Chasing Amy (1997)

Directed by Kevin Smith. Starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, Dwight Ewell, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Ethan Suplee, Scott Mosier, Casey Affleck. [R]

Funny and foul-mouthed romantic comedy (or does it qualify as an anti-romantic comedy?), almost uncomfortably honest and sneakily touching, with Affleck as an independent comic book artist who is instantly attracted to a fellow artist (Adams) he meets, and remains undeterred even after learning that she identifies as a lesbian, choosing to pursue her against common sense and the irate admonitions of his best friend (Lee). Filled with Smith’s usual loquacious parade of self-conscious irony, raunchy jokes, and pop culture references, but goes far deeper than that with the characters and their relationships, observing the ruthless chaos that comes from romantic attachment and sexual authority. Adams is a breath of fresh air, Lee has never been better, and Affleck cannily plays his character precisely as written: a misguided fool with stunted maturity at the mercy of his irrational heart, making the sort of relentless bad decisions that deserve equal parts outrage and sympathy. Takes an unsophisticated view on sexual fluidity (it seems pretty clear that Adams’ character is bisexual, and not needing to be “converted”), but a more cautious and politically-correct approach would have spoiled the raw reality of these specific people. Each of the main actors, as well as Ewell (hilariously playing a pseudo-militant black artist who is also gay), reprise their roles in cameos in future “Askewniverse” movies; Matt Damon has a bit part, and Mewes and Smith (of course) appear as Jay and Silent Bob in one extended scene.

87/100