THE AISLE SEAT - "CHASING AMY"

by Mike McGranaghan

Writer/director Kevin Smith made a name for himself in 1994 with Clerks, a rudely funny low- budget comedy about two slackers working in a New Jersey convenience store. The film made a splash at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals, and became an independent hit at the box office. Smith's next effort, 1995's Mallrats, was widely viewed as an example of the "sophomore jinx." As intentionally dumb as Clerks was smart, Mallrats was savaged by critics (I was an exception) and ignored by moviegoers. Neither of these movies prepared me for what Smith does with his third (and best) film, Chasing Amy, which is one of the most original films you'll see this year. This is a beautifully written, unexpectedly moving romantic comedy that got a standing ovation when it premiered at this year's Sundance festival. I concur with that reaction: I felt like cheering, too, after seeing it.

Chasing Amy is the story of Holden (Ben Affleck), a talented young comic book author who works with partner and best friend Banky (Jason Lee). Their comic details the exploits of two pot-smoking superheroes named "Bluntman and Chronic." Holden is the artist, Banky is the "inker" which - as one character suggests to Banky's dismay - is really just the guy who traces the artist's work with a pen. Nonetheless, their business partnership is as strong as their friendship.

They attend a comic book convention and meet Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), another artist whose comics take a romantic approach. Holden is immediately infatuated with Alyssa, not just because she's blonde and sexy, but because she's a kindred spirit. Both come from the same area of New Jersey, appreciate comic books, and have a uniquely unexpurgated view of life. It seems like a perfect match; Holden is confident that he's met the girl of his dreams. What he finds out - to his immense shock and hurt - is that Alyssa is a lesbian. Naturally, he's crushed. Banky, on the other hand, seems to find the whole scenario rather amusing.

Despite the difference in their sexual preferences, Holden and Alyssa remain friends, although he secretly pines for her. Eventually, she decides she loves him, too. It seems an unlikely relationship, but it works - at least until Holden starts asking about her sexual history, specifically the meaning behind her high school nickname, "Finger Cuffs." He doesn't like the answers he receives, a fact that leads to feelings of jealousy and resentment.

I am leaving out a lot of specific details about Chasing Amy because I don't want to spoil the movie's revelations. This is a story in which the characters act in surprising ways. They make decisions based maybe on logic, maybe on emotion. Most movie characters make decisions because the script requires them to follow a specific, pre-determined course. Smith does not play it so simply. Alyssa, Holden, and Banky each have separate sets of reason that guide their actions in ways that both surprise and delight you. To explain their choices, Smith has scripted a lot of thoughtful dialogue. For example, Alyssa's explanation of why she abandoned the gay lifestyle to be with Holden is a perfectly worded monologue about the search for a soul mate and the lengths one will go to in hope of finding one.

I really enjoyed Chasing Amy because of the depth of its characters and situations. Smith does not shy away from being introspective or poignant. In other hands, such a plot would be handled with the salaciousness of a teen sex farce. Chasing Amy, on the other hand, is a smart, engaging film that looks for emotional truths and usually finds them. The characters are allowed to make mistakes, occasionally appear unlikable, and do some much-needed soul-searching.

A first-rate cast of young actors makes the movie jump. Ben Affleck is terrific as Holden. He plays the character with an interesting combination of innocence and swagger. Holden is the kind of guy who thinks he's been around the block. When he meets somebody whose experiences far surpass his own, what he feels is inadequacy. There is a great scene in which Holden finally confesses his love for Alyssa, blurting it out in one long stream-of-consciousness speech. The moment is tense in part because Affleck perfectly captures the sense of desperation that comes with loving someone who probably does not love you back.

As Banky, Jason Lee is hilarious. Banky initially seems like an endlessly sardonic wiseguy, content to debate the homoerotic undertones of an Archie comic. Soon, though, we learn that there's more to him. He resents the attention Holden gives to Alyssa and fears what it could mean to his own relationship with Holden. In the way he goes back and forth from smart-ass to wounded soul, Lee achieves a difficult balance for his character. Banky is the kind of friend who drives you up the wall, yet is utterly unreplaceable.

As good as Affleck and Lee are, the film really belongs to Joey Lauren Adams. I have seen Adams in small roles on TV (Married...With Children) and in movies (Michael) for a long time. She usually was stuck in the role of airheaded sexpot. With Chasing Amy, the actress comes into her own, giving a performance filled with vitality. The real-life girlfriend of Kevin Smith, Adams is given several good scenes that show the range of her talents. Alyssa is a young woman of great determination and strength. She does not - as she tells Holden in one show-stopping scene - make any apologies for the choices she has made. This character is the most challenging in the film; Adams makes her funny, spirited, and charming.

The final half hour of Chasing Amy contains two pivotal moments. In one, the three main characters come together in the same room. There is a proposition, a revelation, and finally an epiphany that alters the lives of all three characters forever. In the other, Holden commiserates on his woes with the two guys who inspired his comic book: Jay and Silent Bob (played hilariously by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith), who also appeared in both Clerks and Mallrats. In the scene, Silent Bob finally opens his mouth to speak at length, explaining what exactly it means to be "chasing Amy." The explanation may be as identifyable to audiences as it is to Holden.

If I have focused on the fact that Chasing Amy has great characters and a lot of heartfelt truth, then I should take time to emphasize that the film is every bit as funny as it is honest. Smith's humor is often raw and outrageous, but it works. There are many big, big laughs here that serve to punctuate the story, rather than detract from it. By now we expect a Kevin Smith film to make us laugh. What we perhaps don't expect is to be moved by one of his stories. Many films try to explore the romantic and sexual dynamics between men and women. Few do it as provocatively, humorously, or bravely as Chasing Amy.

( out of four)