Director Sav Rodgers’ documentary Chasing Chasing Amy is genuinely something special. It’s rare for a fan of a particular piece of media to get the opportunity to explore those who made it with such candid and open discussions about it, and its legacy in the culture, and analyze its impact on ourselves. The specificity and honesty that Rodgers delivers in this documentary make it undeniable and powerful for the filmmaker and his audience. There is an inherent participatory and reflexive element for this particular documentary that requires so much vulnerability and Rodgers delivers in a big way.
Many of us latch onto stories at a young age, and for a 12-year-old Sav Rodgers, that story was found in Chasing Amy. The controversial Kevin Smith film became a life raft for Rodgers during this important time of self-discovery and identity. The documentary explores the legacy of the 90s film, its creation, and, more importantly, its continued, yet changing, role in Rodgers’ life.
The most shocking part of this film is the two major interviews with Kevin Smith and Joey Lauren Adams. Without getting into the specifics of these moments, Kevin and Joey are extremely honest and open about the film and their relationship during its production. Rodgers’ reactions to the conversations are as important as the discussions being had as this is the ultimate “meeting your hero” type moment captured on camera. The film really is about Rodgers’ journey and continuing discovery of himself through Chasing Amy, or at least as a direct result of the film’s impact on the younger version of himself. The interviews with Kevin and Joey only help to reinforce this and help with the deconstruction of the audience’s relationship with the media they love.
At a time when the LGBTQIA+ community finds themselves under attack by so many, this film’s exploration of Chasing Amy and Rodgers’ own identity feels extremely relevant. The movie has always been polarizing within the LGBTQIA+ community and Chasing Chasing Amy only scratches the surface of its place within the LGBTQIA+ film canon, the conversations are important. It really sets the table for Rodgers’ specific experience with the film and how it allowed him to see a version of his experience on screen and feel “seen” as the kids say. This idea of representation is discussed by several people in the film and it is an important discussion to have as more and more people are attempting to ban media displaying such things.
To be a little more candid in my own review, I also have latched onto Kevin Smith and his work as a major inspiration for my own life. Thus, I can connect with that aspect of this film and Rodgers’ fandom of Smith. This film managed to move me for a variety of reasons and multiple times after it ended I found myself crying again while processing it all. Rodgers uses this film to dive deeper into his own relationship with his now wife, Regina “Riley” Rodgers. This personal exploration felt extremely brave and made the movie all the more impactful as a result.
Chasing Chasing Amy debuts at Tribeca on June 8.
Rating: Must See
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