The Mundane is Splendid in American Splendor
Written: Nov 10 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Davis, Giamatti, unusual, very funny, unique characters
Cons: some might not like structure
The Bottom Line: The bottom line is a self-diagnosed anemic. Its husband has delusions of grandeur that actually come true.
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| beckytcy's Full Review: American Splendor |
Before Seinfeld was a show about nothing, American Splendor was a comic book with the same subject matter. While most people want to read comic books about super heroes, aliens, or extreme violence, Harvey Pekar decides that “ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.” By simply listening and watching people at work and in daily interactions, Harvey makes observations that are simultaneously mundane and profound.
Harvey works as a file clerk in a Cleveland hospital, a post that could bore anyone to death. For fun, he goes to yard sales and collects obscure records and comic books. His wife leaves him, declaring that she has had enough with his “plebeian” ways. Harvey is miserable and incredibly lonely until he meets Robert Crumb, a now legendary artist. Inspired by Crumb, Harvey begins to write about his life in comic strip form to emotionally distance himself from the pain of his every day existence. Harvey’s Zen-like words plus Crumb’s brilliant illustrations save Harvey’s life and turn him into a cult hero.
However, American Splendor shows us that there is a fine line between hero worship and mockery. Most superheroes are freaks. They can perform incredible feats of bravery, but they rarely fit into social situations. While Harvey’s comics benefit himself by providing him with a hobby and a distraction from his bland life, the media ends up using him as a kind of circus sideshow. David Letterman (the film uses archived footage) has Harvey on his show one night to promote Harvey’s new comic book. Harvey’s lack of polish and social graces and grumpy demeanor are a huge hit with the audience, and Harvey becomes a regular feature of the show, along with “Stupid Pet Tricks.”
Similarly, Harvey’s coworker Toby, who is probably somewhere on the autism continuum, is discovered by 㣴s era MTV and exploited in network promos. Toby, who lives with his grandmother and calls himself a “genuine nerd,” analyzes the flavors of jellybeans and sits in his backyard wearing silly, giant glasses to celebrate Spring Break. While his behavior and bizarre mannerisms got the biggest laughs from the audience where I saw this film, it also made us feel uncomfortable that we were contributing to this mocking voyeurism. Everyone has something wrong with them, but they love to criticize others.
Appreciating the little things in life is what gets us through. At the beginning of Harvey’s comic book career, we see him in the supermarket, trying to decide which checkout line to enter. Even though he’s taking a “gamble” by getting behind an old Jewish lady, he chooses the shortest line and gets burned when she starts haggling over coupons. For the first time, we see Harvey’s thoughts in bubbles above his head. Paul Giamatti’s facial expressions in this and all scenes in the film are priceless.
Harvey’s comic books eventually land him a wife. Joyce Brabner (Hope Davis) writes a letter to Harvey when the last issue of American Splendor sells out at her comic book store in Delaware. When the two of them meet in Cleveland, Harvey takes Joyce to a cheerful, family restaurant. Never has awkwardness been portrayed so accurately on the big screen. It is immediately apparent that Joyce and Harvey are hopelessly out of place but perfect for each other. They get married a week later when Joyce decides that she has no problem moving to Cleveland, saying, “I find all American cities depressing in the same way.” Davis, in huge glasses and a black wig, is fantastic in this role.
The structure of this film is very unusual but works wonderfully. Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini intersperse archived footage of the real Harvey, acted scenes with Giamatti et. al, and interview segments with the modern day Harvey, Joyce, and Toby. The portrayal of Toby is frighteningly accurate, while Giamatti’s Harvey seems a bit more morose than the sparkly-eyed reality Harvey. Adding yet another level of self-referentiality, we see the fake Harvey and Joyce watching a play about their lives (with Molly Shannon and Donal Logue), a bizarre and fascinating twist. The real Harvey comments that it will be even more bizarre to see his life story on the big screen.
The film threatens to become slow and sappy near the end, but, overall, American Splendor is refreshingly real. It's bleak without being depressing and ordinary without being boring.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
beckytcy
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Member: Becky
Location: Boston
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