Cult writer Harvey Pekar's life story comes to vibrant life in this movie named after his first and best comicbook hit American Splendor. Tracing his roots in a depressing Cleveland suburb, Harvey (played superbly by Paul Giamatti) barely finishes school and works as a hospital file clerk (which he does until retirement, even after his success). Divorced from his second wife and battling a throat problem, his life goes nowhere until he strikes up a friendship with soon-to-be-famous cartoonist Robert Crumb (James Urbaniak), who inspires him down the same road and write his own comicbook (to be illustrated initially by Crumb). Pekar's life becomes as colorful as the books he writes, which are drawn from his everyday experiences - his everyman outlook in life spawning a solid cult following. One of those fans eventually becomes his wife, Joyce (Hope Davis), who sticks with him despite his obsessive-compulsive behavior and generally antisocial personality. The movie is interspersed with scenes with the real-life Harvey Pekar, who provides wry and sarcastic narration and insights to the proceedings. That same wit and subversive bent leads to an infamous incident highlighted in the movie, where he finally gets fed up being a Tonight Show regular, and skewers David Letterman and corporate America on live TV. A wholly original and excellent film.
"Superman? Already taken. Spawn? Naah. Too deep. Ahh ... I got it ... Loserman!!"
No comments:
Post a Comment