American Splendor (2003)
Paul Giamatti is one of the best character actors of the moment. He takes his lack of grace and classic good looks in stride, adapting to each role through sheer force of will. Tony Shalhoub is a bit like that, too. Anyway, American Splendor is the story of Harvey Pekar: depressive, manic, and autobiographically dizzying. Pekar narrates and occasionally appears in his own story, spliced with the occasional bit of animation done in the shifting style of his inconsistently illustrated comic books/graphic novels. The movie jumps around a bit, and has a few throwaway moments and narrative dead ends, but anyone who agrees with the notion that artists tend to suffer for their craft may appreciate the inverse relationship presented here: some artists' suffering is their craft. Well acted and worth seeing.
Rating: flush.
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