Chasing Amy . Tucson Weekly . 05-01-97

Chasing Amy

DIRECTED BY: Kevin Smith

REVIEWED: 05-01-97

Director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats) falters in his latest attempt when he tries to describe the experience of young women, a group he seems to neither respect nor like. Chasing Amy is the story of Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), an outsider who falls hard for Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a sweet but sharp-tongued comic book artist. She's also a lesbian, a fact Smith uses as a cute little obstacle to their love, which of course prevails. Though Adams is delightful as Jones, no amount of snappy dialogue can overcome the film's overt distrust of female sexuality: While Holden is somewhat fascinated with Alyssa's lesbianism, he's disgusted when he finds out she's had sex with other men. This is the point where an annoying movie becomes insufferable. Smith offers nothing new, even by way of misogynistic anxiety on the subject of female sex. Hitchcock was doing the same thing years ago, but at least he had the grace to be entertaining.

--Stacey Richter

Full Length Reviews
Chasing Amy
Chasing Amy
Chasing Amy

Other Films by Kevin Smith
Clerks
Dogma
Mallrats

Film Vault Suggested Links
Grease
Harold and Maude
Tomorrow Night

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