Chasing AmyMovie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 71 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
16 Iffy for 16+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    Los Angeles Times | Kevin Thomas

    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. Read full review

  • 88
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    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 full review

  • 83
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    The hit-and-run outlandishness of "Clerks" was a stunt. With Chasing Amy, Smith has made his first real movie. Read full review

  • 80
    The New York Times | Elvis Mitchell

    Smith's knowing humor and unruffled style make a good antidote to gender chaos. Music by David Pirner contributes to the film's loose, inviting mood. Read full review

  • 75
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    An ingratiatingly sincere attempt to deal with the complications and contradictions of modern romance. Read full review

  • 70
    Salon.com | Charles Taylor

    The only romantic comedy in quite a while that acknowledges, even celebrates, the fact that love and sex are emotional anarchy. Read full review

  • 70
    Variety | Todd McCarthy

    Much of the dialogue is good, and Smith does a decent job of presenting the emotional fallout from every major participant's p.o.v. Read full review

  • 63
    USA Today | Mike Clark

    For all its inconsistencies, this is Smith's most provocative outing yet and certainly the toughest to forget. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle | Edward Guthmann

    Lacks insight and finesse, and feels like a boldfaced Rorschach for Smith's own hang-ups. Read full review

  • 0
    Washington Post |

    Can a script exploring some truly deep questions about human sexuality and emotions be any shoddier and wooden? Read full review

View more reviews for Chasing Amy on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+ Dated romantic comedy wrong for all kids.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this movie deals with sexuality. The primary plotline is a friendship-turned-romance between Holden and Alyssa, who is introduced as a lesbian. There are numerous conversations detailing characters' sexual practices and fantasies. Characters drink, smoke, have sex, use drugs, gay-bash, and get in fights.
  • Families can talk about issues of gender and sexuality. The film raises a number of interesting questions about sexual behavior and identity. Does Alyssa's affair with Holden undermine her identity as a lesbian? How does her affair alienate her from her community? Holden's reaction to information about Alyssa's past ultimately destroys their relationship. How might Holden have dealt with his feelings more productively? Is there a double standard about the amount of sexual experience that's acceptable for men and women?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: Not an issue
What to watch for
  • violence false3 Violence: Not an issue
  • sex false5 Sex: Characters engage in multiple explicit discussions about sex and sexuality.
  • language false5 Language: Very strong language.
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false5 Drinking, drugs and smoking: The comic book "Bluntman and Chronic" is about two anti-superheroes who use drugs.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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