When handsome young comic book creator Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) meets cute young comic book creator Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), romance seems preordained. But Holden is soon confronted with Alyssa's complex sexual history, as well as his friend and colleague Banky's (Jason Lee) conflicted and enraged response to the affair. Despite the seriousness of the issues, director Kevin Smith keeps the laughs coming, even as Holden goes through hell and grows up.

Kevin Smith's third film was critically acclaimed for its adroitness in balancing complex, adult sexual issues with jokes about bodily functions. The two Garden State guys this time around are Holden (Ben Affleck) and Banky (Jason Lee). At a comic book convention, the co-creators of "Bluntman and Chronic" meet Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a New Jersey native who draws a comic entitled "Idiosyncratic Routine." Holden thinks they click, but proceeds to discover that Alyssa is a lesbian--then manages to convince her to take a chance on him anyway. The real conflict comes when Holden gets hung up on Alyssa's checkered sexual past. What's more, Banky mounts an anti-Alyssa campaign whose intensity and bile Holden can't understand. The script came out of Smith's real-life relationship with Adams, and represents a flowering of the themes of friendship and sexual jealousy which the director first explored in CLERKS. Smith fans can rest assured, however, that STAR WARS is discussed (this time as a racist allegory) and that Jay and Silent Bob do appear to dispense relationship wisdom (and collect royalties for their comic book likenesses).

The film was shot on location in Red Bank, New Jersey, and New York City.

Kevin Smith called CHASING AMY the final installment in his "guys hanging out" trilogy (following CLERKS and MALLRATS), and connections among the films abound. All take place in the three towns of Red Bank, Highlands, and Leonardo, New Jersey. The character Alyssa Jones is the sister of CLERKS's Heather Jones and MALLRATS's Tricia Jones. Alyssa, Heather, and Gwen from MALLRATS (also played by Adams) have all slept with the character Rick Derris.

The comics artwork in the film was done by Mike Allred (creator of the comic book MADMAN), Laura Allred, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Kirk Van Wormer.

The character names Holden and Banky come from J.D. Salinger's novel THE CATCHER IN THE RYE.

The name Hooper is a reference to a character in JAWS; the scene in which Banky and Alyssa compare scars is also a JAWS reference. (JAWS is Smith's favorite film.)

In the diner scene, Jay (Jason Mewes) has two tickets to the Midwest in his shirt pocket. He and Silent Bob are on their way there for Smith's next film DOGMA.

The DVD edition of the film contains additional footage.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Letterboxed - 1.85
Reverse Spiral Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1.Kevin Smith - Director
2.Scott Mosier - Producer
3.Ben Affleck - Star
4.Jason Mewes - Star
5.Robert Hawk - Associate Producer
6.Jon Gordon - Miramax Executive
7.Vincent Pereira - View Askew Historian
Introduction - 1.Kevin Smith - Director
2.Cast and Crew
10 Deleted Scenes & Outtakes
Trailers - 1.Original Theatrical Trailer
Interactive Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Additional Products:
Booklet - 1.THE ASKEWNIVERSE LEGEND: A Guide To The Characters in the "NEW JERSEY TRILOGY"

Distributor Notes: Chasing Amy

Outrageously sexy and frankly hilarious, CHASING AMY is another hit comedy from Kevin Smith, the critically acclaimed director of CLERKS. Holden's been looking for the perfect woman -- funny, bright, and attractive. When he finally meets Alyssa, the woman of his dreams ... she has someone a little different in mind -- another woman! But together, Holden and Alyssa share the kind of relationship they've been looking for all along ... and soon discover that the confusing ups and downs of love, sex, and friendship in the '90s have never been so complicated ... or so funny! Audiences and critics cheered this provocative and lively comedy ... you're sure to enjoy every entertaining moment.

Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

Ben Affleck: Oscar-winning actor/screenwriter, GOOD WILL HUNTING
Joey Lauren Adams: Actress/"Sleep With Me"
Jason Lee: American actor, MALLRATS/My Name is Earl
Dwight Ewell: Actor/"Flirt"
Jason Mewes: American actor, CLERKS
Kevin Smith: Writer/Director, CLERKS, DOGMA
Casey Affleck: Actor - brother of Ben
Guinevere Turner: Producer
Brian O'Halloran: 
Matt Damon: American actor, screenwriter, GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997)
Ethan Suplee: American actor, MALLRATS/REMEMBER THE TITANS
Scott Mosier: Producer, Kevin Smith's Partner
Carmen Lee: Actress/ CHASING AMY, NEVER BEEN KISSED
Dan Lunney: 
Tony Torin: 
Rebecca Waxman: 
Paris Petrick: 
Welker White: 
Kelli Simpkins: 
John Willyung: 
Tsemach Washington: 
Ernie O'Donnell: 
Kristin Mosier: 
Virginia Smith: 

Kevin Smith: Writer/Director, CLERKS, DOGMA

John Pierson: 
Robert Hawk: 
Scott Mosier: Producer, Kevin Smith's Partner

Kevin Smith: Writer/Director, CLERKS, DOGMA

David Pirner: Lead Singer, Soul Asylum

Kevin Smith: Writer/Director, CLERKS, DOGMA
Scott Mosier: Producer, Kevin Smith's Partner

"...This is Smith's most provocative outing yet and certainly the toughest to forget..."
"...Still showing his touch for garrulous, hair-splitting conversation, Mr. Smith engages his characters in a bright spirited demonstration of just how difficult modern love can be..."
"...A little movie with big truths, a work of such fierce intelligence and emotional honesty that it blows away the competition when it comes to contemporary romantic comedy..."
"...A touching, funny love story..."
"...A riotous, ferociously smart love story....[Adams has] four dimensions and a mouth big enough to prove it..."
"...The film's great strength is its screenplay, which approaches its actors with moving emotional honesty..."