Chasing Amy (1997)

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Chasing Amy (1997)

Could be a quasi-classic

It's no secret that I'm not the biggest admirer of Kevin Smith. I've made it no secret because, first of all, nobody cares (I keep forgetting--a Gene Siskel I am not), and second of all, even though the entire college public seems enamored with any kind of story that establishes a history of its own, enough of us still believe that a sequel, however complex, must stand as an independent work nonetheless. Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back failed miserably at this, and it would have made my Top Ten Worst Movies of 2001, if I'd had the creativity to make such a list.

However, I have to give credit where credit is due. And Chasing Amy demands such a payment.

It's not because of the premise (young man falls in love with young lesbian)--that's been done more often that we seem to realize, though nobody seems to realize. It's as if the moviegoing public won't remember any ménage-à-trois unless there's a graphic sex scene to accompany it.

Neither is it because of the references to past movies (pedestrian Star Wars debates, oh my! how clever!), and it is definitely not because of any superior acting performances. Ben Affleck is cumbersome as unrequited lover Holden McNeil--when trying to show happiness at getting a date with lesbian Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), Affleck pulls off a gag-inspiring dance that looks like an electroshock victim trying to do the Macarena (this is supposed to be improvisation--yeesh). Jason Lee, who can really act, dammit, is stilted and awkward as Holden's homophobic buddy Banky. Joey Lauren Adams is nearly putrid in her role as sometime lesbian Alyssa (I can never tell the difference in her acting between when she's mad and when she's happy, tears notwithstanding), and even the brevity of Jay and Silent Bob's scene can't get eclipse the fact that the whole routine was getting old even only three years after its conception.

Nope, there's really not one particular aspect of the film I can identify as a specific plus. Chasing Amy is one of those mystical enigmas of the celluloid universe, a film that actually is more than the sum of its parts. Smith weaves these characters' personal history seamlessly with the progression of events that lead to Holden and Alyssa first becoming friends, then becoming lovers, and then becoming something that could endanger Holden's friendship with Banky. By the time the movie reaches its climax (pun definitely intended, and you'll see why when you see it), you can pretty much tell what's going to happen, but you still want to see it, and that is a mark of Smith's skill as a storyteller. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do without the benefits of any "in jokes."

-Long