"Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff," says Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar. Pekar goes on to be a pioneer in comic books by basing his writing on just that premise. In this case, an ordinary life has been transformed into extraordinary cinema. While most comic books are based on superheroes or far-fetched situations; Pekar decides to write about his seemingly simple, boring life. His constant scowl and hunched back reveal a pathetic, lonely character who is used to being shat on. Even with his misanthropic attitude, it's easy to feel sorry for him.
When we first meet Pekar, he is a file clerk at a VA hospital in Cleveland working on his second divorce. His voice is practically gone from arguing with his wife way too much. One day he comes home to find her packing and getting ready to leave him. He tries to beg her to stay but his voice is so squeaky and inaudible that she gets frustrated and abruptly walks out the door. It is a heartbreaking scene to watch. From the beginning, it is apparent that this man's story will be filled with constant struggle. He isn't always fighting an uphill battle; he simply struggles to get through everyday life. When Harvey teams up with Bob Crumb (subject of Terry Zwigoff's documentary "Crumb") and he agrees to illustrate his stories, Harvey's life takes a new turn.
When his comic book, "American Splendor," becomes a cult sensation, Harvey still keeps his day job -- of course he has to because his writing is based on just that. When one of his biggest fans, Joyce (Hope Davis), decides to start writing him, Harvey gladly responds and the two begin a long correspondance that continues over the phone. Harvey sees an oppurtunity to cure his desperation. Davis and Giamatti have great screen chemistry, not the typical cutesy type of chemistry found in Hollywood movies.
By cutting away to documentary footage of the real couple, we see how well the actors have captured their relationship. They don't get together because they are soulmates, rather they both seem be misfits. Though it is not a sappy love story, it is oddly affecting and romantic. I am definitely not a sucker for romance in films. However, relationships like this one, based on mutual dysfunction, always bring a smile to my face.
In an interesting technique, using the format of a comic book, we are sometimes able to view the characters direct thoughts, these reveal more than they would admit to anyone else. The people in "American Splendor" are all in search of a cure for their loneliness, even though they seem disenchanted with everyone else. In an amazing feat, the film seamlessly interweaves the adaptation (with actors playing the roles), documentary footage of the actual people, and the comic book. The comic book characters, actors, and real chacaters all interact as well. It is one the most unique films in recent memory not just because of its characters but also its manipulation of the medium of film.
