Primarily
known for American Slendor, an insightful comic book that he collaborated on with
Robert Crumb, Harvey Pekar was an interesting fellow who'd pass his time reading,
writing and listening to jazz. Before meeting Crumb, he was a lonely burnout with
a bored life, but with American Splendor becoming more and more popular, and the
addition of a girlfriend, Pekar would soon become a burnout in love.
American
Splendor is a fantastically entertaining film in the tradition of Ghost World.
Paul
Giamatti gets more interesting with each performance, and he's a perfect fit for
Pekar's eccentricities.
Film
makers Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini have crafted a funny and sometimes
tender look at love and creativity. From their innovative opening comic book credits
sequence to the stylized inner cutting of actual Pekar interview footage, American
Splendor is a film that works on many levels.
Quite
frankly, I never would have believed that Pekar was as odd as he's portrayed in
the film, but we are given interview sessions of the actual man that prove he
was that odd.
From
the creation of American Splendor to several guest spots on David Letterman, Pekar
was an interesting guy with an interesting life. American Splendor gives us a
glimpse into that life, and I loved every second of it.
