American Splendor Review
by Karina Montgomery (karina AT cinerina DOT com)September 22nd, 2003
American Splendor
Full Price Feature
American Splendor is, like its subject, a rulebreaking genrebuster about an ordinary man. Harvey Pekar (author of the graphic novel from where the film takes its name) is a dead end worker, a bent-backed curmdgeon, who writes about the petty grievances (and the not so petty) of every day working class life in Cleveland. The words are his but the art is by his pal R. Crumb and later Frank Stack, Paul Mavrides, and Don Simpson, among others, luminaries of the underground scene. The scenes about Pekar vary in their interpretation of him as a character, and this film continues the tradition. Pekar, who is in the film (along with a couple other key denizens of the Splendor) is a scowling, grunting hulk of a man whose unique perspective on his dismal life sprouted a new kind of every man hero. Eschewing the notion of a super-ego clad in spandex, Pekar and his characters lifted from life are heroes just for making it through the checkout stand without becoming righteously homicidal.
He is definitely an interesting enough character about whom one could make a fascinating movie; so fascinating that besides being portrayed by the sublime genius of Paul Giamatti, Pekar plays himself, and a number of drawings by the aforementioned artists do as well. He's presented all the more truthfully and deeply from these different perspectives, and as a result, you can't tear your eyes away from this biopic/documentary/tragic comedy. And, this sounds weird to say, but the two Pekars have fantastic chemistry in this movie.
Paul Giamatti has livened up films like Private Parts, Planet of the Apes, and Big Fat Liar, and he completely took over Duets and made it his movie. Finally he wins the Chance in The Sun Sweepstakes (won last year by John C. Reilly) to shine in an unglamorous but amazingly sympathy-repellant role. He is simply incredible. We all knew it, those of us who cared to watch him, but this is his movie.
Pekar narrates part time, from a Gap commercial-like alternate reality set, and Giamatti contributes some narration in voiceover. Pekar's words and Giamatti's thoughts trudge through the dingy streets of 1970's Cleveland. It's a testament to the comic artists who contributed to the film how much their renderings resemble both men. The lighting and cinematography are low key; but somehow when you are surrounded by graphic novel work, you notice its subtle brilliance.
Also live and in person are the real Joyce and Toby, with Hope Davis playing Joyce and Judah Friedlander playing Toby. His performance is so good, we had to meet the real Toby to see how dead on he really was. They are amazingly cast, as you will see.
Splendor is more than just an exercise in clever casting and lighting. It's a self-reflexive paean to a self-reflexive peon who happened to turn lemonade into lemons and rocked the indie comic world. We are in turns frustrated by his attitude and thrilled as his blossoming, he is as fascinating and icky as an Atlas beetle. It's incredibly satisfying. Go see it right now.
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These reviews (c) 2003 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks. You can check out previous reviews at:
http://www.cinerina.com and http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com - the Online Film Critics Society http://www.hsbr.net/reviews/karina/listing.hsbr - Hollywood Stock Exchange Brokerage Resource
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