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Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection Customer Reviews (13 - 15 of 77 Reviews)

Not what you may think
I'm somewhat surprised how many reviewers are missing, what I think is the entire point of this movie. It isn't about being gay -- that's a tricky sub plot to keep you off base before Smith lowers the bomb. This movie dares to ask the politically incorrect question; "How much of a womans past sexual experiences are acceptable." This is the subject matter than Hollywood, and most of the general public hate to address because it forces the viewer to ask a question (of themselves) that he or she would rather ignore. and that's the reason why this film failed. But on a cultural and artistic basis it's a bold and profound statement.

A Relationship Movie Young People Should See
There is a misconception out in movie land that Chasing Amy is about a guy who falls for a lesbian. That type of summation while in some ways correct actually does a great disservice to the movie by distracting people from its most impressive accomplishments.

In Chasing Amy, Kevin Smith has created a modern day love story that accepts certain realities. One of them is not everyone knows exactly what they are in terms of their sexuality and some people choose to explore that great unknown while many choose to hide from it for what it may reveal.

In Holden and Banky, Smith creates two "straight" male characters who have formed a strong friendship that sees them live, work and essentially spend their lives together. Holden seems like a confidently straight male, which allows him to blend easily with gay friends. Banky, however, is revealed to be straight possibly because of how he was raised as his character raises a little too much of a fuss by Holden's new relationship with Alyssa Jones. Previous to her relationship with Holden, Alyssa lived as a lesbian, but as the story moves forward we realize that she is really someone just open with her sexuality that found the lifestyle that worked for her through a courageous journey of self-discovery. She is a new type of personality that film has not embraced as wholly as Smith does here. Chasing Amy does not judge the Alyssa character; instead it takes her sexual past and lifts her to a higher level of maturity and self-awareness that leaves both Banky and Holden in awe. As their personal lifestyles seem limited compared to what Alyssa has allowed herself to become.

As the story reveals itself you learn that the lesbian angle is really just the icing on the cake and that at the core of Chasing Amy lies a story about two men whose friendship goes down the tubes when confronted with an outside element that challenges their previous perceptions of themselves. As a result, Chasing Amy challenges its viewers idea of romantic relationships as titles such as "gay" or "straight" eventually lose their importance in a movie about three people trying to deal with their feelings for others.

Ben Affleck has yet to accomplish what he does in Chasing Amy again in his career, as he plays Holden with a laid back charm that does not hint at the now over exposed A-list actor he is. Joey Lauren Adams plays Alyssa Jones as someone who wears her past proudly, but not ridiculously over-the-top, making her completely believable as a love interest for Holden. But the real star turn is Jason Lee as he allows Banky to be the jerk the story needs while allowing the character's insecurities be made plainly visible, making him less of an idiot and more like someone just being honest about who he is.

The end result is a movie which all young people dealing with their own personal lifestyle decisions, in my opinion, should watch as the road Holden chooses to go down at the end of the movie reveals just how much his seemingly enlightened character has in common with Banky. The revelation that some people may not be as open and evolved as they think is the real accomplishment of Chasing Amy.


Kevin Smith's take on homosexuality
This is one of the most brilliant romantic films I've ever seen. The film is about this comic book artist, played by Ben Affleck, that falls in love with a lesbian comic book artist. Throughout the film, Holden (Affleck's character) tries to win the girl over. Unfortunately, he soon finds himself questioning his relationship with her and her past. However, when he finds out that none of this matters to him because he really loves her, he ends up making a huge mistake that he'll never forget. The only real flaw in this film is that Ben Affleck over-acts in some of the more relevant scenes, but it doesn't ruin the film. Overall, if you really want to see a modern and realistic love story, then see "Chasing Amy."

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