User reviews

"Chasing Amy" is a clever and engaging urban love story that just exudes with Kevin Smith's gritty humour. The film's examination of sexuality, and everything involved with it, doesn't for one second sound untrue, even when it makes sure that everything being pointed out is expressed frankly and colourfully. It's not everyday we get a story of a heterosexual man falling in love with a homosexual woman, and although the concept could easily have resulted in a disaster of a movie, "Chasing Amy" manages to layer everything almost flawlessly. There are no predictable pitfalls in this film, and nothing is wrapped up in a neat little package. We are offered a group of characters that are likable but flawed, who don't always get, or give, what we would usually expect. I have to say, I never knew what was going to happen next, it manages to be consistenly offbeat without being unrealistic. Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams have incredible chemistry together, perfectly displaying all the emotional complications a relationship as eccentric as theirs would have. Jason Lee was also outstanding in his role of the vaguely jealous best friend. The only thing that bothered me about this film was there was too much YELLING!! and it was slightly uneven at times. But generally I liked it a lot, and I'm just thankful that Kevin Smith is producing such fine work like this, it is truly a refreshing escape from Hollywood's formulaic sap.

This is a really good piece of work by the brilliant Kevin Smith but I didn't fully appreciate that until the second time watching this movie. I'm glad I did. I missed out on it's significance and even it's cultural importance. I was admittedly thrown off by Joey Lauren Adam's voice, i saw it as distracting and I had to get over it, something like that shouldn't hinder the viewer but it did for me and it played a factor the first time watching.

Her and the rest of the cast are great. She is brilliant as Alyssa with a lot of gut impacting scenes. Ben Affleck and Jason Lee star opposite to her. Affleck is convincing and Lee is immaculate as Affleck's best friend, roommate and comic book artist who has a lot of memorable moments as a side character.

The theme of the movie might've been a bit groundbreaking for it's time as it explores sexual endeavours of the triangle between the 3 characters. The curiosity is compelling and it works and the best part is, it leaves the questions without solidarity answers. All this, and it still manages to feel like Kevin Smith's movie - lots of crude jokes and comedic value.

Just behind the Clerks series and maybe Zack and Miri, Chasing Amy is absolutely worth seeing.

Chasing Amy tells the story of two comic book artists who have created a hit comic book called Bluntman and Chronic, based off of Jay and Silent Bob. One of them falls in love with a fellow comic book artist who turns out to be a lesbian. Throughout the film he pines for her, much to the dismay of his friend. This isn't the usual Kevin Smith View Askew film, but it's still highly enjoyable.

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

My all-time favourite film! Kevin Smith creates such truly endearing, eccentric, quirky characters, and then manages to cast actors who seem destined to play their roles. Joey Lauren Adams steals the show (we need to see more of this brilliant gem!), and the Jason Lee / Ben Affleck dynamic is really powerful - all of the actors appear so natural and comfortable, and Jason Mewes is a gift from God (and that's coming from an athiest!). A beautifully written conversational comedy that very gently uncovers the hypocrisy surrounding gender relationships. This film goes way beyond the 'acceptance of sexual preference' cliche, and instead concentrates on the insecurities that all human beings are born with - gay or straight! Mr Smith, you are truly a genius!!!

Kevin Smith isn't typically known for mature work – the majority of his films are funny, but crude. "Chasing Amy," his follow-up to the 1995 box office failure "Mallrats," is certainly the most adult film he has made, in terms of general context. Overall, however, I was left with mixed feelings.

Holden (Ben Affleck) is the co-creator of a popular comic strip named "Bluntman and Chronic." One day at a New York City Comicon Convention, a friend of Holden's introduces him to Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), a free-spirited, adventurous girl whom Holden instantly takes a liking to. As they spend more time together, Holden finds himself falling in love. But there's just one problem: Alyssa is a lesbian.

Holden's best friend and co-writer/artist, Banky (Jason Lee), resents Alyssa – both because he is homophobic and afraid of losing Holden. He doesn't trust Alyssa, and digs up dirt on her that extends into her high school days, when, apparently, she was not just into chicks.

"Chasing Amy" has moments of rare greatness – the dialogue, first of all, is excellent. So is the acting. Joey Lauren Adams has been severely underused since "Chasing Amy," starring in undeveloped romantic roles in comedies such as "Big Daddy." Her character Alyssa in Smith's film is three-dimensional, and her outburst towards the end of the picture is heartfelt and honest. Jason Lee is hilarious in a very believable way (never stretching Banky into a far-fetched comedic personality) and even Ben Affleck manages to remain tolerable. (Which is always unusual.) I think the problem with "Chasing Amy" is that it simply tries too hard, and lacks a point. Smith attempted to prove to his critics that he was capable of making a realistic, sophisticated and complex motion picture and tackles some very, very touchy subjects in the process, without ever coming to any solid conclusion.

Credit must be given where it is due – Smith is an expert at snappy one-liners and good dialogue. But no matter how clever, insightful and emotionally developed Smith's everyday jargon may very well be, at heart he is still a philistine. One need only listen to five minutes of one of his DVD commentary tracks to realize this. That core immaturity doesn't translate well to the screen in a picture that wants to be taken as something more. It's like a child trying to imitate an adult – the gestures might be there, but the experience and cultivation is not.

Another major weakness of "Chasing Amy" is that it is too blunt, I think. Example? It's heavily implied that Banky is a repressed closet homosexual. It makes sense, and a deleted scene from another of Smith's later films confirms it. But I felt it should never have been addressed at all in "Chasing Amy" – great films imply, they don't stress. A character from "Chasing Amy" explains to Holden what we're all thinking – maybe Banky has feelings for Holden that he isn't ready to acknowledge. This is too much. It's too clear, and not subtle enough. It should have been left up to the audience to use their own perceptions. By the time this "explanation" occurs in the movie, I had already assumed Banky was gay; Smith's desire to put it into words seemed anti-climactic and ruined the speculation.

That best sums up the entire film, really -- "Chasing Amy" has its good parts, but the finished product is messy and contradictory and just too damned wordy. It tries at every turn to be insightful, honest, mature and even epic. The problem with all this is that Smith lacks a point – he wants to say there's nothing wrong with being gay, and love is love no matter whether you're male or female, but it's clear that deep inside he is a bit like Banky – homophobic and immature. His decision to turn Alyssa into a "mistake," a woman who has been fooled into lesbianism, who is "saved" by Holden, doesn't make sense. I'm not criticizing the film's motive – if it had one, I'd judge it based on how well it elucidates it. My own point is that Smith doesn't have one – he's wishy-washy, one moment preaching to his audience about the dangers of homophobia, the next moment turning his lesbian into the very stereotype all lesbians must hate: the woman who is afraid of men and deep down inside her heart is actually is attracted to them. I was left wondering what Smith was trying to get across to his audience.

For what it's worth, my favorite scene from "Chasing Amy" is when Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith himself) show up. Silent Bob's monologue is honest and tender without coming across as being too showy or gushy. Had the entire film matched this one scene, it would be a great deal better.

"Chasing Amy" has to be the best love story of 1997. It was emotional, gripping, funny, sad, heartwarming, and had some great jokes. How could anyone deny that this screenplay was anything less than original, or perfection. Absolutely intoxicating. The performances were right on and the writing was magnificent. Kevin Smith is, without a doubt, one of the best new writers. With this movie he goes to a whole new level. "Clerks" was great, and I think I'm one of the five people that enjoyed "Mallrats", but "Chasing Amy" takes the cake. Nothing else came even close that year. That movie should have made a star out of Joey Lauren Adams. She gave the BEST performance in 1997 and was robbed of an Oscar nomination, as was the script. The scene outside of the ice rink is more than enough to show just how good she was. And anyone who can watch that ending, the you don't know if you should cry or jump for joy ending, and not feel something, is heartless. The movie was great. It is one of my personal favorites, and will always be.

First off, the film hasn't aged well. It is very 90's (which I usually love) but in all the worst ways. The film is Kevin Smith and the characters are cool and the jokes are funny, but this really speaks to a time when homosexuality was not understood, and if you developed your understanding of the subject from this film, you would just assume it is a choice that straight people make one day. In short, a gay person is a straight person who just doesn't know it- there is no nuance. I don't buy all the twists about sexuality in the film and I don't think they adequately represent reality. This is my least favorite of the Smith 90's movies- and for the record, I think Clerks is still amazing!

Love stories are difficult to do well. So is comedy. Kevin Smith does both. Very very well.

Chasing Amy is, in my opinion Kevin Smith's best movie (Clerks 2nd, Dogma 3rd) and I really don't know where to start the praise.

Traditionally, Hollywood romantic comedies are... well, bad. Really lame PG-13 comedy, with some catch phrase repeated ad nauseum, and always some sort of "hilarious" incident involving a baby or a cute dog. And the characters are just as annoying as the lame jokes, so ultimately, you don't really care about whether or not they get together in the end.

Chasing Amy is different. These characters are lifelike.This isn't a romantic comedy for teenage girls. It's a movie for adults. Almost everyone can relate to being a situation where they've loved someone so much, but due to certain circumstances, you just weren't able to have that person. And I guess that's what Amy's all about. Unrequited love. Well, Unrequited love and sexual identity, but that's another topic for another day.

The real genius of this film is that for all it's serious themes, it manages to convey it's message without being at all pretentious. Most independent films have this sort of, arrogant pretentious "I'm so artistic" feel about them.......And I hate that. Smith's success lies in the fact that his movies are meaningful, and they're actually funny as well. And Chasing Amy is no exception.

In short, you'll be hard pressed to find a more entertaining, and realistic love story than Chasing Amy. It's combination of hilarious dialogue, interesting characters, and realistic themes makes it a winner.

"Chasing Amy" tells of a guy (Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Adams). Obviously scripted and staged and marginally acted by wannabee actor/icon Affleck and break-thru' for Adams, "Chasing..." explores issues of interest to the sexually naive; an assertion supported by the IMDB.com demographic stats. In spite of the fact the characters are shallow and much too glib, the film does manages some "heart" and tries hard to be human. Over-rated fodder for young adults.

To me a film can have no action and no real special effects and still be great. If that film can take it's characters and make them interesting by making them speak the way we know people do, then you are left with a fantastic film. So is the case with Kevin Smith's wonderful film Chasing Amy.

For anyone who thought that Ben Affleck couldn't act, watch this movie and enjoy how he plays Holden. He is honest in his approach to a character that is as complex as any great movie character. Also cast perfectly is Joey Lauren Adams as his girlfriend and Jason Lee is so good as Banky, his best friend and business partner that I really could have seen him with an Oscar nod that year.

Kevin Smith's strength is that he knows how people talk and he is honest in his assessment of his characters. And that is what makes this film the gem that it is. And did I mention that it is a wonderful romance and it is wickedly funny?

If all you've ever seen of Kevin Smith is Clerks, then check out this awesome flick. It certainly makes you appreciate how good Smith is at writing characters. A really great film.

Note**** If anyone is a true fan of Jaws ( and I, like Smith think it is the greatest movie ever made ) then watch for the scene in Jaws where Hooper and Quint compare wounds to be parodied hilariously in this film.

"It's not who you love, it's how" is a great tagline for the movie.

Affleck's character cannot deal with Lauren's character's past and that's the main reason why they can't maintain a serious relationship.

Silent Bob in a very important scene talks about "Chasing Amy" and that's when everything makes more sense.

I'm not a big Kevin Smith fan but I have to admit that I liked this movie very much. There are some personal conflicts that not many movie-makers talk about; in this case, it's your partner's love past. Smith brings his own experience to the movie and it's told in an interesting manner.

SCRIPT "Chasing Amy" has a clever fast-paced script filled with funny lines and intelligent discussions related to love relationships. The cast is surprisingly good. Creative script that works as a comedy, a drama, or a romantic comedy with Smith's personal touch.

CAST Ben Affleck gives a totally believable performance as the lead male character; Joey Lauren Adams was simply great in her role, and what can I say about Jason Lee? He stole the show whenever he was on screen.

Supporting characters like Jay and Silent Bob were a good addition and the movie asked for them.

FUN FACTOR It's very high. The subplots are entertaining and the climatic scene involving the three main characters has great dialog.

7/10. Surprisingly good. Recommended for open minded people.

Miles away from his usual low level comedy, in Chasing Amy, Kevin Smith manages to deliver a great rom-com with some serious undertones.

There are the standard Smith jokes throughout the film, but this time they take a backseat to the touching tale of Holden and Alyssa. I don't know quite how he did it, but Chasing Amy feels real and unpredictable. It's not some glossy Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts production, instead it's filled with characters that feel more like real people, which is a nice relief.

The film manages to be both moving and funny, and the cast do their best work to date (Affleck and Adams at the hockey game must rank as one of my favourite scenes of all time). This may not be Smith's best known film, but it's definitely his best. [8/10]

Overall, a pretty good movie it's not Smith's best outing but one that does do a lot for him. It's like a romantic comedy with a bit a controversial twist for the time that it was made. The main actors do a very good job of putting the story in focus.

With his third film, Kevin Smith tried to do something new for him: a grown-up film. As loved as it may (deservedly) be, Clerks is remembered for the crude humor rather than the plot, while Mallrats, which was meant to be a smart, amusing teen movie, turned out to be little more than a vehicle for Jason Lee's comedic talent. Chasing Amy is radically different: combining Smith's trademark superb dialogue, believable characters and a heartfelt story, it is one of the best, most insightful romantic comedies of the '90s, and the director's most satisfying picture aside from Clerks I and II.

Whereas his first two movies kept referencing other films as soon as there was time to do so, Chasing Amy centers on Smith's second great passion: comic-books. In fact, it all begins at a convention, where Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) and Holden MacNeil (Ben Affleck) are signing issues of their successful book Bluntman & Chronic. Afterwards, they hang out with fellow artists Hooper X (Dwight Ewell) and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), and while Banky spends all of his time arguing with Hooper over the racism in Star Wars (one of the funniest things Smith has ever written) or the gay subtext in Archie comics, something clicks between Holden and Alyssa, and soon enough they start seeing each other almost every day. It is obvious something deeper than friendship is in the air, and they both know it, yet there's a catch: Alyssa is a lesbian, or at least she used to be one before meeting Holden. Hence the big question: can they have a meaningful relationship with her past being such a huge burden? What kind of sacrifices will have to be made?

In another film, the boy-loves-lesbian premise would have been an excuse to deliver a 90-minute marathon of distasteful, gratuitously explicit jokes. Chasing Amy, on the other hand, is good because it really cares for its characters and whatever crudities there may be never feel excessive or out of place, but on the contrary they manage to convey the speaker's emotions more correctly (this is particularly true for Jason Lee's foolproof, energetic performance). The central love story is honest and touching, two characteristics that are evident in the realistic dialogue and acting: Adams, who hasn't managed to find a decent role ever since, portrays Alyssa as a human being, not a stereotype, and that's what makes her scenes with Affleck, always at his best when working with Smith, compelling and almost painful to watch.

Most of the time, Chasing Amy is a perfect balance between gross-out humor and tender romance, something the director kept toying with on the underrated Jersey Girl (where the jokes were less sweary than usual) and perfected with his masterpiece, Clerks II. There are, however, a few moments when Smith doesn't understand he has to stop and tells us everything about a certain character's personality, whereas he should simply have implied it. Overall, though, this feature remains one of the most hilarious, moving, revealing films of the '90s, with its best moment saved for the director himself: halfway through the movie, the mandatory Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith) make their appearance. In all the other View Askew flicks, they are just incredibly funny. This time, Bob breaks his silence and gives a long, thoughtful speech that explains the film's title and has more to say about love and relationships than certain movies do in their entire running time. Astonishing.

8,5/10

Being a huge Kevin Smith fan, its no wonder I love this movie so much, it is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Its a close toss up for my favorite Smith movie, right next to Clerks.

The Plot: Holden McNeil(Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards(Jason Lee) are two long time best friends and the co-creators of their successful comic book Bluntman and Chronic. One day while they were pushing their comic at a comic/sci fi convention, they met a girl named Alyssa Jones. Holden immediately falls for Alyssa, but his hopes are shattered once he finds out a shocking surprise, she's a lesbian. Still, they form a great friendship which only makes Holden more in love with her. Once Holden reveals his love to Alyssa, they form what seems like a great relationship. Things change; however, once Banky fears that this friendship will affect their long friendship and Holden has to deal with Alyssa's rich past.

The Good: This is a very well done movie. Kevin Smith is well known for his creative dialog and clever direction in all of his movies, this is no exception. The actors performances, especially those of Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Joey Lauren Adams, and Dwight Ewell, is exceptional. You won't find better direction for this kind of movie. I normally don't like love stories but this is one of those rare exceptions.

The Bad: Nothing really bad about this movie but its not for everyone. First off, the movie deals with some really touchy subject matter. Its also one of the most profane movies I've seen. If you are offended of either one of these subjects, I wouldn't recommend it.

Overall: Chasing Amy is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I give it a 10/10!

Director Kevin Smith takes his New Jersey films to the next level, if only marginally. Making good use of it's cast as it tells a unique story line and cleaver characters with the expected witty dialogue. While still a comedy, it delves into some alternative lifestyle situations that some people have never even HEARD of. It will make you think, make you laugh, and if you've ever lost a love, it will make you cry!

Chasing Amy is again a look into some strange people's lives. This movie strays a bit from the style of Kevin Smith's first two movies, in that the story seems to play a more important role in the movie. In the past the story was almost irrelevant to the hilariously entertaining dialogue. Not that this dialogue is not strange and entertaining as well, but the story does seem to dominate more. Although I enjoyed Clerks the most, I enjoyed this movie as well. Don't you love how Brian O'Halloran from Clerks (Dante) keeps popping up in all of Kevin Smith's movies!?

It's hard for me to remain objective about this movie. Kevin Smith has his legion of followers, and the why of it is inexplicable. His direction is largely of the point-and-shoot variety which some do well but he does not; his occasionally-good dialogue indicates that he is much smarter than he allows his movies to be; the acting all seems to be winking at the audience in a manner of pseudo hip self-congratulation. Lots of talking is done about emotions we're supposed to be seeing rather than emotions actually emoted. (For instance, Holden and Banky, we're told, have been friends for ages -- a companionship Banky says they've been "building;" I never believed there was any depth beyond an actor-fake repartee -- Smith and Lee were entirely unconvincing as soul mates.)

So there were a few chuckles and now and again a nicely turned phrase or thought. But mainly I found myself angry that this filmmaker is fashionable and admired. I'm angry that this attitude -- being intelligent but uncommitted to that intelligence; instead, glibness rules -- is popular, considered desirable and hip. Yep, I'm upset because I write rings around this guy but can't land a deal. There you go. Which makes my criticism no less valid.

Rating: 6 out of 10. Objectively.

Sometimes a micro-budget, tiny romantic comedy can be suddenly miles ahead of the biggest ones. Chasing Amy is one of those little ones, a romantic comedy-drama that contains some deep insight on how people look at sexual preferences. The plot: Holden Mcneil (Ben Affleck) and Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) find their friendship spiraling downwards when Holden falls in love with lesbian Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams). This is the third film directed by Kevin Smith and so far his most dramatic one. Although it is a comedy, it contains scenes that are so real and so powerful that they will leave the viewer (in this case, me) stunned. This movie contains what I think is possibly Ben Affleck's best performance in his entire career. There are scenes where he seems to just flow naturally. Another best-performance-of-their-career in this film is Jason Lee who flawlessly shifts from hilariously funny to seriously dramatic. And, last but not least, Joey Lauren Adams is fabulous as Alyssa Jones, the hurricane that Holden and Banky are swept up in. These three people appeared in Mallrats, but their roles were did not have much depth (although Lee completely stole the show from the star). Here, though, all three of them get to broaden their acting range and make their characters three-dimensional and completely believable under the excellent directing talent of Kevin Smith. After the failure of the higher-budgeted Mallrats, Smith decided to make a film closer to him. This film balances comedy and drama perfectly; some high points of drama here includes a scene where Holden confesses his love to Alyssa in a car and a scene during and after a hockey game. The comedy includes the hilarious Lee with his witty, unmatchable dialogue delivery and a scene with Jay and Silent Bob which is, although their shortest appearance in a View Askew movie, one of their funniest. The dialogue here is, like all Smith's movies, laugh-out-loud-funny (Intergalactic Civil War?) to subtly weird (In one scene, Alyssa Jones mentions that she once had a relationship with Gwen Turner, who she, uh, kind of played in Mallrats). This movie, in a way, is a step down from Mallrats and a step up from Mallrats. It also paves the way for the just-as-good Dogma. Just keep 'em coming, Smith. Keep 'em coming.

Chasing Amy is the third, and arguably weakest, of Kevin Smith's series of 'Askewniverse' movies, and is quite a departure from his first two offerings, Clerks & Mallrats. The trademark snappy wit and dialogue is still there, as are the buddy in-joking and the obligatory appearance of Jay & Silent Bob, but the more serious subject matter makes this a more personal film for Smith. When Holden (Affleck) falls for lesbian Alyssa (Adams), his relationship, both with her and with his best friend Banky (Lee) change irrevocably. Falling somewhere in between drama and comedy, but never quite reaching either, the story is a good one, but you can't help but feel it would've received better treatment in the hands of a more accomplished film-maker, perhaps someone who doesn't just cast his friends in the lead roles, although the three leads all deliver satisfactory performances. The dialogue often feels a little forced and produces some uncomfortable scenes, and as a result, when things go belly up for the characters, it's hard to feel any sympathy for anyone but Banky. There are some truly funny moments, usually courtesy of Jason Lee and this is an enjoyable enough movie, but the story kind of just fizzles out and may leave you feeling a little jipped.

A ridiculous movie. The dialogue is incredibly forced, the acting (even from the capable Affleck) is very bad and the story is so silly it's insulting.

Ok, Affleck plays a Comic book artist who falls in love with another artist who - oh by the way - happens to be a lesbian. (with a horrible whiney voice) She eventually falls for Affleck, and they proceed to a happy affair, until Affleck discovers some disturbing history on her high school sex life. Really, after all the gusto and zest with which Afflecks character pursued this girl, he's going to turn on her just like that? ...and Affleck's sexual proposal at the end is pointless and crude.

The formula is tired Kevin. Get out of the cracks and try to make a good movie again.