After three films, Kevin Smith still hasn't toned down the foul language or sex jokes.
The writer and director of "Clerks" (which was funny in a crude way) and "Mallrats" (which was unfunny in a crass way) has scripted another nonstop flow of profanities and vulgarities with "Chasing Amy," a much more intimate and personal comedy.
That said, it is surprisingly warm, charming and even thoughful at times, although the ending feels forced and the whole thing seems at least 10 minutes too long. Audiences without extreme tolerance for the brusque tone may find it insufferable.
With "Chasing Amy," the supposed third part of his "New Jersey Trilogy," Smith attempts to examine perceptions of romantic relationships not only from those involved but from friends and other outside observers as well.
His average-guy protagonist, Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), is a sensitive, twentysomething writer/artist working with his lifelong friend, Banky Edwards (Jason Lee). The duo's comic book "Bluntman and Chronic" is an underground cult hit and is beginning to enjoy some small success.
At a comics convention, Holden meets a fellow artist, Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), to whom he is immediately attracted. But in one devastatingly funny sequence, his romantic aspirations are shattered when he discovers that she is gay (specifically, he sees her kissing another woman).
Despite that humiliating experience, Holden agrees to be friends with Alyssa. But in spite of his best attempts to remain "just friends," his feelings for her intensify. To his surprise, she reciprocates, and the two quickly fall head over heels for each other.
Meanwhile, Banky, irked that his friend isn't putting his best efforts into the comic — and even more so that he isn't hanging out with him anymore — decides to dig up some dirt on Alyssa in order to destroy the budding romance.
At that point, the film dissolves somewhat, with some extremely contrived situations (such as the unconvincing homosexual subtext to Banky and Holden's friendship). But the film is redeemed somewhat with a more open-ended conclusion than you'd expect for a romantic comedy.
Fortunately, Smith avoids sappy sentiments for the most part, and when it's not peppered with four-letter words, his dialogue rings true.
The movie also benefits from some strong performances, especially from Adams (who was memorable in a bit part in last year's "Michael"), Affleck and Dwight Ewell (as a tart gay artist who writes a tough-talking, "Black power" comic book and whose diatribe about the inherent racism in the "Star Wars" trilogy is particularly hilarious).
"Chasing Amy" is rated R for almost nonstop profanities and vulgar references and jokes, some violence, racist epithets and two brief sex scenes.