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IMDbPro

American Splendor

  • 20032003
  • RR
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
50K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,859
937
Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
Home Video Trailer from HBO Home Video
Play trailer2:20
2 Videos
73 Photos
BiographyComedyDrama
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.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
50K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,859
937
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Directors
      • Shari Springer Berman
      • Robert Pulcini
    • Writers
      • Harvey Pekar(comic book series American Splendor)
      • Joyce Brabner(comic book series Our Cancer Year)
      • Shari Springer Berman
    • Stars
      • Paul Giamatti
      • Shari Springer Berman(voice)
      • Harvey Pekar
    Top credits
    • Directors
      • Shari Springer Berman
      • Robert Pulcini
    • Writers
      • Harvey Pekar(comic book series American Splendor)
      • Joyce Brabner(comic book series Our Cancer Year)
      • Shari Springer Berman
    • Stars
      • Paul Giamatti
      • Shari Springer Berman(voice)
      • Harvey Pekar
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 234User reviews
    • 193Critic reviews
    • 90Metascore
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 31 wins & 50 nominations total

    Videos2

    American Splendor
    Trailer 2:20
    American Splendor
    American Splendor
    Trailer 2:25
    American Splendor

    Photos73

    Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
    Hope Davis in American Splendor (2003)
    Hope Davis and Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
    Harvey Pekar in American Splendor (2003)
    Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner in American Splendor (2003)
    Judah Friedlander and Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
    Paul Giamatti and Sylvia Kauders in American Splendor (2003)
    Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
    Judah Friedlander and Paul Giamatti in American Splendor (2003)
    Judah Friedlander, Paul Giamatti, Harvey Pekar, and Toby Radloff in American Splendor (2003)
    Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner at an event for American Splendor (2003)
    Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner at an event for American Splendor (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Giamatti
    Paul Giamatti
    • Harvey Pekar
    Shari Springer Berman
    Shari Springer Berman
    • Interviewer
    • (voice)
    Harvey Pekar
    Harvey Pekar
    • Real Harvey
    Chris Ambrose
    • Superman
    Joey Krajcar
    • Batman
    Josh Hutcherson
    Josh Hutcherson
    • Robin
    Cameron Carter
    • Green Lantern
    Daniel Tay
    • Young Harvey
    Mary Faktor
    Mary Faktor
    • Housewife
    Larry John Meyers
    • Throat Doctor
    • (as Larry John Myers)
    Vivienne Benesch
    • Lana
    Barbara Brown
    Barbara Brown
    • Nurse
    Earl Billings
    Earl Billings
    • Mr. Boats
    Danny Hoch
    Danny Hoch
    • Marty
    James Urbaniak
    James Urbaniak
    • Robert Crumb
    Eli Ganias
    • Pahls
    Sylvia Kauders
    Sylvia Kauders
    • Old Jewish Lady
    Rebecca Borger
    • Cashier
    • Directors
      • Shari Springer Berman
      • Robert Pulcini
    • Writers
      • Harvey Pekar(comic book series American Splendor)
      • Joyce Brabner(comic book series Our Cancer Year)
      • Shari Springer Berman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    7.6
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: 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 reviews234

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    A down to earth character driven film that benefits from its colourful characters and clever use of the real people themselves
    Harvey Pekar is a filing clerk at his local hospital; he is miserable; he is on his way out of a second terrible marriage and his only interests are collecting second hand records, reading and listening to jazz. However a chance meeting with aspiring cartoonist Robert Crumb turns him on to the ability of comic books as an art form. Crumbs later success inspires Harvey to write a different type of comic – one based on his own life, chronicling the dreary and absurd moments of his days and life. As his down to earth portrayal of working class reality starts to generate a cult following, Harvey finds a new wife and greater fame – but actual happiness? Well, that's a different story.

    I have never read any of Pekar's comics and, to be honest, have little interest in the world of comics because I am consistently put off by the price of them for what you get (I'm a Batman fan but local prices for very thin comics are too high for me to start it as a habit). Despite this I was attracted to this film by it being different and offering me an interesting choice of leading man in Giamatti, but, given the very non-blockbuster appeal of the film, it was barely had any time in my local cinema and I missed it there and had to catch it on DVD. When I sat to watch it I was immediately taken in by the design of the film – the comic book opening and, more importantly, the narration and candid footage of the real Pekar (and others). This gives the film a much more interesting appeal because, although we don't know him, we get the total feeling that this is a real person we are seeing – and indeed he is.

    Not having read the comic itself I can only go off what the film and other reviewers have told me they are like and, from that understanding, I feel that the film is stronger for having basically the same strengths as the comic. That is to say, it is very down to earth and gritty, without sparkling scenes or flowery dialogue but with a simple wit to the weird collection of characters. This warts and all presentation is moved forward by a pretty good narration from Pekar but the ultimate strength of the film is its collection of characters – like the comic, they are the story of Pekar's life and they are the heart of the film. It is hard to describe but the collection of bitterness, psychosis's, nerds and other weirdoes makes for a good film that is interesting, humorous and, most effectively, true.

    Giamatti is not leading man material but here he shows that he is more that the comic relief and he delivers a really good performance throughout – not even letting the presence of the real Pekar put him off his stride. Pekar himself is also good – very easy to listen to but also unhappy and not the sort of person you talk to at work. The support cast is also pretty strong and features all manner of minor characters that make the film add up to greater than the sum of its parts. Like I said, it is hard to pigeonhole this film and the cast but it seems to work and even people who have never heard of Pekar (ie – me) will be able to enjoy it.

    Overall a very different film about a strange little man who managed to get much more success than he ever though possible but yet never let it change his unhappy and normal ways. It is amusing, cleverly structured and populated with ordinary weirdoes who make it fun to watch. Kudo to the director for getting the uninitiated into the film with such ease and managing to produce a film that is surprisingly weird to find in a multiplex but one that is strangely accessible to most people.
    helpful•37
    15
    • bob the moo
    • Jul 30, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 12, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Huy hoàng kiểu Mỹ
    • Filming locations
      • Cleveland, Ohio, USA
    • Production companies
      • Good Machine
      • Dark Horse Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,010,990
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $159,705
      • Aug 17, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,986,084
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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