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American Splendor (2003)
American Splendor is based on the comic book American Splendor, which is based on the life of its author, Harvey Pekar. To do this it audaciously mixes real and staged footage, animation andh interviews with the Pekar, his wife and their friends. It is done with such skill and nerve that it never feels forced or made up and matches the tone of the original comic, which is one of brutal honesty. Pekar's comic was itself revolutionary in that it was about an ordinary man with an ordinary job. There were no super powers or anything out of the ordinary. It was basically just the life of Harvey with observations of what was around him. Pekar had the good fortune to be friends with the legendary comic book artist R. Crumb, who illustrated the early editions of American Splendor. As a result Pekar became something of a cult hero to a small but devoted group of fans.
Pekar is simply put, a curmudgeon. In more detail he's obsessive compulsive, pessimistic, lonely, a slob and perpetually grouchy. As awful as that sounds, you can also see that there is hope peeking out of him from somewhere. His tales of real life are easy to connect to because they are the same sorts of problems that we all face at one time or another. Harvey himself is easy to relate to because he is an extremist compilation of all our worst traits. I found myself cringing at one point in the movie when I realized just how many ways I saw myself in him.
Paul Giamatti plays Pekar through much of the film, except for the parts where Pekar himself appears for an interview or the use of existing footage of Pekar. The two don't look much alike, something Pekar comments on at one point, but Giamatti does a masterful job of capturing Pekar's essence. He nails all the mannerisms and most importantly, the attitude of Pekar. He seems genuinely irritated and baffled by events in the same way that Pekar would be. It doesn't so much feel like acting but instead simply being Harvey. Similarly, Hope Davis does a fabulous job of mimicking Harvey's wife Joyce Brabner. Davis looks nothing like Brabner but a combination of wig, makeup and acting turns her into a perfect stand in for Brabner. When we see the real Brabner in the movie, we don't need to be introduced, we can just tell based off of Davis' performance. Also deserving attention for such a performance is Judah Friedlander, who plays Harvey's friend and co-worker Toby Radloff. Friedlander's work is so spot on that you can wonder at times whether we are looking at the real Radloff or not. He becomes a perfect doppleganger to this proud nerd. Giamatti's appearance actually makes a nice corollary to the comic book. Pekar comments on the fact that he has been drawn in different ways by different artists over the years. Using the real Harvey and Giamatti in the film is a lot like having two different artists' views of the character for the movie.
What makes the movie special is the way it always feels authentic. It always feels real, even when mixing animation and live action footage, even when using Giamatti and Pekar in the same shot. The very fact that you are watching a movie is commented on in the film. It never tries to give the impression of creating an illusion of anything, instead going out of its way to keep the audience grounded. It is a film that defies categorization. It's an adaptation of a comic book but you certainly wouldn't lump it in with the likes of X-Men or Spider-Man. It contains elements of both fiction and documentary and plays for both comedy and drama. It is somehow greatly original while always dealing with the ordinary and mundane.
Pekar is a fascinating individual. He's an obsessive collector, mostly of old records. He worked at a VA hospital in Cleveland for 30 plus years, long after his comic found its audience. He was a regular guest on David Letterman's show up until Harvey went ballistic during one appearance in 1994. Through all of this he kept that job as a file clerk, never advancing but sticking with it because he desperately needed the security of a steady job. Besides, he could never have maintained the integrity of the comic without continuing to lead the life that he did. His wife appears in his life first as a fan. The two exchange letters and then phone calls after she contacts him for a copy of a particular issue of American Splendor. When they finally meet, it isn't what you would call a romantic scene but they connect immediately and get married within a week. They are equally matched, both having a laundry list of neurosis and both having a unbending view of the world. They fight a lot but never in a way that seems cruel, they are simply strong willed individuals with such a deep level of trust and commitment that they can freely tear into each other without fear of ruining the relationship. That brutal honesty is a recurring theme that drives them, the comic and this movie.
This movie is brilliantly constructed and wildly original, as well as being greatly entertaining. It deals largely with depressing material and yet manages to be funny and uplifting. Go see it. No excuses, just go see it. If you don't, I don't want to hear any complaints about never seeing any good movies.
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