Review of Chasing Amy (1997) by Dylan C — 06 Sep 2012

(Special Thanks to Austin Howe for introducing me to this gem...).

Here we have a seemingly typical raunch-fest of a movie, a piece that leads you to believe in the first ten minutes that it's gonna hit lots of familiar territories (guys trying to score with some lesbians and all that good shit) in familiar fashion (save for some of Kevin Smith's snappy, irreverent dialogue). My hopes, luckily enough, were raised significantly when the film went a tad deeper into the swirling abyss of what it means to find one's sexual identity..

Then, from out of the freaking blue, comes the second act, signified by a gut-wrenching confession from Ben Affleck's character Holden (there's some Salinger subtext somewhere in there) to Joey Lauren Adams' Alyssa. It is abnormally soulful, exceedingly awkward, and yet refreshingly to the point. And then, from out of left field, is the aftermath of this monologue from Adams: a retort of unhinged confusion and anger. Immediately after this heated exchange, she leaves Affleck on the screen in rain-soaked isolation, made all the more unnerving from the fact that it is one long, handheld shot that will leave all who watch it dazed...then she comes back, sobbing, and the two embrace eachother in a manner like all other romance comedies, but with the horsepower of a heartfelt, lifted-from-reality dramatic experience.

This film pulls no punches in exploring the anatomy of a passionate relationship gone awry. The intoxicating idea of finding one's better half. The sides beset between one's partner and their close friends. The trust issues and frustration, all the more potent between two individuals whose sexual experiences are so drastically different. It's all there, a mixed drink that will not go down smoothly...exactly how it should be.

This is a slice of life that, while dark and heartbreaking, retains a thorough sens of humor and humanity that only someone as audacious and laid-back as Kevin Smith could conjure up.

An awkward watch for sure, but it's one hell of a ride when all is said and done, and I am more than glad that I took it.