Rating: Summary: very good Review: I agree with most, this is a very personal look at what could possibly be from Kevin Smith's past. There's no need to write a huge novel on how good this film is. But I will say that in it, Kevin Smith (as Silent Bob) speaks more than he ever has in his films and in this one Jay and Bob are barely in it. His words this time speak very well for themselves. In fact you find out why its called Chasing Amy. And that is why I believe it is an account from his past. very good film. It looses one star because of the ending. I didn't enjoy the ending very much. but overall its a good film
Rating: Summary: One of the best films out there Review: Watching this movie changed my view of what love is all about. These characters get under your skin and in your head. I think that we can all learn a lot about what love is and what it means by watching their relationship develope. Adams and Afleck are both lovable and funny. The other characters are wonderfully written and one of a kind. This film shows the viewer how simple love could be if we would just allow ourselves to and be loved in return.
Rating: Summary: Awkwardly profound Review: I was told to watch Chasing Amy because it was a profound tale that would teach me something about relationships. On first viewing, i saw nothing that could teach me a thing.However, if you take the time to watch it once more, the true brilliance of this film becomes apparant. I have a real problem with any review that rates this film as 'despicable'. Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards (the finest comic creation since Homer Simpson) both work on comic book 'Bluntman and Chronic', characters based on Jay and Silent Bob. Holden draws, Banky inks. Their friendship is initially uncomplicated, and it stays this way until Alyssa comes on scene, and Holden starts to fall in love with her. Unfortunately, she's a lesbian, and this brings about a lot of tussling over love and friendship between the three characters. For starters, it's not a film about a guy falling in love with a lesbian, or even a bi-sexual. It's about a guy falling in love with a girl, but not being able to accept that she has a past, a sexual past, the details of which are pretty unimportant. Alyssa's lesbianism purely serves as the initial boundary between her and Holden, and the one from which all Holden's hang-ups about her start. Seeing Holden try to deal with this is intriguing enough, and seeing Banky deal with Holden during this time is equally as involving. It's about what it means to be a friend, what it means to have a relationship - what it means to be around other people who aren't like you. It's about dealing with the lives of others, getting over your own hang-ups, and taking people for what they are. Sure, they swear - big deal. People swear, and the people in this film have more than enough reason to at many points during the film. Smith handles this expertly, making the profanities funny rather than blunt - the expletives become so extreme you laugh, because you realise any true meaning to the words was lost minutes ago. Unusually telling, for a Kevin Smith film. Chasing Amy is moving, profound, and incredibly funny at heart. Banky alone has more comic lines than are necessary - and the film is all the better for it. And if you get the DVD, watch out for the deleted scene with Banky being schooled by Holden at an ice-hockey videogame. Banky: Your mother's a tracer!
Rating: Summary: despicable Review: This movie, like Smith's latest effort, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, is an exercise in how to make the most grotesque film possible. This movie isn't disturbing because of its endlessly repetitively vulgar humor and language; no that would be the ignorant way to approach this film. Rather, it's disturbing to see something so devoid of artistry stretched over a span of time; it's like staring at a stick figure for 2 hours. On top of that, the obscenity just rubs your face in its artlessness. Inconsistent, sloppy, visually static, unfunny, and filled with lies about relationships, Chasing Amy achieves what few films can do; fail on every level possible... Believe it or not, when I first saw this movie I liked it- I felt compelled to buy it, though I rented it first, just to make sure it had repeat value. Whatever initial charm this film had wore off immediately the 2nd time. The jokes are infantile with only Hooper X's lines carrying any punch. The visual staticity of Kevin Smith's camera becomes more monotone and annoying. And finally, the limited range of the actors, especially Affleck and Adams is exposed. Chasing Amy is about a man named Holden (Ben Affleck) who writes comic books for a living with his partner Banky (Jason Lee). One day, during a comic book convention, he meets Alyssa and sparks fly. Too bad she has idenitified herself as a lesbian. Yet sparks fly on her end too, and soon the two are in bed, making love, despite her "lesbianism." I put that word in quotation marks, because if she were actually a lesbian, she wouldn't be able to enjoy sex with men under any circumstances. Holden believes he "changed" her with his mere sexual existence. This is undeniably offensive material to stomach, yet I refuse to call the movie itself offensive because of its stance on the issue. If someone were to make a film with the exact same viewpoint and it conveyed its message artfully and with thought, I would very much appreciate that artist's efforts even if I disagreed with the specific viewpoint. But Smith doesn't communicate his theme or message with any punch or intelligence, nor does he even know what his subject is about in the first place. In fact, Chasing Amy is not about a man who falls in love with a lesbian. No that was the premise they gave you on the back of the video box. Chasing Amy is about a man who falls in love with a bisexual; doesn't let that affect their relationship (yeah right) and instead is distraught by the fact that she had sex with many different people in high school. So this movie, in actuality, isn't about the complexities about sexuality; it's about an immature young man who must deal with the fact that his lover was a sleazebag in high school. Wow. That's adult, that's profound. Yet, like I said, this film lacks in the execution and focus. As many know, all of Smith's humor is generated from dialogue. And the dialogue on this film is pretentious, unrealistic, yet at the same time, lacking a certain zing that QT and Mamet pull off. At the same time, many of Smith's fans just like his movies, think they're funny, and don't see them as pieces to ponder over. Which would be fine, once again, if the film were funny or even delighted in its own stupidity. A self-conscious pseudo-intellectual tone persists. The humor is related to sex and will stir a chuckle or too, but never rises to true wit or intelligence. At the end of the film, this movie numbed me. I couldn't be happier I didn't shell out the money to pay for this DVD, because it would have literally been 25 dollars down the drain. Kevin Smith, you are indeed the most incompetent filmmaker working today.
Rating: Summary: highly watchable Review: the character centric led romantic comedic storyline, keeps this movie moving a long at a satisfying pace. Theres a lot of nice touches and observations, the self referential Jay and silent Bob, is quite an idea, having his own characters frojm earlier movies being the basis of the comix drawn by the leads. the only down side is the nasal wining of Joey Lauren Adams. Overall a highly watchable symapthetic look at realtionships between lovers and friends
Rating: Summary: Smith's Best Review: Any real movie fan can see that this is Kevin Smith's best film to date. And its not by a close margin. Although I have liked all of Smith's other films you can't help but just laugh at them. There is no real story to any of them like there is here. It has its funny moments, its sad moments, and its romantic moments. Nothing Smith has done can marvel what you will get out of this film. Contrary to what some others("a viewer") say, this is THE Smith film to watch. If you have watched any of his others and don't find him funny, watch this movie for the story.
Rating: Summary: Chasing Amy Review: Insightful movie that delves into the idiosyncrasies of relationships.
Rating: Summary: Kevin Smith¿s Most Dramatic Film Review: After watching Mallrats and laughing a lot, I began to realize how ridiculous the whole story was and how the dialogue was very outlandish. I liked the film a lot, but when Chasing Amy came along, I immediately thought it was much better than Mallrats. Since Mallrats was backed by a major studio and bombed at the box office, Kevin Smith went back to his roots of low budget filmmaking, and he does not disappoint. Chasing Amy has a lot of amazingly funny dialogue, but it seems more real than it did in Mallrats. We of course get the gratuitous Star Wars and comic book humor as can be found in any Kevin Smith movie. The story though is very much different than any Kevin Smith movie and it helped him finally get some respect from the critics who've panned him for years. The acting seems much more solid in this movie than in any of Kevin Smith's movies in my opinion. I was not a fan of Dogma or Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back because I think Kevin Smith works best when on a low budget. Chasing Amy doesn't try to appeal to a larger audience the way Smith's big budget movies do, thereby making it feel very genuine. See Chasing Amy before making judgment on Kevin Smith's movies, you may be surprised.
Rating: Summary: Part Three In A Five Part, Five Star Trilogy (YEAH!!!) Review: When I first discovered Kevin Smith it was the year before "Chasing Amy" was released in the theaters. I worked as a video store clerk at Blockbuster and I was the graveyard clerk at the local AM/PM. I saw "Clerks" and was Hooked. I took my sis to see this movie opening night at the local art theater and went to see it every night thereafter. This may not be Kev's masterpiece (for that you have to check out "Dogma"), it is, in my opinon, his second best film. It made a cult star out of Ben Affleck and exposed us, yet again, to the hilarious antics of the great Jason Lee. If you call yourself a "Jersey Trilogy" fan and haven't seen this film, may you die a horrible, painful death. If you're looking for a good date film or you just want to laugh till you choke from the lack of oxygen you should check out this awsome third film by, "The Man" Kevin Smith and his band of clowns.
Rating: Summary: So Not Funny Review: Clerks was the only Kevin Smith movie that really had me laughing, and I appreciated it, having experienced being a clerk and all. However, this movie was just dull. There were a few funny parts, like the whole "tracer" scene, however, it wasn't worth watching, and I rented the movie for free!!! However, Dogma was just as bad, so it does have company. I have to agree with the customer who suggests you buy Clerks instead.
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