Before viewing this movie I was unaware of the phenomenon that is Harvey Pecar. Afterwards the man gained an admirer.
Faith brought me to Cleveland Ohio that summer. And I even more experienced a bond between me and Harvey Pecar, being in the city he lives in and writes about, and reading some copies of American Splendor I purchased at a local bookstore.
For who is'nt familiar with American Splendor; it is a monthly comic written by Harvey Pecar about his own life and illustrated by several artists.
The movie tells the story of creating that comic and in particular the one about Harvey and his wife having to deal with his cancer: 'Our year of cancer'.
As said before American Splendor (the comic) is about Harvey Pecar's personal life. The movie is consequently as well. Funny aspect of the movie is that the real people also apear. Harvey does a voice over and his wife and colleauge are also present. This way you can compare the film with ordinary life. And that is what American Splendor is all about. As the tagline says: ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.
Harvey is played by Paul Giamatti, who does a fine job. It's not so much the physical likeness that is well caught, but more the psychological characteristics he exhibits.
James Urbaniak plays Robert Crumb, the underground comic artist who drew the first American Splendor, being a friend of Harvey's. More artist where to follow. One of them left his daughter Danielle with Harvey and his wife Joyce Barber. Harvey himself had a vasectomy, as he romanticly states meeting his wife for the first time.
Also a nice character is Toby Radloff, very well played by Judah Friedlander. Toby is Harvey's fellow worker in the hospital. At a certain point Toby has a show on MTV and Harvey realises that real people like him and Toby are being used by the media as entertainment. His performance on Letterman, that became famous around the world, is also a statement that underlines his view on the media and the way they portrait regular people.
But not only do I agree with Harvey on political and social matters like that, I even more so love the subtle humour and recognizability, the moment you become part of his thoughts about himself. After raving about 'Revenge of the nerds' to Toby, he realizes that he is more mad at himself.
I can very much relate to that way of thinking. It's very honest and treu. It's real.