Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
One of the most acclaimed films of 2003, American Splendor is also one of the most audaciously creative biographical movies ever made. Blending fact, fiction and personal perspective from the comic books that inspired it, this marvellous portrait of Harvey Pekar--scowling curmudgeon, brow-beaten everyman, insightful chronicler of his own life, and frustrated file clerk at a Cleveland VA hospital--is an inspired amalgam of the media (comic books, TV, and film) that lifted Pekar from obscurity to the status of a pop-cultural icon. As played by Paul Giamatti in a master-stroke of casting, we see Pekar and his understanding wife (played by Hope Davis) as underdogs in a world full of obstacles, yet also infused with subtle hope and (gasp) heartwarming perseverance. We also see the real Pekar and this multi-faceted commingling of "reel" and "real" turns American Splendor into a uniquely cinematic celebration of Pekar's life and, by extension, the tenacity of an unlikely American hero. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I loved it, showed it to my friends, who also loved it, and then read the comics, which has led me to a whole new genre of good quality writing; on both the ills and highlights of real life. It also includes a healthy dose of sarcasm and to those Brits who say that the Americans lack a sarcastic side, please watch Pekar to prove you utterly wrong.
For those who know the comics, this movie includes Harvey Pekar in the movie and he is even funnier on film than he is in comic-book form. He is ALSO played by Paul Giamatti who seems to have been honing his skills playing a depressive, which he expertly reprises in Sideways. Although I think that Giamatti is actually better in Splendor than he is in Sideways and for those of you who haven't seen him in Duets, I urge you to see it as it is his best role in any movie. If anyone deserves an Oscar, this guy does!
The film covers most of Harvey Pekar's life up until the movie and thus covers highlights of his comic's many years. I feel that it show's the man that I wished Pekar to be and by including interviews with both him and Joyce during the movie (and in the extra's) I hope it at least gave Pekar a voice. Although whether we see the real man is impossible to know as so much is always left out in a 2hr movie.
Overall, the movie made me laugh and is weird enough to be genuinely innovative, especially the comic book format that begins the film, which is so much more effective than the comic-book style used in Ang Lee's "The Hulk".
Here's hoping this movie (and Pekar's comic books) get a wide audience, because they deserve one!
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By moonmoth
Format:DVD
I can't believe that there have been no reviews so far for this excellent movie. Its so audacious in places that I couldn't believe they could get away with it. One scene has the the real life Harvey Pekar and his wife watching the actors playing them watching a dramatised version of his life where other actors play actors playing them. Phew! You don't have to be a comic book fan to watch this and you don't need to be a fan of Harvey Pekars comic books which I confess I've never read. The success of his comic is based I think on his common appeal. Its precisely this appeal that makes American Splendour - the movie, appealing in its own way. Far from being depressing its uplifting,funny and moving and what else can you ask for in a movie?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly unique, and fun, combination of dramatization and documentary
15 Jun 2012
By K. Gordon
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
The true story of Harvey Pekar, a misanthropic file clerk and comic
book fan, who met Robert Crumb, and had the brilliant idea to turn his
everyday trials and tribulations into a comic book. Sort of everyman as
superman.
The film has Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis (both uncanny and terrific)
playing the real life Harvey and his off-beat mate, while occasionally
the real Harvey comments on it all ('this guy you got playin' me...')
either in narration, or on camera in a kind of white room limbo set.
So, like the comic, the film plays with levels of reality, but goes it
one better. There's the real Harvey, his lightly fictionalized
counter-part from the cartoons, and the two actors, who seem to be
playing a combination of both real and comic book creation.
Its all wonderfully playful and funny but still has room to be quite
touching and human on occasion, and raises all sorts of interesting
questions about what is 'truth' in storytelling and in life - what is a
'documentary'?, Are our own accounts of lives 'true?
It's a house of mirrors that leaves you smiling, thoughtful and touched
at the dignity and insight of 'normal' people - which seems to be a big
part of Pekar's seemingly grumpy argument. A lovely film with humor,
heart and art that goes out and creates its own rules.
book fan, who met Robert Crumb, and had the brilliant idea to turn his
everyday trials and tribulations into a comic book. Sort of everyman as
superman.
The film has Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis (both uncanny and terrific)
playing the real life Harvey and his off-beat mate, while occasionally
the real Harvey comments on it all ('this guy you got playin' me...')
either in narration, or on camera in a kind of white room limbo set.
So, like the comic, the film plays with levels of reality, but goes it
one better. There's the real Harvey, his lightly fictionalized
counter-part from the cartoons, and the two actors, who seem to be
playing a combination of both real and comic book creation.
Its all wonderfully playful and funny but still has room to be quite
touching and human on occasion, and raises all sorts of interesting
questions about what is 'truth' in storytelling and in life - what is a
'documentary'?, Are our own accounts of lives 'true?
It's a house of mirrors that leaves you smiling, thoughtful and touched
at the dignity and insight of 'normal' people - which seems to be a big
part of Pekar's seemingly grumpy argument. A lovely film with humor,
heart and art that goes out and creates its own rules.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 132 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow!
I didn't know what to expect from this film. Being English I wasn't aware of Harvey Pekar or his comics. I was sold on it's iMDB rating and the fact that Paul Giamatti stars in it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. T. Ford
4.0 out of 5 stars
Really funny film
Had no idea what to expect from the film but was very glad I bought it:offbeat, funny and humane. It showed a side to American social life that I hadn't seen depicted much before:... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dave Bee
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Splendour of Banality. Or something like that
Based on the life of Harvey Pekar, American Splendour is an extremely unorthodox film about an extremely unorthodox person. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Gigoer
5.0 out of 5 stars
original, funny, banal, pathetic, and uplifting
I was given a copy of Pekar's first anthology in 1985, and I read it so many times I practically memorized it. Read more
Published 20 months ago by rob crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic but sadly overlooked. Buy, steal or hire it.
I am a avid comics fan but have never been into the alternative underground comiz fad. I knew of Harvey Peckar and had seen his drawings but they didn't appeal. Read more
Published on 27 July 2008 by Graham
4.0 out of 5 stars
Drugs could help do you think
They pulled of an almost challenge; to make a fascinating film about a terminally boring individual. Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2007 by Jay Zee
5.0 out of 5 stars
A quirky film with many, many rewards
This film tells the tale of Harvey Pekar, a man disgruntled with the world around him and with unique voice for storytelling, which was put to bizarre use through the chance... Read more
Published on 15 May 2007 by Thomas Hugh
4.0 out of 5 stars
good movie
I loved this movie and didnt know much about the comic. It was really cool, funny and moving
Published on 16 Aug 2005 by Russell LEAK
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting and funny film!
Paul Giamatti is really really good in this film! He nails the part right on; it's a great story, and the film is really funny. Read more
Published on 19 April 2005 by "averisa"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spledid biopic
2004 hit the ground running with this inspired biography that says turn to these comics for a taste of real American life and goes on to define just what's real. Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2004 by Stephen Newton
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
