2008 Woodie Awards
'American Splendor' melds movie, comic-book worlds
Doug Rutsch--The California Aggie (U. California-Davis)
Issue date: 9/8/03 Section: Campus Life
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(U-WIRE) DAVIS, Calif. - There's a big market for comic book movies. Superman and Batman are already silver-screen regulars, and now Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk and Daredevil have been added to the fold.
But there's a different kind of comic book flick, like Daniel Clowes' exceptional release "Ghost World." "Ghost World," which started many wonderful things, also begat "American Splendor," based on Harvey Pekar's comic of the same name. The film is a four-dimensional foray into the mind of Pekar, focusing on his story and how he got into the comic business, but also bringing the real Pekar in to do a short, off-the-cuff interview.
That's confusing, so let me try to clarify. For 90 percent of the film, Harvey Pekar is played by Paul Giamatti, the moderately famous comedic actor who revels in weird roles in which he plays a shady short person. Giamatti acts his way through Pekar's maturation -- when he first writes his comic strip, gets a job, meets his wife, deals with testicular cancer, and argues tumultuously with David Letterman.
Then, when everything seems normal and upfront, American Splendor throws a curveball by mixing in scenes of an interview with the real Harvey Pekar and his wife. These parts include the hilarious banter between the real version of Pekar's friend Toby Radloff (who speaks in an almost inhumanely perfect manner, over-enunciating every single syllable) and the actor trying to perfect his style.
The film combines an amazing amount of styles and focuses -- at one moment, it's an interesting insight into the world of comic book collectors, then it's a brilliant, Coen-brothers-quality comedy, then it's a touching look at Pekar getting through his life. Although the rapid changes of focus can be confusing, and the film is definitely not easy to absorb, there's a captivatingly enduring honesty to it.
The goal of "American Splendor" is to the get the audience to empathize with Pekar -- his scratchy voice, his misfortunes. But unlike some films, it avoids going over the top by making him seem like a hero. "American Splendor" simply presents his life and allows the viewers to make their own decisions. At times, Pekar comes off as rude or annoying; other times, simply a solitary person in a world far too large.
Then it flips on its axis and becomes an upbeat comedy. The first time Pekar meets his wife-to-be, she's just a fan who lives nearby, and the first thing he says to her is "I had a vasectomy." Nothing feels like a joke -- even with a setup and a punch line, it's just an unusual world.
The only down part in the movie is that, even at just 100 minutes, it feels like the last 15 are unnecessary. It is perhaps inconsiderate to say that Pekar's battle with testicular cancer is boring and not entertaining enough to fit with the rest of the movie, but honestly, it is.
Despite its mild shortcomings, "American Splendor" provides entertainment for a crowd much bigger than fans of the comic. Like many great movies, it's not wildly entertaining, not the product of a big name actor and a powerful score -- the film works because it is unfailingly honest. Although not as good as "Ghost World," "American Splendor" remains a delightful film.
But there's a different kind of comic book flick, like Daniel Clowes' exceptional release "Ghost World." "Ghost World," which started many wonderful things, also begat "American Splendor," based on Harvey Pekar's comic of the same name. The film is a four-dimensional foray into the mind of Pekar, focusing on his story and how he got into the comic business, but also bringing the real Pekar in to do a short, off-the-cuff interview.
That's confusing, so let me try to clarify. For 90 percent of the film, Harvey Pekar is played by Paul Giamatti, the moderately famous comedic actor who revels in weird roles in which he plays a shady short person. Giamatti acts his way through Pekar's maturation -- when he first writes his comic strip, gets a job, meets his wife, deals with testicular cancer, and argues tumultuously with David Letterman.
Then, when everything seems normal and upfront, American Splendor throws a curveball by mixing in scenes of an interview with the real Harvey Pekar and his wife. These parts include the hilarious banter between the real version of Pekar's friend Toby Radloff (who speaks in an almost inhumanely perfect manner, over-enunciating every single syllable) and the actor trying to perfect his style.
The film combines an amazing amount of styles and focuses -- at one moment, it's an interesting insight into the world of comic book collectors, then it's a brilliant, Coen-brothers-quality comedy, then it's a touching look at Pekar getting through his life. Although the rapid changes of focus can be confusing, and the film is definitely not easy to absorb, there's a captivatingly enduring honesty to it.
The goal of "American Splendor" is to the get the audience to empathize with Pekar -- his scratchy voice, his misfortunes. But unlike some films, it avoids going over the top by making him seem like a hero. "American Splendor" simply presents his life and allows the viewers to make their own decisions. At times, Pekar comes off as rude or annoying; other times, simply a solitary person in a world far too large.
Then it flips on its axis and becomes an upbeat comedy. The first time Pekar meets his wife-to-be, she's just a fan who lives nearby, and the first thing he says to her is "I had a vasectomy." Nothing feels like a joke -- even with a setup and a punch line, it's just an unusual world.
The only down part in the movie is that, even at just 100 minutes, it feels like the last 15 are unnecessary. It is perhaps inconsiderate to say that Pekar's battle with testicular cancer is boring and not entertaining enough to fit with the rest of the movie, but honestly, it is.
Despite its mild shortcomings, "American Splendor" provides entertainment for a crowd much bigger than fans of the comic. Like many great movies, it's not wildly entertaining, not the product of a big name actor and a powerful score -- the film works because it is unfailingly honest. Although not as good as "Ghost World," "American Splendor" remains a delightful film.