I will (reluctantly) shelve all comments about Kevin Smith’s cinematic quality decline mirroring the expansion of his waistline because Chasing Amy is a high quality film. It is in fact the best film on his CV and one of only three worthwhile films he has created, the other two being Clerks and Mallrats, Red State, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Cop Out, Jersey Girl, Clerks 2, Zack & Miri make a Porno, Dogma.
Holden (Ben Affleck) and Banky (Jason Lee) are comic book creators *Ahem* Graphic Novel Artistes, whose Bluntman and Chronic is a minor sensation in a burgeoning scene.
Chasing Amy exists in the days before nerdism went mainstream, before cosplay and pretty girls wearing an obscure superhero shirt was cool.It is in these days that Holden first meets Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), herself the creator of a more dignified – and therefore worthy – comic, and an openly gay woman.
The two strike up a friendship, which after a few platonic dates grows into something more. Alyssa is ostracised by the lesbian community for selling out, and Holden is openly and acerbically mocked by lifelong friend and cohort Banky.
It seems that everyone doubts the longevity of their union.
The charm of Chasing Amy is just how mature it is as a work, especially given that Smith’s CV to this point had been a hodge-podge collection of dick jokes betwixt verbose – and plentiful – dialogue. Yet here is a work that is decidedly adult and worthy, though still with the obligatory Star Wars references and an unnecessary Jay and Silent Bob sighting. Chasing Amy tells a love story that features a contrast of innocence and experience, bravery and regret.
Gone are the yuk-yuk dick and fart jokes (for the most part), though Chasing Amy does feature a lot of sexually suggestive talk and much profanity, all delivered with ‘Ka-Pow’ soap opera timing. It is melodramatic at times and features the three lead characters taking turns at loudly blasting Smith’s signature clever and contrived dialogue at each other from close range.
And in their own home no less. And Whatnot. Thank you Sir. All that sort of shit.
Affleck and Lee prove solid actors. I can’t believe that this was Affleck’s first lead, it seems that he has been infecting our screens for far longer, and Adams proves that she has undeniable spunk in an annoying Gwen Stefani way complete with a grating shrill voice.
Chasing Amy makes you laugh a lot -and cringe nearly as much – as the Holden, Alyssa relationship veers drunkenly from one extreme to the next, leading to Holden concocting a solution to the trio’s issues that proves only how unprepared he is for the situation.
Smith peaked early as a film-maker – until he proves me wrong I will forever feel that his first four films contained his three best efforts. In his defence while he has regressed since he did manage in that time to create Clerks, Dogma and Chasing Amy, three films that threaten greatness, with all of them well worth checking out.
All three are nestled cosily in my DVD collection. Clerks is the funniest, Dogma the most ambitious and bravest, but Chasing Amy is the best.
Final Rating – 8 / 10. Who would have thought that the way to get me to buy a romantic-comedy DVD was to add a liberal lacing of dick jokes? Oh, wait, just about everyone.
