Rating: 
Summary: "I'm just a gloomy guy, that's all"
Review: AMERICAN SPLENDOR is based on the real life of Harvey Pekar (Paul Giamatti), a curmudgeonly, moody file clerk in a VA Hospital in Cleveland who writes comic books about his everyday experiences. Pekar serves as narrator and appears as himself occasionally as well, as interviews, file footage, and re-enacted scenes are blended to form a docudrama. Pekar sought fame and found it thanks to his comics (which are full of observations on life's mundane and mysterious moments, and feature artwork by such friends as Robert Crumb) and his appearances as a guest on David Letterman's talk show. My favorite scenes included Joyce (Hope Davis), his third wife, who cleverly matches Harvey's nuances and idiosyncrasies of her own. She is never enthusiastic about the success of the comic book, although she originally met Harvey by writing a fan letter to him. Joyce walks around with a permanent frown and suffers from her own psychological illnesses. Both Joyce and Harvey are good matches for each other and generally make each other miserable. Seeing these two miserable people together enhance this film's creativity. I have to admit that I've never heard of Harvey Pekar or the American Splendor comic books before this film was released; but I also don't read comic books, especially underground ones. Notwithstanding, I found the premise behind the comic strips to be original and interesting. Harvey appears to be a perfect candidate to write about the mundane happenings of his lived experiences since he has absolutely no prospects in his life. AMERICAN SPLENDOR is an entertaining, worthwhile film. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant, Hilarious, and Sad!
Review: "American Splendor" is based on the underground comic book seris. Unlike "Spiderman" and "Hulk", this movie is more about real life then about superpowers. There is even a comment in this film about how superhero comics have to appeal to kids, and underground comics could be more about life. Much like this movie. This movie doesn't have kid appeal, and it is more about life. But a comic book movie doesn't have to have special effects, action sequences, and strong violence to make it good, and that is proven with "American Splendor." I was told about it by somebody I know(who was actually in the movie. He's the guy that introduces Pekar to Crumb at the garage sale) and after he gave it such a positive review, I knew that I had to see this for myself. I thought that it was a brilliant, dramatic, funny, character study,and one of the best movies on 2003. Paul Giamatti plays Harvey Pekar, a depressed file clerk, who works for Mr. Boats, and a friend Toby Radloff, a nerd who thinks that "Revenge of the Nerds" is an uplifting movie. At a garage sale, he is introduced by Pahls to artist Robert Crumb. After drawing stick figure animation about everyday problems in life, Harvey gives them to Crumb to make good drawings of them, which he then sells into a comic book seris called "American Splendor." Harvey has never been very good with women, after being divorced twice, but then gets a letter from a comic book store owner named Joyce Brabner, who wants a direct copy of the eight issue. The two finally meet after a while and get married a week later. But Joyce wants to do something that matters, and does not want to see Harvey becoming famous, and making apperences on "Late Night with David Letterman." She goes away, and while away Harvey discovers that he has cancer. The two decide to make a comic about the problem, and try to get through this serious time, while Harvey rethinks about his veiws on the world, and everything that he lives for. I really loved "American Splendor." Throughout the film, you could see the changes in Harvey, and also how he doesn't change. You would think that marriage would make him change his lifestyle quickly, but he says that he likes the way that his house is messy. His complaints towards everyday problems are hilarious, especially this one scene where Harvey complains that if your on line in a supermarket behind an old Jewish women, you'll be there for a long time. The movie has sweet scenes, and it also has comical scenes, and it was shunned by the Oscars. This could be a best picture nominee, and a best actor to Paul Giamatti. ENJOY! Rated R for language.
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite as good as they say...
Review: Well, a movie can be clever and sharp and have a lot of interesting characters, and still be kind of boring and pointless. I know that for some reason this film was celebrated because of Harvey's unique point-of-view and insight into his dead-end empty life. I'm not sure exactly why. I guess he found a unique way to be unhappy which spoke to a lot of people. He is the shlub-everyman. Yippee. This unpleasant, drab movie has something to say - but I don't know why anybody really needs to hear it. Idiocyncracy is not a value in itself. My sense is that this film has some cultural cache' that isn't well-deserved. C'est la vie. With Splendor's success there will be new classes in film school on the art of gently wasting screen-time.
Rating: 
Summary: vaguely heroic
Review: The average American doesn't know the name Harvey Pekar, the star of "American Splendor," but the drawings of his comics are very recognizeable as the style of cartoonist Robert Crumb, the "keep on truckin'" guy. "Splendor" is the story of an average guy and his efforts to give meaning to a mundane life by translating it into comic form. The film uses an interesting technique of interspersing footage of the real life Pekar and the people in his life, which is successful since he is such a colorful character. The movie flows along well until the major conflict which dulled the experience for me.
Rating:
Summary: Diversity of Mind
Review: Wow, this film blew me away. It's brilliant. I watched the movie and all the DVD extras first alone and then again with friends this weekend. The filmmakers have captured the essense of Harvey Pekar and his world and filmed it in a way as creative and unique as Harvey himself. Harvey's life is not the kind of story usually depicted in an award winning film with broad distribution. The film should inspire many others to follow their own creative dreams. I'm grateful to all those who made it possible. I don't read comic books, so I wouldn't have experienced Harvey without this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A different view on American Splendor
Review: The world would hardly benefit from another glowing review of American Splendor, as critics and fans vie with each other to find the most unique and insightful ways to say "I liked it." So, as someone who did not like it, my contribution here will be to help those of you who may find yourself similarly inclined to realize that this movie may just not be for you, or at least to encourage you to rent it first. This will not be a diatribe. This movie was not truly offensive, at least not, let's say, in the way "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" might be offensive. It is not poorly acted or cast, having excellent performances that one can only imagine capture the essence of the characters portrayed very well (it is entertaining though to muse for just a moment that perhaps Pekar is a character of his own invention, a well concocted ruse deliberately intended to appeal to a particular group of viewers). It is not a low-budget, poorly composed, poorly directed or edited movie and displays production values in keeping with the most expensive Hollywood productions. So why not recommend it? American Splendor gives us a "day in the life" view of a character that some of us may find amusing or even appealing, but others may find simply boring or even loathsome. Pekar himself appears to be a man in search of a lack of meaning in life, the kind of person who goes through all things with his eyes firmly routed on the sidewalk. While being pitiful in his own way, Pekar is not an underdog. He does not inspire hope or create any feelings of pathos or empathy, and instead seems to simply wallow in self-pity. There is no deep underlying message here (not a requirement, but something you often see in a movie like this... something to justify watching it). Pekar continually mopes through life, ignoring everything uplifting and hopeful around him. There is no contrast here, no change, no growth, no moving on... . There is just Pekar, living his life as if doing so in and of itself were enough. For me, therefore, this movie was an excellent portrayal of an unchanging and one-dimensional life. I got that point in the first 15 minutes. I guess that to say this movie was not offensive is only half true, it did offend me on some level. I myself came from poverty at the "hunger and malnourishment" level, as well as having physical challenges well beyond any Pekar seems to face in the movie, yet I have scrabbled my way up day by day, taking every opportunity I could to find a better life. Further, I have rejoiced in every aspect of that life, from the warmth of a sunny day to each paycheck I earn to the wonderful people I have in my life. My perspective, therefore, may differ from those who look at Pekar and his existance and find it in some way unique. It is not. Pekar's circumstances and unfortunate lot in life are not unusual in any way and may actually be better than some (at least he _has_ a job). I only point these things out, again, to help others who may find themselves of a similar mind to my own, to at least consider renting this before they buy it. I did and I'm glad. I had really thought I should buy this, but I actually could not make it to the very end, it just seemed like such a waste of time. Sorry to be so opposed to the positive viewpoints of others expressed here. Again, I hope this is helpful to the few who may find this kind of story unrewarding. If you are quite familiar with squalor, poverty, oppression and all that and if you strive every day to overcome these challenges, especially if you welcome them and feel bettered by the opportunity to face them and overcome them... this just may not be quite the movie for you. P.S.: For the best story of an anti-hero ever written, if that's what you're seeking here, check out "Lord Foul's Bane" which I hope will make it to film someday soon (imagine a leper as a hero... !).
Rating:
Summary: An excellent comic book adaptation a la Ghost World.
Review: Harvey Pekar's comic book, American Splendor pioneered a new genre: the autobiographical comic book. At first glance, the everyday events of a file clerk from Cleveland seem hardly the material for an interesting film. Fortunately, filmmakers Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman are able to take what was funny, heart-breaking and fascinating about Pekar's life and successfully adapt from the panels on the page to the big screen. Like Ghost World , American Splendor champions outsiders who don't fit in with mainstream society. In a nice touch, a mini-comic book comes with the DVD that briefly chronicles Pekar's experience with having his comic book adapted into a movie. The disc itself features an engaging audio commentary with the real Harvey Pekar, his wife Joyce, their daughter Danielle, his friend Toby Radloff, filmmakers Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman, and actor Paul Giamatti. Everyone has a lot of fun on this track as they joke and reminiscence about the film and their experiences. "Road to Splendor" is a brief update on what Harvey has been up to since the film was made. The song, "American Splendor," by Eytan Mirsky that was featured in the movie can be listened to in its entirety. His vocals sound uncannily like Evan Dando from the Lemonheads. Finally, there is a theatrical trailer for the movie. American Splendor has the same ironic sense of humour and melancholy as Ghost World, another excellent cinematic adaptation of an independent comic book. American Splendor stays true to Pekar's vision-it refuses to sentimentalize his life, even at the film's emotional conclusion which is genuinely moving. It is one of the finest comic book adaptations ever put on film because it remains true to its source material and wisely involves its creator in the process of transferring his story from the page to the screen.
Rating:
Summary: Not a Many-Splendored Thing
Review: I got suckered into renting this film after reading the critical acclaim it received: won Sundance, received 5 independent spirit awards, on 200 critics' top ten lists. After watching this yesterday, I have no idea why any such praise was bestowed on this film, which is mediocre at best. The film is virtually plotless, jumping around to high and low points of Pekar's life, none of which I found particularly interesting or compelling. The film, like Pekar's comics, focuses on the mundane, the everyday life of everyday people. That's the underlying point of the film and I know that, but it didn't make either my wife or me enjoy the film. Equally irritating was the insertion of autobiographical commentary by the actual participants. Again, I realize that this is an intentional device used by the filmmakers as part of the blurring of the line between the fictionalized reality Pekar wrote about and the reality he lived. Unfortunately, none of it made me care a whit for these sad, hopeless characters living in squalorous circumstances largely of their own construction. The only compliment I can bestow upon the film is that it was generally well cast. Paul Giamatti makes a good Pekar, Hope Davis is a dead ringer for a younger version of Pekar's wife, and the actor portraying Pekar's nerdy friend is almost indistinguishable from the real Toby Radloff. In fact, this character, and to a certain extent, Hope Davis' "planning to be ill" hypochondriac are the only two characters that are of any interest in the film, and even their quirkiness quickly becomes tiresome. Some people will say that I missed the point of the film in this review. I would respond that I saw the message that the filmmakers were trying to convey, but frankly, I just didn't care. If I want mundane details of life, I will look at the lives of the people around me, not to a supposedly "great" film. In short, I was very disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A fine film for the "Art House" crowd.
Review: There are "movies," the majority of which are churned out, predictable Hollywood slop. Then there are "films," most of which garner Academy Award nominations. Then there is what is known as "cinema," which consists mostly of independent releases. This DVD falls into the the third category, and should appeal to those who appreciate the craft of original filmmaking. While I certainly don't go out of my way to see any type exclusively, it does help to have a new approach to what a movie can be. This story is fresh and alive, though oftentimes bitter and depressing, it is nonetheless realistic and noteworthy. Anyway, this movie isn't for the masses. It's for viewers who want to see something new and pulsing with life. I can certainly understand why most people will think this movie is at best, strange; at worst, simply stupid. But for what it's worth, I enjoyed it for the fact that I can't think of another film in recent memory that resembles it in any way. For that reason alone, I would watch this again. That, and Paul Giamatti, usually a character actor in lame comedy fare, is completely dead-on in his portrayal of Harvey Pekar. It's an amazing performance.
Rating:
Summary: Oscar worthy!
Review: Finally a film for smart people. Best film of the year, hands down. Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis are brilliant.
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