From the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, It's Retro Nerd Girl with a film review for you.
Today I'll be reviewing the movie Chasing Amy released in 1997.
Starring:
Ben Affleck, Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams.
Directed by:
Kevin Smith.
Genre:
Drama, Romance, Comedy
Rating:
R
Budget:
$250,000 (estimated)
IMDb Rating is currently:
7.4
My Rating:
8
The Synopsis is:
A comic book artist falls in love and finds many surprises about his lover and himself along the way.
Enjoyment:
This really isn't my kind of movie. In fact when it came out, I avoided it and saw it for the first time yesterday. And I have to say, it's good.
I really enjoyed it. I found myself engaged and it leaves you thinking days after you've watched it. It's a smart very film.
*WARNING: FROM THIS POINT FORWARD THERE MAY BE SPOILERS!*
Pacing:
With an 1 hour, 53 minutes we are pushing up on 2 hours and it's a little much for me.
Story:
This is a romantic comedy with a lot of unconventional spice and juicy topics to continue long after the movie's over. They go into many tropes about homophobia, sexual expectations, idiosyncrasies, communication, and stereotypes between men and women.
First we have Holden who is a comic book creator he and his best friend since highschool, Banky put out a successful comic book called Blunnt Man and Cronic together. At a convention Holden meets Alyssa and they immediately have a connection to one another, both being comic book creators and they both come from the same town in New Jersey.
Holden discovers that Alyssa is a lesbian and you would think that the story ends there. It doesn't and it get a little interesting as Banky who is afraid of losing his bestie, finds out some dirt about Alyssa's past.
We get the title Chasing Amy from a story about a young man in the film, that falls in love with a girl named Amy but he screws it up with his insecurity. They break up and he spends his whole life chasing his memories. It is also referred to again in a comic book.
Challenge:
There really wasn't much of a challenge except for Holden's internal struggle. Sometimes it was compelling and sometimes I just wanted to reach into the screen and hit him.
If anyone could be the villain in the story I guess you could say it could have been perceived as Banky, who is trying to save his relationship with Holden. He creates tension, but it's coming from a place of love. He's always looking out for his boy.
He is skeptical about Alyssa and even though he's negative about their relationship, he's not entirely wrong.
Empathy:
Not much. I was indifferent to Holden. This is not a bad thing because, Holden is the audience's avatar. We are experiencing the story through his journey.
Technical:
There were a few things I felt would have never occurred in real life, or if so, very unlikely. The dialogue was very good though, when it came to scenes where just two people were relating to one another. Those scenes were great.
Some of the self-depreciating or friend depreciating banter, didn't work for me and could have been easily cut out. However, with only 250k to make this film, WOW! What a masterpiece! I'm not kidding.
Performances:
The performances were stellar. Ben Affleck really delivers as a mixed up guy in love. Joey Lauren Adams performs her role with a delicate sincerity that elevates the film. Lot's of good young actors in this film.
Best:
When Holden discovers Alyssa is gay. His mouth drops and its pretty funny. There is also a great scene involving Jay and Silent Bob. I won't ruin it for you but if you can get past the depreciating banter, it's a good scene... one of the best.
The movie also features a rare glimpse into comic cons back in the day before they became the grand extravaganzas that they are today.
The ending:
The ending was a little surprising and disappointing for me. But I can live with that. I still had a great experience watching this film.
Wish List:
I wish I liked Holden more. I didn't understand why Alyssa liked Holden. At first, I thought she was just using him to get more business. But, no, she really does like him and I just couldn't figure out why.
I could understand why someone would like Alyssa because she's cute and adorably outgoing. Holden is just there reacting to the world around him. In fact, I thought, Alyssa and Banky had more chemistry when they were sharing stories at the nightclub. I was surprised they didn't at least become friends.
What was so amazing about Holden that he became the first guy she wanted to have a relationship with? I wish that was explained or explored.
I also wished that Holden thanked Banky for always looking out for him.
I also wish that there was more emphasis on the struggles Alyssa may have to go through being a lesbian, suddenly in a straight relationship. That's a big topic I felt was glossed over that would have helped Holden notice the sacrifice she was making.
Summary:
Kevin Smith is really humble about his films but he's definitely no slouch. His films are uniquely touching and he doesn't disappoint here.
He wonderfully blends the real world with the ridiculous in a fun non-offending way. I guess, I've never felt offended.
Chasing Amy is filled with amazing monologues within the dialogue which I think has to be Kevin Smith's secret super power. It's done with honesty and charm that makes this film stand out as a little gem.
That sums up my review. I hope you liked it. This is Retro Nerd Girl signing off!
Take care movie lovers! I'm off to the next review!
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