American Splendor (2003) More at IMDbPro »

-Can't explain it but America seems to be fixated on watching other people's life. be it the MTV smash "Real World" or the video game "the Sims" and now comic books. Pretty soon someone will release a CD featuring the sounds they make as they move on with their everyday life.

-In what can be called one of the best biopics around American Splendor is adaptation of the underground comic hit of the same name. It chronicles the life of Harvey Pekar, *who is played to perfection by Paul Giamatti* an everyday man whose life has been turned into a comic. he is a very frugal man, works the same job day in day out, and is happy with any girl that he gets be it she's his type or not. he is not happy with his physique and refers to it as a reliable disappointment. As the movie begins his 2nd wife is leaving him, he has lost his voice and he has a very healthy obsession with jazz records. He meets a man at a yard sale who he later on convinces to publish his comic book. He agrees and the comic becomes a smash. he becomes a celebrity in his own right and meets his 3rd wife through that process. He appears on Dave Letterman and has merchandise from his comic. The movie is told with great visual style where sometimes we see the real Pekar next to Giamatti and sometimes we see it as a comic strip. All this takes the movie from great to perfect. The beautiful Hope Davis also does a great job of playing Pekar's wife who stays with him throughout all his trials. It's weird but no matter what Hope Davis does or looks like she always manages to look beautiful

-With great acting, great story, and downright enjoyable experience "American Splendor" is an American masterpiece