“With his mirco-budgeted, black-and-white indie comedy CLERKS, writer-director Kevin Smith was thrust onto the world stage, kicking and screaming. But when he slipped up with his second, MALLRATS, Smith was all but written off as a one-hit wonder. The criticism was harsh (the film’s failure was mostly down to studio intervention) but didn’t stop Smith plundering his familiar seam of expletive-strewn humour. And with CHASING AMY he hit pay dirt.

It’s a surprisingly adult take on love and relationships, though still smothered in Smith’s trademark lewd’n’crude language, with Ben Affleck and best friend Jason Lee as comic-book artists. Their relationship is spliced with the appearance of the lovely – though ridiculously squeaky voiced – Joey Lauren Adams, fellow artist and the girl of Affleck’s dreams. The catch? She’s a lesbian.

Many of the characters from Smith’s previous films make an appearance again, including Jay and Silent Bob (Smith himself), with the latter explaining the meaning of the title – helping further to extend Smith’s invented universe. It’s the film-maker’s best work to date, with a great crew of actors, especially his skateboard champ mate Lee, and a script that is fresh, insightful but, above all else, fantastically funny.”