Chasing Amy stars Ben Affleck as comic book artist Holden MacNeil. He and his life-long buddy Banky, played by Jason Lee, write and illustrate the popular comic “Bluntman and Chronic”. Holden is happy with his life, from his burgeoning career to his friendship with Banky everything seems to be in place. That all changes when he meets Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), a fellow twenty-something comic book artist. Holden quickly becomes enamored with her only to find out that she is a lesbian.

Holden decides to just pursue a friendship with Alyssa until he comes to the realization that he really loves her. He and Alyssa then decide to become more than just friends; however, despite their love many obstacles stand in the way of their relationship. Holden is having problems dealing with Alyssa’s past experiences, and Banky disapproves of their relationship. The two have to decide whether their love is strong enough to overcome their many problems.

Chasing Amy is Kevin Smith’s best work to date. Smith has created an interesting alternative love story for the 90s. It is a rare film that attempts to examine the external factors that can wear down and possibly destroy great relationships. He also hones his profane sense of humor that dominated Clerks and Mallrats, the first two installments of his “New Jersey Trilogy,” with his funniest Star Wars reference yet.

In the past Smith’s dialogue seemed stilted; however, in Chasing Amy Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams make it come alive. Both leads are set to break out in a big way. Affleck is currently co-starring in the critically acclaimed Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote, and is set to star opposite Bruce Willis in next summer’s blockbuster Armageddon. Adams, who looks like a cross between Jerry Maguire’s Renee Zellweger and the singer Jewel, has finally taken the step from the best friend roles to lead actress.

Kevin Smith appears in the film with Jason Mewes in the reoccurring roles of Jay and Silent Bob. Smith shows he has some acting chomps as his character finally speaks more than a sentence with a lengthy monologue on the meaning of the film’s title.

Better Off Dead stars Cusack as high school senior Lane Meyer. Lane is on skid row because his girlfriend has just dumped him for the captain of the ski team. He also has to deal with his spaced out parents, his twisted little brother, and his geeky next door neighbor. Lane contemplates suicide several times. Each time he talks himself out of it only to have someone open his door hanging him or pat him on the back sending him off a bridge.

With the help of his best friend, great character actor Curtis Armstrong, Lane decides he needs to improve himself to win back his girlfriend. The best way he figures is to learn to ski the town’s toughest slope, the K-12. While trying to get the courage to try this daunting task he falls for the girl next door (a French foreign exchange student) and realizes that he is happy being who he is.

Although it lacks the depth of The Breakfast Club or Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Better Off Dead is one of the decade’s most consistently funny entries into the genre. John Cusack’s great deadpan delivery in last year’s Grosse Pointe Blank is first on display here in 1985. The film was the first for 80’s author “Savage” Steve Holland who went on to write and direct 1986’s One Crazy Summer and the 1989 film How I Got Into College, and then got out of the business.