Chasing Amy

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Chasing Amy

R

1997

1h 51m

Romance

Comedy

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Holden and Banky are best friends and authors of a popular comic book. Holden falls in love with Alyssa, who happens to be a lesbian. Holden's relationship with Alyssa strains his life-long friendship with Banky, and soon the relationship between Holden and Alyssa has problems when he cannot deal with her past.

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Critics Consensus

Although Chasing Amy's depiction of queer sexuality is frustratingly clumsy, it handles an array of thorny themes with a mixture of sensitivity, raw honesty, and writer-director Kevin Smith's signature raunchy humor.

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Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

With their matching hipster goatees and deadpan cynicism, Affleck and Lee evince the easy rapport of old buds.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 7, 2014

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Paul Tatara

CNN.com

There is a lot of frank conversation about the technical aspects of sex between women, but Holden and Banky are written more like sniggering eighth graders than inquisitive adults.

Feb 7, 2014

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

As in Smith's debut film, Clerks, there's something about the scruffy Chasing Amy that breaks through the pretenses of more conventional movies.

Feb 7, 2014

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a typically verbose endeavor that grows more and more involving as it progresses...

Rated: 3/4

Jan 14, 2023

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Cathay Che

The Advocate

Chasing Amy is just like my kid brother -- alternately adorable and exasperating and full of cocky witticisms about life with very little experience to back them up.

Apr 5, 2022

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Mark J. Huisman

The Advocate

With some wonderful jabs at gender and racial stereotypes, Chasing Amy eschews political correctness to explore sexual identity with more thoughtfulness than we’ve seen before, at least from a filmmaker who happens to be a 26-year-old straight guy.

Apr 5, 2022

Full Review

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Lex V

Kevin Smith baby!!!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/30/25

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Rami A

Kevin Smith has a talent that few directors possess: the ability to challenge the audience. He tackles powerful and meaningful themes, and instead of just questioning them himself, he invites the audience to question these topics. All while giving us entertaining movies to enjoy.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/07/25

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Johnathon W

Superb romantic comedy thanks to a game cast and writing by Kevin Smith. The actors are excellent across the board, with Ben Affleck showing his early star appeal as Holden while Joey Lauren Adams is excellent as the target of his affection, so charming you understand why he falls in love with her. Behind the camera, Kevin Smith crafts an excellent film, with some sharp writing featuring hilarious but potent commentary on love and relationships. Best of all, it has a truly satisfying ending that doesn't turn out how you hope but how it should. Granted, his direction is still stiff and poorly lite, though it adds to the indie feel. Overall, a classic and the best by Smith to date.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/25

Full Review

David F

This is a fantastic indie film from Kevin Smith and the 1990s with loads of charm. A movie about an impossible romance, it's witty, articulate, and vastly entertaining. The characters are well developed, the acting is great, the production values are low, and the whole thing is set in New Jersey. It has a refreshingly sensible attitude towards human sexuality that was ahead of its time and it breaks down all kinds of stereotypes. Smith was one of the greatest geniuses of 90s cinema and this is one of his greatest creations.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/19/24

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Tonya K

I think if you take the movie as Kevin Smith explains its a great movie that explores the themes and concepts it presents very well even if it does through the lens of what we are told is a straight white male

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/02/24

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Oaklee D

A romantic comedy with heart, although some parts haven't aged well, the silent bob monologue was a high point.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

Full Review

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Kevin Smith

Director

Ben Affleck

Holden McNeil

Joey Lauren Adams

Alyssa Jones

Jason Lee

Banky Edwards

Dwight Ewell

Hooper LaMont

Jason Mewes

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Synopsis

Holden and Banky are best friends and authors of a popular comic book. Holden falls in love with Alyssa, who happens to be a lesbian. Holden's relationship with Alyssa strains his life-long friendship with Banky, and soon the relationship between Holden and Alyssa has problems when he cannot deal with her past.

Director: Kevin Smith
Producer: Scott Mosier
Screenwriter: Kevin Smith
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: View Askew Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 1997, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.0M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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