Day 6 - Chasing Amy
First Impressions:
Sir Kevin Smith at his finest, quilts another piece of the View Askew universe to "Clerks" and "Mallrats". "Chasing Amy" is another '90s rom-com set in New York, but feels more authentic somehow than "As Good As It Gets" which feels like a set piece.
Smoking in restaurants. Smoking in general. Pay phones. Shopping for CDs. I miss the '90s (except for the smoking in restaurants).
Kevin Smith is known for his dialogue, so no surprise it's snappy and captivating. The joke is that Kevin Smith sets the camera for a medium shot and films. I think it works.
Personal Reflections:
"No, it's unfortunate that you're in love with me. It's unfair that you felt the fucking need to unburden your soul about it."
"Chasing Amy" seems an apt choice (though completely unintentional) given that this was Pride weekend. Oddly, the voice of reason in a rom-com comes from 1997, the SAME YEAR "As Good As It Gets" was released. We weren't all ignorant in 1997 it turns out.
While the word 'faggot' is tossed around it's not done in the same way that, say 'fudge packer' was used in "As Good As It Gets". Banky, whose homophobia is addressed is not using it hatefully but out of fear. I have been trying to explain to no avail how gay jokes in the rom-coms thus far are not outright offensive, but seem wrong somehow; Hooper X phrases it brilliantly: "passive aggressive gay bashing". For example, having a gay best friend with no dimension who serves only to serve sassy one-liners. Or "you know how I know you're gay", which seems harmless but is two characters throwing a hot potato neither wants.
I love the idea Alyssa presents as to why she "opened the door to girls", which is to entertain the possibility that the one person who could complete her might be someone of the same gender, however in doing so she acknowledges that she inadvertently closed the door on men. This seems like a really reasonable way to look at things.
Alyssa asks to be friends with Holden because she likes him. Best friend Banky responds, "What is it about this girl, man? You know you have no shot at getting her into bed, so why do you even bother wasting your time with her?" As per the ladder theory, Banky's comment makes sense, since 30% of attraction is whether 'she'll put out'. Yet, Holden goes against the theory. He knows she is not available to him that way and he keeps pushing, acknowledging that: "...even if we never talk again after tonight, please know that I'm forever changed because of who you are and what you've meant to me."
I agree with Alyssa that it was unfair for him to burden her with his feelings. One might argue the exchange resulted in a personal realization that she should expand her search to both genders to find the one. I say that what she said at the beginning about 'girls just feeling right' is who she is. Her exploration with guys before she was with women seems to solidify that. Rationally, it makes sense to include both genders, but attraction isn't always reasonable. While she does become Holden's girlfriend for a short period of time, ultimately she is with a woman by the end of the movie. I think she is physically attracted to women but emotionally and intellectually attracted to Holden.
The real value was their friendship. One explanation is that we lack the vocabulary for different types of love in our society and feel like non-familial cross-gender love needs to have a sexual component because that's a love we know how to quantify. We feel something and assume it must be eros. The Greeks have multiple types of love; I would describe Holden and Alyssa's love as philia.
The other explanation could be not being happy enough with what they had. It's human nature to want more. I'm reminded of Summer Finn's comment regarding labeling her relationship with Tom: "Who cares? I'm happy, aren't you?" Even though we are happy, we always seem to want more. Moments like this are a reminder to appreciate what you have, something I don't do enough.
<homework> write a list of five things you appreciate right now. </homework>
Obviously there wouldn't be a movie if they remained friends and Holden kept his feelings to himself. The way I see it is: though the journey held entertainment value, they should have been satisfied staying friends. No one seemed to benefit or grow from the romantic interlude enough to justify it.
Rom-Com Tropes:
1. Kissing in pouring rain.
Soundtrack:
A delectable bouquet of '90s jams including Liz Phair, Run DMC, Public Enemy, and Soul Asylum.
Sir Kevin Smith at his finest, quilts another piece of the View Askew universe to "Clerks" and "Mallrats". "Chasing Amy" is another '90s rom-com set in New York, but feels more authentic somehow than "As Good As It Gets" which feels like a set piece.
Smoking in restaurants. Smoking in general. Pay phones. Shopping for CDs. I miss the '90s (except for the smoking in restaurants).
Kevin Smith is known for his dialogue, so no surprise it's snappy and captivating. The joke is that Kevin Smith sets the camera for a medium shot and films. I think it works.
Personal Reflections:
"No, it's unfortunate that you're in love with me. It's unfair that you felt the fucking need to unburden your soul about it."
"Chasing Amy" seems an apt choice (though completely unintentional) given that this was Pride weekend. Oddly, the voice of reason in a rom-com comes from 1997, the SAME YEAR "As Good As It Gets" was released. We weren't all ignorant in 1997 it turns out.
While the word 'faggot' is tossed around it's not done in the same way that, say 'fudge packer' was used in "As Good As It Gets". Banky, whose homophobia is addressed is not using it hatefully but out of fear. I have been trying to explain to no avail how gay jokes in the rom-coms thus far are not outright offensive, but seem wrong somehow; Hooper X phrases it brilliantly: "passive aggressive gay bashing". For example, having a gay best friend with no dimension who serves only to serve sassy one-liners. Or "you know how I know you're gay", which seems harmless but is two characters throwing a hot potato neither wants.
I love the idea Alyssa presents as to why she "opened the door to girls", which is to entertain the possibility that the one person who could complete her might be someone of the same gender, however in doing so she acknowledges that she inadvertently closed the door on men. This seems like a really reasonable way to look at things.
Alyssa asks to be friends with Holden because she likes him. Best friend Banky responds, "What is it about this girl, man? You know you have no shot at getting her into bed, so why do you even bother wasting your time with her?" As per the ladder theory, Banky's comment makes sense, since 30% of attraction is whether 'she'll put out'. Yet, Holden goes against the theory. He knows she is not available to him that way and he keeps pushing, acknowledging that: "...even if we never talk again after tonight, please know that I'm forever changed because of who you are and what you've meant to me."
I agree with Alyssa that it was unfair for him to burden her with his feelings. One might argue the exchange resulted in a personal realization that she should expand her search to both genders to find the one. I say that what she said at the beginning about 'girls just feeling right' is who she is. Her exploration with guys before she was with women seems to solidify that. Rationally, it makes sense to include both genders, but attraction isn't always reasonable. While she does become Holden's girlfriend for a short period of time, ultimately she is with a woman by the end of the movie. I think she is physically attracted to women but emotionally and intellectually attracted to Holden.
The real value was their friendship. One explanation is that we lack the vocabulary for different types of love in our society and feel like non-familial cross-gender love needs to have a sexual component because that's a love we know how to quantify. We feel something and assume it must be eros. The Greeks have multiple types of love; I would describe Holden and Alyssa's love as philia.
The other explanation could be not being happy enough with what they had. It's human nature to want more. I'm reminded of Summer Finn's comment regarding labeling her relationship with Tom: "Who cares? I'm happy, aren't you?" Even though we are happy, we always seem to want more. Moments like this are a reminder to appreciate what you have, something I don't do enough.
<homework> write a list of five things you appreciate right now. </homework>
Obviously there wouldn't be a movie if they remained friends and Holden kept his feelings to himself. The way I see it is: though the journey held entertainment value, they should have been satisfied staying friends. No one seemed to benefit or grow from the romantic interlude enough to justify it.
Rom-Com Tropes:
1. Kissing in pouring rain.
Soundtrack:
A delectable bouquet of '90s jams including Liz Phair, Run DMC, Public Enemy, and Soul Asylum.
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