Included in Lists:
Criterion Collection - #75
Strong Performances - Joey Lauren Adams
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Essentials -#78

Review In A Nutshell:

I was certainly not prepared for what Kevin Smith had to offer for Chasing Amy. I came into this film only with my preconceived feelings towards the director, Kevin Smith, from the previous films that I have seen from him; Mallrats, Jersey Girl and Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I knew very little of the plot before coming into this as I had almost complete trust in Kevin Smith and I had this idea that all of his films aside from Jersey Girl, carry the same tone and humour. It was abundantly clear right when the film's complication hits, that Chasing Amy was going to be different.

I believe, at least from what I have seen that Chasing Amy is Smith's most socially thought provoking but also his most endearing film. I have seen his work on Jersey Girl, and though that film does provide more sentimentality, I never felt it was his most endearing. Chasing Amy earns it through its unadulterated and justified emotions. Characters in this film make decisions that would seem to far-fetched, but since Smith allows these individuals to actually contemplate on their decision, pitting side by side logic and instinct, the audience is never felt cheated or manipulated. Chasing Amy is a simple enough film that it is easy to pick up on the larger themes that Smith was trying to explore, while also following the complex emotions that Smith draws up on its romance. The film eventually reaches to a conclusion that I personally felt was appropriate to the characters, leaving me with a melancholy feeling that may completely change subsequent experiences with the film.

When coming into a Kevin Smith film, it is justified, given the nature of his stories and his relaxed satirical direction, for me to not expect anything outstanding from the performance of his cast. Chasing Amy was a powerhouse of a film in regards to its acting; Joey Lauren Adams killed it as Alyssa Jones. Adams plays this role that is conflicted with experiences of her past and shaped by a world that is different from Ben Affleck's character, Holden McNeill, while still coming out of it as the sympathetic character, even though it is Holden that the film primarily follows. Though Ben Affleck gave a strong performance in this film, he was always overshadowed by the intensity of Adams' delivery and I feel bad that she did not gain the accolades that the performance clearly deserved. Hopefully as the audience for this film grows, so will her praise. Do I really need to talk about the rest of the cast?

Chasing Amy effectively delivers through an emotionally layered and impacting performance by Joey Lauren Adams, and Kevin Smith's authentic view on the social ideas behind love, sexuality and genders. This is by far, Kevin Smith's best work; though I am hopeful for Clerks, I doubt it could surpass the ambition and impact that this Chasing Amy was able to supply.