Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection

Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection

Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection
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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dwight Ewell, Joey Lauren Adams, Matt Damon
Brand: AFFLECK,BEN
Primary Contributor: Joey Lauren Adams
Primary Contributor: Ben Affleck
DVD: 2 Layers, Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled)
Format: Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 113 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2000-06-13
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax

Movie Reviews of Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection

Movie Review: A much smarter approach to the world of relationships than I expected...
Summary: 5 Stars

Much smarter than I thought it would be, `Chasing Amy' truly has a lot going for it; not the least of which happens to be its attractive star couple. The film is no where near the low-brow comedy it could have been, but it actually transcends its very own abrasive subject to tap into something very substantial and very honest about human relationships, whether it be male/female, male/male or female/female.

`Chasing Amy' is actually a really good movie.

Holden and Banky are comic book artists. At a convention they happen to run into Alyssa Jones, a fellow comic book artist who happens to catch Holden's eye. Convinced they shared a moment and that she is in love with him, Holden pursues Alyssa only to uncover that she is playing for the `other team'. Despite slim chances that they would ever `hook up', Holden and Alyssa become great friends and soon fall in love. Their new relationship proves to be a difficult transition for the two of them, surprisingly more difficult for Holden than he expected. As he starts hearing twisted stories from her past, of her past relationships and past `experiences' he begins to feel as if maybe, just maybe, this relationship won't work.

And soon he finds himself `chasing Amy'.

While the film follows a similar romantic comedy formula (boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy gets with girl, boy loses girl) it has a few aces up its sleeve that make it a little more than that.

First of all, the performances for the most part are really good, at times even superb. Joey Lauren Adams is a complete revelation as Alyssa, a gem of an actress who is so charming and so sincere and so genuine. I'm ashamed that she didn't receive an Oscar nomination for this, but then again this is the type of film and or performances that rarely gets more than a Golden Globe nomination (which she did receive). Ben Affleck works some of the time, but at times the films dialog can trip him up. When he's not being witty he loses himself in the syrupy parts of the film. Jason Lee is playing the same character he plays quite often, but he's hysterical so why complain. I also thought that Dwight Ewell was very, very funny here.

Second, the film is much smarter than one would generally think. Yes, the film has some frank dialog that can come off as rather offensive, but it is not without purpose. This is a serious and smart look at relationships from the young adult perspective. There is lots of language and lots of off-color references, but none of it seems out of place because this is the audience it is reaching for. It all seems very, very real. The insight into love is remarkably handled here, especially when the subject of virginity is broached. There is a tenderness that permeates the conversation despite the blunt way of speaking.

The film has a few issues with the script, or should I say some of the dialog, but it's minor. Like I said, Affleck tends to get tripped up when he's trying to be sincere, but those moments are not predominant enough to really take away from the film. Adams is usually there moving him along and keeping us entirely devoted to her.

She keeps us `chasing Alyssa'.

Summary of Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection

Chasing Amy is the third installment in the "New Jersey Trilogy" from award-winning writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma). Cult comic-book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), only to be thwarted by her sexuality, the disdain of his best friend Banky (Jason Lee), and his own misgivings about himself. Filled with Smith's unique ear for dialogue and insight into relationships, Chasing Amy offers a thoughtful, funny look at how perceptions alter lives, and how obsession and self-doubt skew reality.
Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh

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