Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Joey Lauren Adams
Part of the Ben Affleck fest I had, this movie is YODS better than *shudder* Glory Daze. This movie, Starring Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, and Joey Lauren Adams, is the thrid offering from Kevin Smith, father of Mallrats & Clerks. Having seen the first two, I am quite happy to shout to the entire planet that this one is the best of all three.
The plot is simple, yet complex. Holden (Affleck) falls in love with Alyssa (Adams), who is, unfortunately, a lesbian. However, she feels it too, and they get together. But in the mix is Banky (Lee), with whom Holden creates a comic strip called 'Bluntman and Chronic', based on Jay and Silent Bob (who you should know if you'd seen the last two movies.) Anyway, Banky is a cute bastard/homophobe with an affinity for 'dick jokes'. Holden's relationship with Alyssa strains his relationship with Banky, who, like the wet blanket he seems to be named for, goes digging up dirt on Alyssa's past. When the fact that Alyssa was an 'experimental girl' when she was young is revealed, Holden can't deal with it, despite a screaming apology from Alyssa and usless advice from Jay, and not so useless advice from Silent Bob, who doesn't remain silent.
Ben Affleck, minus the horrible hair from Glory Daze, did a great job of playing Holden, and Jason Lee was quite believable as the asshole that he played. I had no problem with Joey Lauren Adams' acting, it was the helium-affected voice that made me want to tear my eyes out. She was like another Darla from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Julie Benz) and I spent half the movie trying to decide if Adams WAS Benz or not. (Benz has different teeth, and she was in As Good As It Gets.)
I also like a movie that is original enough to actually be original. No, Holden doesn't get the girl, but that's not the point. He discovers something about himself. Which, I think is just as good.
Although I liked Smith's previous two movies, this one had somethign the last two lacked. Although there were happy references to both Clerks & Mallrats.
My advice: Rent Mallrats, Clerks and Chasing Amy. Watch them in that order then go join the 'We Love Silent Bob' cult.
TRIVIA: Both Affleck and Adams are in Mallrats! And though I fail to mention it in the following movie, Matt Damon is in both Chasing Amy and Glory Daze, he had cameo appearances, which leads me to wonder if the dynamic duo of Affleck and Damon can actually do a movie without each other. I'm going to the IMDb to find out.(going away, coming back) Well, they do, but in another bit of something, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will be in the next Kevin Smith film, Dogma. Oh, and Damon, Affleck and Adams were in Dazed and Confused. One begins to wonder if these three are joined at the hip.