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American Splendor (2003) 7.5
Ratings:
7.5/10 from 40,514 users
Metascore: 90/100
Reviews: 225 user | 178 critic | 42 from Metacritic.com An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar. Writers:Harvey Pekar (comic book series American Splendor), Joyce Brabner (comic book series Our Cancer Year), 2 more credits » |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Chris Ambrose | ... | |
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Joey Krajcar | ... | |
| Josh Hutcherson | ... | ||
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Cameron Carter | ... | |
| Daniel Tay | ... | ||
| Mary Faktor | ... |
Housewife
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| Paul Giamatti | ... | ||
| Harvey Pekar | ... | ||
| Shari Springer Berman | ... |
Interviewer
(voice)
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Larry John Meyers | ... |
Throat Doctor
(as Larry John Myers)
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Vivienne Benesch | ... |
Lana
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| Barbara Brown | ... |
Nurse
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| Earl Billings | ... |
Mr. Boats
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| Danny Hoch | ... |
Marty
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| James Urbaniak | ... | ||
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
Harvey Pekar is file clerk at the local VA hospital. His interactions with his co-workers offer some relief from the monotony, and their discussions encompass everything from music to the decline of American culture to new flavors of jellybeans and life itself. At home, Harvey fills his days with reading, writing and listening to jazz. His apartment is filled with thousands of books and LPs, and he regularly scours Cleveland's thrift stores and garage sales for more, savoring the rare joy of a 25-cent find. It is at one of these junk sales that Harvey meets Robert Crumb, a greeting card artist and music enthusiast. When, years later, Crumb finds international success for his underground comics, the idea that comic books can be a valid art form for adults inspires Harvey to write his own brand of comic book. An admirer of naturalist writers like Theodore Dreiser, Harvey makes his American Splendor a truthful, unsentimental record of his working-class life, a warts-and-all self portrait... Written by Sujit R. Varma
Plot Keywords:
comic book | robert crumb | 1980s | dark horse comics | reference to david letterman |Taglines:
Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 September 2003 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Esplendor americano See more »Box Office
Opening Weekend:
$159,705 (USA) (15 August 2003)Gross:
£306,630 (UK) (9 January 2004)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
(1929)
(Published as "Star Dust")
Music by Hoagy Carmichael
Lyrics by Mitchell Parish
Performed by Dizzy Gillespie
Courtesy of Savoy Records and June St Entertainment
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
The sign outside the hospital where Harvey works refers to the "Department of Veterans Affairs". The "Veterans Administration" did not become the Department of Veterans Affairs until 1989. See more »Soundtracks
Stardust(1929)
(Published as "Star Dust")
Music by Hoagy Carmichael
Lyrics by Mitchell Parish
Performed by Dizzy Gillespie
Courtesy of Savoy Records and June St Entertainment
See more »
Throughout the years, people have read dozens of comic books: Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, The Green Latern, X-Men, Hulk, etc., looking for escape from reality, but at the same time, looking for a relation from those books. With "American Splendor" on the other hand, it's quite a different comic book. What makes it so special? It's depicting real life where it shows the character Harvey Pekar in different situations.
"American Splendor" is a comic/drama biography about the life of Harvey Pekar(Played by Paul Giamatti) in which the film plays like a comic book showing scenes that are real and fiction. Even the real Harvey makes appearances quite often in the film to talk about his life, his wife(Joyce) and everything that sort of made him the person who he is today.
Harvey Pekar can be described as one of those characters who don't seem to give a damn about the world. The reason that I root for this character is that he's the type person that lives in his own world, from not giving a crap about the incidents in the world, to not having a formal college education, to working at a dead end job where in the future, people are still laughing at him. And yet, I don't blame him. I am reminded of two other movies that had losers, but made an impact on male society: "The Big Lebowski" and "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" in which both male characters didn't have to worry about anything or go out on dates, or even pleasing society(shame on you, people).
All in All, American Splendor is a great movie. Though the film's target audience are for guys, I still encourage people to see this movie. The film also stars, Hope Davis portraying Harvey's wife, Joyce.
One of the Best Films!