Your Dating Finger Cuffs!!!! (Chasing Amy (DVD))

Member Name: Andy.mack

Product:	Chasing Amy (DVD)
Date:	04/11/09 (45 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good easy going film

Disadvantages: Affleck is good but seems to only have one or two facial expressions

Although not finding out about Kevin Smith films until I saw the superb Dogma on Sky Movies a few of years ago I felt I had been missing out so set about catching up on his earlier work. And this film was one of those earlier films and in fact is the conclusion to his Jersey trilogy, which also includes the superb Mallrats and Clerks. So when the opportunity to buy this masterpiece on DVD came about in HMV one Tuesday afternoon it was too good to pass up.

Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Bankey Edwards (Jason Lee) are comic book artists who are the brains behind the Bluntman and Chronic comical duo. Who in turn are based on Kevin Smith regulars Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith). Everything is going fine for Banky and Holden till they meet Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) another comic book artist and after a collectors conference they head for a drink and while Bankey is trying to prove he isn't gay, Holden begins to fall for Alyssa.

However the more Holden falls for Alyssa the more complicated it gets as he discovers something that shocks him. The girl of his dreams already has eyes for someone else, another woman. Holden takes this hard but Alyssa wants to be friends and as she gets to know Holden she too begins to fall for him. But as they get closer Bankey and Holden start to have problems as Bankey has discovered a lot of information about Alyssa and her "past".

You see she's told Holden that she'd never been with a man before but Bankey discovers otherwise and decides Holden should know. This ultimately causes a rift between the 2 friends as Holden believes Banky is jealous but after confronting Alyssa about it she tells him everything and suddenly Holden is faced with the prospect of no girlfriend and no best friend. Enter Jay and Silent Bob and the latter's tale of his attempts to woo Amy and where he went wrong when faced with Holden's position, Hence the title as Holden is chasing Amy, well his own version of Amy. So what can Holden do well why not watch the film and find out.

As previously mentioned this is the third of the Jersey trilogy and although none of the characters are the same in all three movies Smith has kept a consistent theme in Jay and Silent Bob. And although a few of the others return in the most recent offering "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" but on the whole Smith prefers to keep his characters fresh. Smith has a knack when it comes to writing his films to really bring his main characters to life and really make them believable and in the most part likeable.

As suggested the whole film is shot in New Jersey and moves around a little but on the whole the locations aren't exactly high pricing shooting locations but instead your everyday run of the mill bar or train station, which I feel really adds a bit of realism to Smith's work. In some of the scenes maybe a little bit more light could have been used but the dingy scenes really seem to make the movie and display the best abilities of Smith as a director. He seems capable of getting the best out of the actors and keeping the film moving along smoothly as the transition from what you imagine he has written to the onscreen.

This is the first of Smith's films to star Ben Affleck in a lead role and to be honest it's probably his best performance but only just. Taking on the role of Holden, he actually makes the character believable although I'm beginning to be of the impression he only has a couple of facial expressions. Despite this though he is suited for the part and having become a Kevin Smith regular, albeit in different parts each time and it's from these films that I actually like him, not really any of his other work. Of course where Affleck is Damon is sure to be too and although only a fleeting appearance he's still there.

To be honest I'd never really heard of Joey Lauren Adams before I discovered Smith's work and to be honest apart form Dr Dolittle 2 and Big Daddy I haven't really seen her in anything since. However her performance as Alyssa is pretty good although in places it seems like she's not the right person for the part as her and Affleck really don't have any onscreen chemistry. Like the other 2 members of the cast Jason Lee is another of Smith's regular cast members and provides a lot of the films funnier moments. His dry wit really plays well with the other cast members really bringing Smith's jokes to life.

As for the actual DVD well there are a few special features on it, although nothing too special. First up is an introduction by Kevin Smith, which is basically (he says that a lot) a short bit of information about the film and to be honest it's a watch once kind of thing, not a repeat viewing feature. It's really a rather poor feature that goes on far too long and turns into him just going on and on. Then we have the theatrical trailer, which again is a rather weak addition to the DVD. I've already bought the film, I really don't need it to be advertised. Possibly a good addition if it were on another films feature but no need to advertise a film I already bought.

However it is with great sadness that such a good film comes with such an awful special feature. The Colour bar and yes it is as silly as it sounds. Basically it starts with Smith, Affleck, Mewes and the assistant director basically introducing it till a colour Bar appears on the screen while for a short time while they continue to sort of joke in a rather unfunny way without being seen.

But don't despair because there are a couple of saving graces within the special features. The first saviour is the directors commentary, which actually features various people from the film but is certainly a good laugh that although again a real one of viewing doesn't bore you in a similar way to the Introduction mentioned earlier on. And finally like most comedy DVD's there are a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that include a short introduction by Smith or Affleck or anyone else for that matter. The last 2 items really make up for the first three and although it's plain to see why they were deleted they are still pretty good.

So overall what is my impression of it. Well the DVD is worth buying just for the film and although a few of the special features really strike me as just being fillers. If you like any of Smith's other films then you'll love this but on the same note if you've never seen one of his films then why not try starting with this one. Smith's vision and talent for script writing are a real testimony to this film as I'm sure someone with an inferior imagination would have failed miserably either writing or directing this.

Summary: Kevin Smith's 3rd Jersey based movie