Chasing Amy

Synopsis:
Kevin Smith's third film was critically acclaimed for its adroitness in balancing complex, adult sexual issues with jokes about bodily functions. The two Garden State guys this time around are Holden (Ben Affleck) and Banky (Jason Lee). At a comic book convention, the co-creators of "Bluntman and Chronic" meet Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a New Jersey native who draws a comic entitled "Idiosyncratic Routine." Holden thinks they click, but proceeds to discover that Alyssa is a lesbian--then manages to convince her to take a chance on him anyway. The real conflict comes when Holden gets hung up on Alyssa's checkered sexual past. What's more, Banky mounts an anti-Alyssa campaign whose intensity and bile Holden can't understand. The script came out of Smith's real-life relationship with Adams, and represents a flowering of the themes of friendship and sexual jealousy which the director first explored in CLERKS. Smith fans can rest assured, however, that STAR WARS is discussed (this time as a racist allegory) and that Jay and Silent Bob do appear to dispense relationship wisdom (and collect royalties for their comic book likenesses).

Notes:
The film was shot on location in Red Bank, New Jersey, and New York City. Kevin Smith called CHASING AMY the final installment in his "guys hanging out" trilogy (following CLERKS and MALLRATS), and connections among the films abound. All take place in the three towns of Red Bank, Highlands, and Leonardo, New Jersey. The character Alyssa Jones is the sister of CLERKS's Heather Jones and MALLRATS's Tricia Jones. Alyssa, Heather, and Gwen from MALLRATS (also played by Adams) have all slept with the character Rick Derris. The comics artwork in the film was done by Mike Allred (creator of the comic book MADMAN), Laura Allred, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Kirk Van Wormer. The character names Holden and Banky come from J.D. Salinger's novel THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. The name Hooper is a reference to a character in JAWS; the scene in which Banky and Alyssa compare scars is also a JAWS reference. (JAWS is Smith's favorite film.) In the diner scene, Jay (Jason Mewes) has two tickets to the Midwest in his shirt pocket. He and Silent Bob are on their way there for Smith's next film DOGMA. The DVD edition of the film contains additional footage.

Reviews:
"...A riotous, ferociously smart love story....[Adams has] four dimensions and a mouth big enough to prove it..." - 12/01/1998 Movieline's Hollywood Life, p.95

"...This is Smith's most provocative outing yet and certainly the toughest to forget..." - 04/11/1997 USA Today, p.4D

"...The film's great strength is its screenplay, which approaches its actors with moving emotional honesty..." - 03/01/1997 Film Comment, p.55

"...Still showing his touch for garrulous, hair-splitting conversation, Mr. Smith engages his characters in a bright spirited demonstration of just how difficult modern love can be..." - 04/04/1997 New York Times, p.C3

"...A little movie with big truths, a work of such fierce intelligence and emotional honesty that it blows away the competition when it comes to contemporary romantic comedy..." - 04/11/1997 Los Angeles Times, p.F12

"...A touching, funny love story..." - 09/01/2000 Total Film, p.102