Kevin Smith is the most acclaimed pop culture enthusiast and podcaster of this generation. The director/podcaster has recently become one of the most beloved fandom symbols. Long before Smith was discussing the latest Marvel, DC, and Star Wars releases, Smith was hailed as the king of the indies, and none spoke to the masses more than his 1997 film, Chasing Amy.
While Clerks put the director on the map, Chasing Amy was seen as his most mature outing as a director. A film that led to awards love for Joey Lauren Adams, as the actress landed a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the movie.
Despite its critical acclaim, the film was not absent from backlash in its initial run and has become quite divisive and problematic over the past two decades. With that divisiveness comes a conversation in the form of Tribeca 2023’s entry, Chasing Chasing Amy.
Directed by Sav Rodgers, Chasing Chasing Amy follows Rodgers from a 12-year-old “obsession” to his journey of self-discovery. The film offers a celebration of identity and the rise of the importance of LGBTQ+ film culture while successfully reexamining Chasing Amy’s placement in the zeitgeist of Kevin Smith’s filmography and reprisal.
Through interviews with Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, and Guinevere Turner, it is revealed that Mosier’s friendship with Turner spawned the original idea and concept for the film. Along with Smith’s relationship at the time with Joey Adams, Smith reveals that the thematic influences spawned from a “guy falling in love with a lesbian” to relationship anxieties.
Smith acknowledges the backlash with the film and that the most significant blow black in its initial run came from “Ellen Degeneres and Anne Heche walking out in the first 10 minutes.” Ultimately, Smith recognizes that while the film may have been “ahead of its time” upon its release in looking at these types of topics and conversations, he fully acknowledges that the conversation has since evolved, and with the evolution comes a dissection of what Chasing Amy’s ultimate intentions were.
The relationship dynamics of the film were examined through an interview with Kevin and Joey, in which their relationship is put under a microscope and dives into their first meeting, their relationship, and how Adams became Smith’s muse until their eventual breakup.
Aiding in the conversation is an array of filmmakers and critics, who label the film as an “accidentally important look a biphobia” and the cultural context that talk has had. More importantly, these discussions aid in Rodger’s careful weaving through the importance of Chasing Amy regarding his survival to his growth and found love.
Chasing Chasing Amy captures the importance of Chasing Amy and its ongoing discourse on the nature of the film’s subject matter on the cinephile community. It’s a film that remains imperfect but important as an essential conversation starter and continues as the magnum opus in the career of Kevin Smith.
