The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

I've been accused of losing my passion for films as of late. There is a grain of truth to that, as it seems really excellent movies that came in abundance in the 1990s have started to dry up. Once in a awhile, a sleeper comes around (Eternal Sunshine comes to mind) but for the most part, when I like a movie it's a "good but not great" flick. Maybe something I'd watch again once or twice, but may not add to my DVD collection.

One film that stuck with me instantly was 1997's Chasing Amy. My close friend Alex was responsible for the FAQ of director Kevin Smith's Viewaskew website, his production company. When Chasing Amy was finished, Kevin Smith was kind enough to invite his fans to an advance screening in his home of Red Bank, New Jersey, absolutely free of charge and Alex was invited. He asked if I would like to go with him, and also invited our mutual friend Steve, someone I've know since I was 4 and a fellow videostore employee. We also picked up some dude in Kingston nicknamed Hawk who posted regularly on the Viewaskew messageboard on the way there. It was the perfect geek road trip: We got to see a movie we have been talking about for some time before anyone else, and a chance to meet a director whose life we'd like to emulate (make a movie on our own, become famous, etc.).

After the success of Clerks and the lackluster response to his follow-up Mallrats, Kevin Smith decided to make a movie more personal to him. I find when directors' touch bass with things they are familiar with or lived through, that's when their best work comes out. Chasing Amy, after its release, was thought of as the completion of the "New Jersey Trilogy" as all three films were based in his hometown. (It wasn't, as he'd felt the need to go back with Dogma and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back and he's also doing Clerks 2, which is one reason I feel Kevin Smith's career hasn't gone anywhere in some time). The story is about Holden, played with much heart by Ben Affleck (yeah, when he was good), and how he meets and falls in love with a lesbian, Alyssa, portrayed by Joey Lauren Adams who would get a Golden Globe nomination for this role. His best friend Banky (Jason Lee) finds out some very interesting things about Alyssa, particularly the reason why she was nicknamed "Fingercuffs" back when she was in high school. Holden has to make a decision about Alyssa, essentially if their relationship will continue or come to an abrupt end. Kevin Smith was actually dating Joey Lauren Adams around this time, and he admitted that dealing with her past was something that was difficult for him; Chasing Amy was sort of his way of helping himself deal with it.

The bombshell that Alyssa decides not to go for a girl but instead for Holden, isn't really the point. Most would argue there is absolutely no way a lesbian would drop their sexual preference at the drop of a hat simply because it was Ben Affleck who offered himself to them. I can see their argument, but I don't dwell on it. It could be said Alyssa simply did not discriminate where her love came from. As long as the love was there between herself and her partner, she'd be a part of it. She could be monogamous, faithful, etc. but it could be with a man or a woman. I don't think there was any malicious intent by Kevin Smith on this point.

The main reason why I like this film so much is that I can identify with Holden. There have been a couple of times when dealing with the "history" of an individual I've been with it has been quite unnerving for me. It's hard to say exactly why I felt this way, but it seems to have an underlying theme: insecurity. Is it because I came across as lacking experience? Is it because I think she's more likely to be unfaithful? Is it because I would want sex to be considered special & intimate, but she wouldn't? Would she see me as anything special, at all? The answers were not there for me, just like they aren't there for Holden. Holden has to do some soul searching, and the bottom line is acceptance and trust. Can he accept her past: he does not have to like it, but can he accept that individuals do things he may find morally questionable but now they are at the same "level" and are now looking for the same things? Can Holden trust Alyssa when she says, "All that matters is that we found each other", that she means it? Even though it is just a movie, when we are on the outside looking in, we can see Alyssa's feelings are genuine. It isn't so easy for Holden though. At the same time, I do think Alyssa did come across as a little bit unsympathetic when Holden confronts her with her past. Sure, the manner in which he did it wasn't the best way, but Alyssa almost had a "Too bad, so sad" ring in her response which may have pushed Holden's character on the wrong side of the fence. Perhaps their relationship would have gone elsewhere had they been more calm and could think things through more thoroughly, but when emotions are running high, it can be hard to do so.

The movie does have somewhat vulgar humour and dirty jokes, but I laughed at most of them and it keeps the movie's pace at a nice tempo. If you saw the movie and just didn't get what Holden's problem was, obviously this move wouldn't touch you as much as it did for me. But if you look at it from anytime you were in a relationship, and were faced with a difficult decision that would make it or break it, Chasing Amy should reach out to you, too.