Chasing Amy 1997

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune: The performances are universally strong. The goateed Affleck makes for a particularly sympathetic protagonist; he has the looks and confidence of a lady-killer, but nagging befuddlement and vulnerability are rarely far from the surface. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: Work of such fierce intelligence and emotional honesty that it blows away the competition when it comes to contemporary romantic comedy. Read more

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. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: With their matching hipster goatees and deadpan cynicism, Affleck and Lee evince the easy rapport of old buds. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: Even when its young, uncertain characters appear to be in danger of talking (and whining) themselves to death, there's something genuine and charmingly naive about their attempts to make sense of their feelings. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: A brutally honest romance. If you loved Sleepless in Seattle, you'll just hate it. Read more

Susan Stark, Detroit News: Often funny but ultimately wrenching Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: As Chasing Amy redefines the boy-meets-girl formula for a culture where anything goes, including perhaps another boy or girl, it thrives on Smith's dry, deadpan direction. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Neither PC nor crudely anti-PC, this tough and tender movie, like its characters, is prepared to take emotional risks, and the comic book milieu is deftly sketched in. Read more

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. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: Smith isn't just fooling around anymore. Read more

David Ansen, Newsweek: Instead of cool twenty-something irony, Smith startles us with raw emotional honesty. Read more

Dave Kehr, New York Daily News: Chasing Amy is not yet a mature work Smith still needs a style to go with his sensibility but its yearning for maturity is palpable and touching. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: This movie is about something, and the deeper we get into it, the more we realize how emotionally on-target the script is. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: While the surface of his film sparkles with sharp, ironic dialogue, deeper issues are forming, and Chasing Amy develops into a film of touching insights. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: It's a rude blast of gleeful provocation, a farce about emotional pain, a drama about sexual slapstick. Read more

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: It could prove to be as bad a date movie for some couples as it might be a real turn-on for others. Anyone with set ideas about sex roles or orientations is likely to get steamed. Read more

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle: Lacks insight and finesse, and feels like a boldfaced Rorschach for Smith's own hang-ups. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Smith is at his best when he's letting his movie be silly. The more he chases significance, the more Chasing Amy fails to find its way. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: The script moves beyond Smith's customary cataloguing of male adolescent ignorance and idiocy to offer sharp insights into the romanticism and pragmatism, pride and double standards that define the tangled threesome. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: Amusing and appealing. Read more

Eric Brace, Washington Post: Can a script exploring some truly deep questions about human sexuality and emotions be any shoddier and wooden? Will Miramax continue to fund one of the worst directors in the business? Don't stay tuned. Read more