Chasing Chasing Amy not only details how an iconic film saved a young man’s life, but reveals the different impacts films can have on people.
Documentaries are some of the hardest films to review, as you want to avoid certain story beats that might not be true spoilers, but feel like they can take away from the experience of the film. The entire second half of Chasing Chasing Amy, and in particular the interview with Joey Lauren Adams and what follows, brings it to a powerful head. I would be lying if I said it didn’t get me emotional.
Much like Kevin Smith and Sav, I am one to wear my heart on my sleeve. I am not ashamed to cry. Some might say I do it far too often but that is because I have feelings that need to get out. Chasing Chasing Amy had me doing this on more than one occasion, but especially in the end.
For those of you who don’t know, my daughter identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. She is pansexual and so a lot of what this documentary details allowed me to see her even more for who she is. Don’t get me wrong, I have always been accepting, but it is impossible for me to put myself in her shoes. To know that there are movies out there that could help her learn more about herself and how she is feeling when she gets a bit older (she is eleven and perhaps a bit too young for Chasing Amy) is important.
I have personally watched Chasing Amy many times, as Kevin Smith is one of my favorite directors and creators in the industry, but I never saw it from this perspective. Chasing Chasing Amy was eye opening in that way. For me, it was an entertaining movie with my style of humor and a love story mixed in. I never saw it as a way for those in the in between to learn more about their sexuality. The idea that sexuality is fluid is more widely accepted now, however there are still a lot of haters out there.
Listening to Sav’s story hit me right in the gut, and I can very much relate to his mother’s words towards the end of the documentary. There is no worse feeling that knowing your child is hurting so bad, and no matter what you do, you cannot take that pain away.
All you can do is support them for who they are and tell them to ignore their bullies and those that refuse to understand them. But that is easier said than done.
Movies are a wonderful escape from the world. They can take you to a place where you feel comfortable existing. However different people have different experiences with films. They impact them in different ways. And learning what Joey Lauren Adams thinks about when she thinks about Chasing Amy, versus the impact it had on Sav, is eye opening.
As consumers, we don’t often think of those who were involved in the filmmaking process and what they might have gone through while on set. Joey’s story is absolutely heart wrenching. As she said, luckily something beautiful came out of the heartbreak and the hurt.
Overall Thoughts
Chasing Chasing Amy is an important film for those in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as for those outside of it. There is a lot to learn from this documentary. From Sav’s story, from Kevin’s story, and from Joey’s story. It proves how people can have different experiences surrounding the same thing.
Many say that Chasing Amy doesn’t stand the test of time. That it is problematic now. This might not be entirely untrue, but it shows that sexuality is fluid, and it has helped save at least one life. Which means it has done its job. The world would be a much less creative place without Sav in it, so thank you Kevin Smith, for making Chasing Amy.
A documentary that proves the impact films have on those that watch them, those that create them, and those that star in them. Not everyone will have the same experience with a film, which is what makes them so special.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
About Chasing Chasing Amy
In Chasing Chasing Amy, filmmaker Sav Rodgers goes on a journey of self-discovery while making a documentary on the development and creation of Kevin Smith’s controversial LGBTQ+ film, Chasing Amy. The film explores the transformational impact of a ‘90s rom-com on a 12 year old kid from Kansas, coming of age and contending with queer identity.
In 2020 Sav Rodgers gave a Ted Talk about how Chasing Amy saved his life, which garnered heartwarming reactions from Kevin Smith, Chasing Amy cast members and other celebrities.
Chasing Chasing Amy premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2023.
