American Splendor
(2003) is the biography of Harvey Pekar, a file clerk at a VA
hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. He meets Robert Crumb, an artist who
later goes on to fame as a cartoon artist in comic books. We’re not
talking CCA approved comics either. These are the Underground
kind. Harvey gets the idea to write stories about his life, only he
also peppers them with short philosophy. His artist friend Crumb
gets him started and it’s no long before his comic, "American
Splendor", takes off and does well. The comic book itself is about
an ordinary guy and how he deals with daily life. It’s the movie
itself that shows us how it all happened.
The film introduces viewers to the real life of Harvey Pekar and
focuses on his comics while reenacting what led to scenes in the
books themselves. We learn that Harvey Pekar writes about his life
while the film shows us his life and how it became fodder for a
comic book, a play, two graphic novels and a movie. That’s quite a
feat.
While actors play out parts of the life of Harvey Pekar (Paul
Giamatti) and his wife Joyce (Hope Davis), the real Harvey and Joyce
are interviewed in the movie. The whole thing has the quirky feel
of an independent film, especially with its slow pace with jazz
background music. There are voice-overs and cartoon animation in
some scenes mixed in the drama of dealing with real events. Harvey
develops cancer, has a televised argument with David Letterman and
then some marital problems to boot. Life isn’t always rosy, even in
the movies.
“American Splendor”
has won a number of awards and was nominated for an Oscar. While it
is not full of laughs, it has lighthearted moments and is, overall,
an entertaining movie. Best of all, it can be enjoyed even if you
have not read any of the American Splendor comics.
HBO has released “American Splendor” in its original Widescreen
format. The audio and visuals of the DVD are good. As for extras,
there’s the movie trailer, screensaver and wallpaper downloads, a
featurette on the events after the film and some HBO movie
trailers. You can select subtitles in English, Spanish, or French.
There is also the song from the play titled "American Splendor Song"
and an amusing audio commentary by the real-life Harvey Pekar, Joyce
Brabner, Danielle Batone, and Toby Radloff, actors Paul Giamatti and
Judah Friedlander, and writers Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer
Berman. All in all, this isn’t a bad package.
Most of the awards this film has won are for screenplay, but it’s
also won awards for drama and comedy.
Seattle Film Critics Awards (three wins)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards (two wins)
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (two wins)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
Online Film Critics Society Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
National Board of Review, USA
Montreal Comedy Festival 'Just for Laughs' (Comedia Award)
Sundance Film Festival (Dramatic)
Gotham Awards
Golden Trailer Awards
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Deauville Film Festival
Dallas-Forth Worth Film Critics Association Awards
Chlotrudis Awards
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Cannes Film Festival
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
