- Also Known As:
- Unknown
- Year:
- 2003
- Country:
- Predominant Genre:
- Comedy
- Directors:
- Shari Springer Berman
- Robert Pulcini
- Best Performance:
- Paul GIAMATTI
- Premiss:
- A mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic-book everyman Harvey Pekar.
- Themes:
- Self-expression
- Similar (in Plot, Theme or Style) to:
- Unknown
- Review Format:
- DVD
This drama-documentary captures the essence of its comic book inspiration without revealing how silly comics become when adapted. The characters are exaggerated to humorous effect and the visual style successfully mimics the comic’s graphic style.
This one is about depressed people, but is neither boring nor depressing itself. The anomie depicted is contradicted by the depiction: Creation – itself - being a positive, not a negative.
Endearing, engaging and strangely heart-warming, despite the lugubrious Mr Grumpy, Harvey PEKAR can be funny because he’s not trying to force it down your throat; fully accepting his depression without rancour.
Paul GIAMATTI has a fine face for comedy in this story of ultimate self-acceptance. He makes a curmudgeon subtly hilarious: Proof that misery does love company. Like he says: Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff!
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