When browsing the graphic novels section of my local library (some good adult fiction gems to be dug up there) I came across "American Spendour", a cross-promotional collection with Paul Giamatti on the front. I read it, kept an eye out for the movie and wished Harvey Pekar had written more (I was under the impression it was a complete collection of his works).
The movie starts off in familiar territory and Paul Giamatti wouldn't win a Harvey Pekar lookalike contest, but is a good actor nonetheless. I feel that the world I saw glimpses of in the comics was extended quite well, with Harvey himself (and others) chiming in from time to time which is excellent to tie the movie with the reality it portrays.
Harvey's life seems to serve as a typical upbeat movie story as well, he started off (where events pick up) being an average vital-ingredient-missing Joe and ended up in a stable relationship, enough money from a movie made about his life to retire, and an adopted child. And he's left his mark. Luck was involved though as he met the right people at the right time and was able to capitalise on an opportunity (even if it was just a non-paying means of expression mostly), if Robert Crumb lived to the next city over Pekar might still be a divorcée and looking for a way to make his mark.
The casting of the film was very good, the actors seemed to portray quite accurately the real-life people (that we saw). Overall it's a very entertaining 1hr40mins and I'm surprised how few reviewers have read the comics eg. I visited the Wicker Man page and I could not find a review by someone who hadn't seen original.
The movie starts off in familiar territory and Paul Giamatti wouldn't win a Harvey Pekar lookalike contest, but is a good actor nonetheless. I feel that the world I saw glimpses of in the comics was extended quite well, with Harvey himself (and others) chiming in from time to time which is excellent to tie the movie with the reality it portrays.
Harvey's life seems to serve as a typical upbeat movie story as well, he started off (where events pick up) being an average vital-ingredient-missing Joe and ended up in a stable relationship, enough money from a movie made about his life to retire, and an adopted child. And he's left his mark. Luck was involved though as he met the right people at the right time and was able to capitalise on an opportunity (even if it was just a non-paying means of expression mostly), if Robert Crumb lived to the next city over Pekar might still be a divorcée and looking for a way to make his mark.
The casting of the film was very good, the actors seemed to portray quite accurately the real-life people (that we saw). Overall it's a very entertaining 1hr40mins and I'm surprised how few reviewers have read the comics eg. I visited the Wicker Man page and I could not find a review by someone who hadn't seen original.