This downbeat, yet brilliantly captivating biographic film came winging its way over to the cinema fairly recently. The real-life story is about a certain Harvey Pekar (played by Paul Giamatti), who was someone who I must confess I knew nothing about. By the end of the movie I wanted to know more about him and his work.
For those who do not already know Harvey Pekar is the mind behind the “American Splendor” comic series. This apparently came out in the seventies during a time when comics were normally of the fantasy, or super-hero variety. American Splendor brought humour down to a real life level, reducing every day occurrences to their most wry and base level. Narrated by the real Harvey Pekar the film rapidly transports us through Harvey’s disappointing childhood, into his disappointing adulthood. Where, whilst working in lightless office as a clerk in a hospital, he starts storyboarding the American Splendor comics. With the help of talented illustrators the publication becomes a cult classic, elevating Harvey to minor celebrity status, but ironically not transforming his day-to-day existence.
The thing that stunned me the most about this film was its construction and imagery. We, as film viewers, are used to seeing either actors or the subjects themselves portraying the real life events on the screen. However this film had both actors and the people! This was a nice step and well executed, we see scenes where the actors are watching the real people with interest from the background, obviously picking up tips from their behaviour. The most impressive piece of construction was when Giamatti appears in a scene – waiting to appear as Harvey – on the Letterman show. He is in the back room waiting to go on, in the room there is a monitor with the real footage of the Letterman show. Giamatti leaves the room, the camera pans and tracks to view the monitor and we see the real Harvey Pikar walk onto the show. Brilliant. This knocked my previous favourite piece of film construction, the “funky town” cut in “The Kid’s in the Hall’s” film “Brain Candy”, into second place. American Splendor is filled with style like this.
Obviously things in Harvey’s life were quite rough, we are carried through his cancer treatment delicately. We see the promise of a better life, which Harvey never seems to reach. However you know that he’s not really trying, he would just be disappointed if he moved on!
This is a really good film that does not shove its message down your throat, and treats the peculiar cast of characters with sympathy. Directors Shari Springer Berman, and Robert Pulcini, should be congratulated. I look forward to their next work be it together or separately.
***** (out of 5)
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