American Splendor

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Cast & Crew

Paul Giamatti
Harvey

Harvey Pekar
Self

Shari Springer Berman
Interviewer
Voice

Earl Billings
Mr. Boats

James Urbaniak
Robert Crumb

Judah Friedlander
Toby Radloff

Robert Pulcini
Bob The Director

Toby Radloff
Real Toby

Hope Davis
Joyce

Joyce Brabner
Real Joyce

Donal Logue
Stage Actor Harvey

Molly Shannon
Stage Actor Joyce

James McCaffrey
Fred

Madylin Sweeten
Danielle

Danielle Batone
Real Danielle

Shari Springer Berman
Director

Robert Pulcini
Director

Shari Springer Berman
Writer

Robert Pulcini
Writer

Robert Pulcini
Film Editing

Ted Hope
Producer

Julia King
Associate Producer

Terry Stacey
Cinematographer

Thérèse DePrez
Production Design

Michael Wilkinson
Costume Design

Mark Suozzo
Original Music

Linda Cohen
Music Supervisor

Christine K. Walker
Line Producer

Ann Goulder
Casting

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News & Interviews for American Splendor

Audience Reviews for American Splendor

• Sep 27, 2015

  American Splendor is quite the postmodern film. It's an interesting take on life from the POV of a normal eccentric man. The film itself is normal eccentric, neither straightforward nor weird. Those who enjoy aspects of postmodernism such as messiness and infinite regress will likely enjoy American Splendor. And, of course, Paul Giamatti is great in it.
  Robert B Super Reviewer
• Jan 18, 2013

  An astoundingly unique biopic about Harvey Pekar, an underground comic book legend, American Splendor is a funny, moving, and thrillingly original take on one man's struggle-filled life. The movie plays out as almost a documentary, especially during the sequences in which the real people that the movie is about are on camera talking to the filmmakers. It adds a strange but welcome feeling of realism in an unusual way, and it helps you to understand the real people behind the story. Paul Giamatti does a typically spectacular job in the lead role of Harvey Pekar, and even through his more moody moments it's always easy to connect to Pekar's frustrations and disappointment. The script is absolutely fantastic, and there's one scene in particular that is near-perfect, in which Giamatti, as Pekar, is telling a story directly to the camera about the bizarre number of Harvey Pekars he found in the phone book and who they were. As an indie comedy, a bleak docudrama, or a lovingly-crafted biography of a troubled man, American Splendor is overwhelming in its originality and charm, and makes for an incredible movie with a wonderful story to tell.
  

  Joey S Super Reviewer
• Dec 28, 2012

  American Spelendor is an amazing movie. I couldn't believe the filmmakers Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini actually used actors and their real life counterparts together during scenes and in a way I was kinda in a "whoa" moment because I hadn't seen that before. Overall the picture plays like a comic book, the picture is never boring, the performances are flawless espeically Hope Davis's performance who actually looked like Joyce Brabner back in the 1980's but really the film really goes to Harvey Pekar. Even though Pekar himself thought he would never amount to anything would actually became a comic book icon thanks to the success of his American Splendor comic books. Pekar even got to go to Cannes. Even for me I find that a major achievement.
  Brian R Super Reviewer
• Mar 03, 2012

  'American Splendor'. What a brilliantly ambitious film, with its merging of documentary and adapted comic screenplay! Surely up there with the best comic book to film adaptations of all time. Harvey Pekar is a wonderfully rich character, and I kept watching it thinking of him as a blend of Art Spiegelman and Larry David; Paul Giamatti is perfectly cast.
  c0up   Super Reviewer

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