Banner Logo
Home
The Real Kato
About Me
Twitter
Facebook
Frozen Lunches
Links
Kottke
Daring Fireball
Amalah
Secret Agent Josephine
Dooce
Contact



Archives
Most Recent

2024 March
2004 September
2004 August
2004 July
2004 June
2004 May
2004 April
2004 March
2004 February
2004 January
2003 December
2003 November
2003 October


Categories
All Categories 

bloggers 
books 
commentary 
dating 
food 
funnyhaha 
interesting 
life 
movies 
music 
politics 
reviews 
science 
site-business 
sports 
style 
techwatch 
television 
theater 
travel 


Recent Comments
On College Football 2022: Week 6 Recap and Week 7 Pre...
Ken said:
Yeah, we've both had our share of hope and disappointment in this game. Let's just hope for a good b...
On College Football 2022: Week 6 Recap and Week 7 Pre...
Dan* said:
I'm not sure how I feel about this game. On one hand, I feel pretty optimistic that we have the tale...
On College Football 2022: Week 1 Preview
Dan* said:
Glad to see you'll be back writing football again, Ken! Congrats on the easy win today. You didn't ...
On College Football 2021: Week 10 Recap and Week 11 P...
Ken said:
Yeah, sorry one of our teams had to lose. I've come to appreciate Penn State as a classy and sympath...
On College Football 2021: Week 10 Recap and Week 11 P...
Dan* said:
Hey Ken, congratulations on the win yesterday! Some really odd choices by our coaching staff in that...


<< Previous: Books: The Da Vinci ... | Next: Eve of the Debate >>

Movies: American Splendor
Sunday, 2004 September 26 - 12:10 pm
"American Splendor", based on the life of comic book icon Harvey Pekar, is both grim and uplifting.

Harvey Pekar was made nationally famous by his appearances on the David Letterman show. The genius behind the storylines of the naturalist comic "American Splendor", he has a tell-it-like-it-is demeanor which is all at once compelling and repulsive.

Harvey is slovenly and dumpy, but is not ashamed of it. But his appearance belies that fact that he's keenly observant and culturally literate. It's this duality that seems to define his existence: he is gruff and angry but also kind-hearted; he is jaded about life but also oddly romantic.

This movie follows his rise from a VA hospital file clerk to a cult hero. Paul Giamatti is brilliantly cast as Harvey; this is made especially clear when we compare him to the real Harvey Pekar, who appears from time to time in behind-the-scenes interviews. This is a novel and gutsy bit of filmmaking, by the way, juxtaposing the real-life character with the actor. Most of the time, movies would be worried about breaking the suspension of disbelief. In this case, it only serves to strengthen Giamatti's portrayal. And not only that, it shows us how Harvey Pekar lives and thinks: he is always looking at himself from the outside, seeing his life as a story within a story.

I'm sure there will be lots of folks that won't get this movie; anyone who doesn't understand Pekar's naturalist take on life might write him (and this movie) off as unimaginative, grim, and weird. But if you do get it, you'll find plenty to like in this cerebral and well-constructed film.

Rating: 4 / 5
Permalink   Bookmark and Share
Posted by Ken in: moviesreviews

Comments

There are no comments on this article.

Comments are closed for this post.
Login


Search This Site
Powered by FreeFind