American Splendor

HBO films presents a Fine Line Feature film

Starring: Paul Giamatti James Urbaniak Hope Davis

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

Rating:***** (This is one the best movie of the year, and I mean it)

Plot: Part movie and part documentary we watch as Harvey Pekar goes through life working a regular job and just is annoyed at society around him(who isn't?). So he made a comic book on his life as a daily ordinary hero. One of the most brilliant movies in a while ensues.

Acting: Paul Giamatti who has been in small parts in a lot of movies so many I can't even list. He just has the most brilliant timing in this movie. Like its 2 in the morning so its hard for me to explain but oh my god this is one of the best performances in the last couple years. You can tell since we see the real Harvey Pekar on screen and how Giamatti just is so like him its great. Alright so yes Giamatti deserves actor of the year at the Academy this year, will he get it? Probably not knowing the Academy. If you don't know who Robert Crumb is then too bad for you, but he was an under ground comic book artist. Great man and James Urbaniak does one hell of a great job portraying him. Hope Davis plays  Joyce Brabmer Pekar's wife. She is also great and kind of annoying which I think is the point. Great performance all around. Which is rare for any movie.

Directing/Writing: This movie is perfect in every detail opening credits to the ending credits its just brilliant shit, I was amazed. This is in a way a comic book movie, it opens with Pekar as a kid with comic book captions everywhere as Pekar's life is explained through a voice over. One of the greatest openings I have ever seen in my life!!! Every scene in this movie captures your eyes and you never want it to end because its amazing that a regular guys life is one of the most interesting things to watch. I personally love how to movie goes in and out so half is a documentary and the other is a movie, perfect. To sum it up this movie is perfect.

Overall: Great movie, one of the greater movies I've seen in a while. It is in the top ten of my personal best movies ever made list. So yeah go and see it. Actually what are you doing sitting at your computer!!! You should be seeing it right now!!! Schmuck.