American Splendor

2003
R
1h 41m

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

53K

YOUR RATING

Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)

Play trailer2:20

2 Videos

72 Photos

Biography Comedy Drama

An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

53K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 31 wins & 50 nominations total

Trivia
NBC would not lease out the actual Late Show with David Letterman (1993) footage where Harvey Pekar finally lashed out at David Letterman, so the scene had to be recreated with actors.

Goofs
The scene where Harvey gets stuck behind the old Jewish woman leaves out a detail that would help it make sense.

In the movie, she says that the glasses are 6 for $2, but she couldn't carry 12 last time,, so they should charge her only $1.50 for the additional 6. There is no explanation as to why she should be charged less.

In the story from the original comic, she says that the glasses are 6 for $2 or 12 for $3.50, but she couldn't get all 12 last time, so they should charge her only $1.50 for the 6 she is buying now.

Quotes
Real Harvey: I felt more alone that week than any. Sometimes I'd feel a body lying next to me like an amputee feels a phantom limb. All I did was think about Jennie Gerhardt and Alice Quinn and all the decades of people I had known. The more I thought, the more I felt like crying. Life seemed so sweet and so sad, and so hard to let go of in the end. But hey, man, every day is a brand new deal, right? Just keep on working and something's bound to turn up.

Crazy credits
The opening credits are displayed in the style of Harvey Pekar styled comic book panels.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Le Divorce/The Housekeeper/American Splendor/Open Range (2003)

Soundtracks
Paniots Nine
Written by Peter Dolger
Performed by Joe Maneri
Courtesy of Avant Records

User reviews236

Review

Featured review

5/10

I didn't like it

This has to be #1 on my list of movies whose popularity I don't understand. It's occasionally humorous, but the story isn't very interesting or insightful. It's the biopic of a comic book writer (not artist) who, despite his success, worked as a file clerk most of his life. I like the idea of a biopic about an ordinary guy, but I didn't find Harvey Pekar's life especially interesting. My life deserves a movie more than this guy's. The worst part of it is that I found Pekar's own work trite and uninsightful. Have you ever heard the one about the old Jewish lady arguing with the cashier at the super market? Of course you have. You've heard it from any number of stand-ups in your life. But you've never heard it as unfunny as when Harvey Pekar tells the story. I liked the acting, especially Hope Davis, who plays Pekar's third wife. I love Pekar's co-worker who is obsessed with Revenge of the Nerds. And I did think that climactic speech about Pekar's phone book namesakes. That's the only time where I felt the film found any depth in its material. Otherwise, I thought American Splendor was kind of lame. 5/10.