Chasing Amy (1997)

In Chasing Amy, a largely sophomoric outing from writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats), a childish wish-fulfillment tale is played out. Holden, a young comic book artist (Ben Affleck) falls for Alyssa, a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams), who is won over by his charms. It's not quite as bad as it sounds, but Smith adds insult to injury when, after the two get together, it's apparent that no issue will be made of the obvious sexual problems. In fact, as it turns out, Alyssa's "wild" past includes secret heterosexual encounters. So is she hetero, homo, or bi? Only love matters, says Smith, not sexual orientation.

But the film is a daffy love story at best, in no small part because Holden turns out to be a world-class idiot. Alyssa is a mostly sensible character except for her inexplicable attraction to Holden, whose climactic suggestion to save their relationship can only be described as stupid. Meanwhile, Holden's sharp-tongued (and profanely funny) best friend (Jason Lee) reveals his latent homosexuality, a plot point essentially dismissed as soon as it is introduced. Amidst this thinly-drawn romantic plot, there are flashes of profane wit, especially taking advantage of Smith's "fanboy" knowledge of the comics world. The best comic touch is Dwight Ewell's very funny performance by as a gay "black power" comic book artist with a sensational flair for publicity. Smith himself appears again as Silent Bob, alongside Jason Mewes' Jay, in a scene symbolic of the film's problem with tone.

While there are funny moments, and even a couple of truly touching ones, the slapdash style of the movie (with truly uninspiring cinematography) and unlikable leading man quickly sink Chasing Amy.