the tone away from comedy and into heavy drama.
For you Ben Affleck fans, be forewarned he's not always the "good guy" in this flick. In fact, he represents a sort of naïve, ultra-conservative, morally-judgmental attitude of society. His love interest Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) is the "good guy" who represents open sexuality and free-spiritedness. The only problem is, to me, she sometimes came across as ditzy/hysterical and hard to take seriously. Although she did a very believable job of acting, I can't help but wonder if the role of Alyssa would've been better filled by an actress who is a bit more commanding: Cate Blanchett, Charlize Theron, or even Cameron Diaz. Oh well, no biggie.
With its sexual-boundary-bending approach, "Chasing Amy" has a vibe that reminds me of the classic French feminism films of the 60s-70s with Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot displaying a new sexual honesty that was unheard of until then. It brings to mind the urban dictionary definition of a slut: a woman with the morals of a man ;)
Kevin Smith had already proved he could make an intelligent comedy with Clerks, as well as a slapstick comedy with Mallrats. Now he proves he can make a romantic comedy with his own unique spin. All of his styles are still there. Comic books, Star Wars, etc. Only this time he adds a relationship. But this isn't your usual romantic comedy. This isn't awkward teenage boy tries to get the girl of his dreams, but instead ends up with the geeky girl that's liked him all along. No, this is the story of a successful comic book artist that unwillingly falls for a lesbian, and tries his best to win her, though the odds are against him. A romantic comedy with Smith's great style is a romantic comedy worth seeing. The story is good, the dialogue is great. My only problem with this movie was that it wasn't as much fun as Mallrats. However, it was more fun than Clerks, at least in my opinion.
The acting was pretty good. Joey Lauren Adams was good in her role, though her voice was a little annoying. Ben Affleck was very good, and Jason Lee was hilarious.
Overall, this is a very good movie for anyone that wants to see a different kind of romantic comedy, but if you're looking for a Mallrats/Jay and Silent Bob type film, this isn't it.
7/10
Did you know
- TriviaKevin Smith wrote the script inspired by his experience with then-girlfriend Joey Lauren Adams, who plays Alyssa.
- Goofs(at around 56 mins) When Holden is walking back to his car shortly after Alyssa leaves him in the rain, the camera crew is reflected in the window slightly to the left of Holden.
- Quotes
Silent Bob: So there's me and Amy, and we're all inseparable, right? Just big time in love. And then four months down the road, the idiot gear kicks in, and I ask about the ex-boyfriend. Which, as we all know, is a really dumb move. But you know how it is: you don't wanna know, but you just have to, right? Stupid guy bullshit. So, anyway, she starts telling me about him... how they fell in love, and how they went out for a couple of years, and how they lived together, her mother likes me better, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah... and I'm okay. But then she drops the bomb on me, and the bomb is this: it seems that a couple of times, while they were going out, he brought some people to bed with them. Ménage à trois, I believe it's called. Now this just blows my mind, right? I mean, I am not used to this sort of thing. I mean, I was raised Catholic, for God's sake.
Jay: Saint Shithead.
[Silent Bob elbows him; Jay motions as if to start a fight]
Silent Bob: Do something.
[to Holden]
Silent Bob: So I'm totally weirded out by this, right? And then I just start blasting her. Like... I don't know how to deal with what I'm feeling, so I figure the best way is by calling her a slut, right? And tell her she was used. I'm... I'm out for blood. I really wanna hurt this girl. I'm like, "What the fuck is your problem?", right? And she's just all calmly trying to tell me, like, it was that time and it was that place and she doesn't think she should apologize because she doesn't feel that she's done anything wrong. I'm like, "Oh, really?" That's when I look her straight in the eye, I tell her it's over. I walk.
Jay: Fuckin' A!
Silent Bob: No, idiot. It was a mistake. I didn't hate her. I wasn't disgusted with her. I was afraid. At that moment, I felt small, like... like I'd lacked experience, like I'd never be on her level, like I'd never be enough for her or something like that, you know what I'm saying? But, what I did not get, she didn't care. She wasn't looking for that guy anymore. She was... she was looking for me, for the Bob. But, uh, by the time I figure this all out, it was too late, man. She moved on, and all I had to show for it was some foolish pride, which then gave way to regret. She was the girl, I know that now. But I pushed her away. So, I've spent every day since then chasing Amy... so to speak.
- Crazy creditsJay and Silent Bob will return in "Dogma" ... (promise).
- Alternate versionsMany things cut from the final version available on laserdisc/DVD editions:
- ConnectionsEdited into Chasing Amy: Deleted Scenes (2000)
- SoundtracksLet's Go
Written by Ric Ocasek
Performed by Ernie Isley
Courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group
By arrangement with Warner Special Products
Details
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- Also known as
- Multiple Mistake
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $250,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $12,021,272
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $52,446
- Apr 6, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $12,021,272
- Runtime
- 1h 53m(113 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1