Chasing Chasing Amy review by Bobby Blakey
In 1997 writer and director Kevin Smith took audiences on a journey ahead of its time with his classic film Chasing Amy. The film brought the typical comedy, heart and drama of a Smith film with a new twist in storytelling and its subject matter direction. I loved this film when I saw it for so many reasons, but like some of Smith’s other films it came with its own controversy. Now director Sav Rodgers has set out to document the making of this film and the transformational impact of the ‘90s cult classic on a 12-year-old queer kid from Kansas, coming of age and to terms with his identity.
Chasing Chasing Amy follows filmmaker Sav Rodgers who takes a journey of self-discovery while making a documentary about Kevin Smith's' ‘Chasing Amy’' and its polarizing reputation among LGBTQ+ people. Smith’s “Chasing Amy” chronicles the impact on the long-term friendship of two New Jersey comic book artists when they are joined by a third artist, who turns out to be lesbian. The fallout includes heartbreak and jealousy. It starred Ben Affleck, Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams. It remains controversial among LGBTQ+ people.
The features exclusive interviews with figures including Kevin Smith, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, Guinevere Turner, Scott Mosier, Andrew Ahn, Robert Hawk, Princess Weekes and Academy Award-winner Kevin Willmott giving you an impressive in depth look into the film and the surrounding history of its controversy and impacts good and bad.
As a massive Kevin Smith fan, I was no doubt interested in seeing this film. I love Chasing Amy and have always felt it was one of Smith’s most underrated films and to get to see someone taking a journey into the story surrounding it intrigued me but wasn’t aware of the real direction of the film and the important journey of Rodgers. While this is no doubt diving headfirst into the
creation and making of the film there is such a bigger story here of Rodgers own passion and life as it moves forward into some interesting directions.
The film is structured as a straightforward documentary but manages to find its own voice through the revelation of how the film not only affected Rodgers as expected, but also those that were involved in it on a personal level. Sometimes we forget that a movie isn’t always just a movie and Chasing Amy is one of those. Hearing from Smith himself and star Joey Lauren Adams is a compelling story of how they perceived what it was and what it became in different ways. Adams was the most intriguing of the stories, learning of her own issues with the film, its filmmaker, connections to her life and the world of the controversial Miramax and Weinstein of the time.
Rodgers own story fights its way to the surface to make it all the more interesting in not just the impact it had, but where making the film itself takes Rodgers life. I had no doubt I would enjoy it for the subject matter alone, but leaving the film I had a whole other feeling come over me. It wasn’t some big brash film history, but the personal takes on everyone involved and with Rodgers own decisions and relationships it is something more than I think it set out to be in a great way.
This is a great film for Smith fans, but also a brave peek into someone’s life and ultimate evolution as a person and life. Decide for yourself and check out Chasing Chasing Amy now On Demand from Level 33 Entertainment.