Guest review by Dan Berman

Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's previous film success includes an engrossing documentary called Off The Menu: The Last Days of Chasen’s. They find themselves back with another huge indie film winner, American Splendor, a rare documentary treat about a lonely guy who lives just a simple day-to-day life.

The subject matter follows a day in the life of terminally depressed Harvey Pekar. The film takes you on a trip through one man’s mediocre lifestyle, including the good times that are few and far between. Pekar was inspired by his friend, master comic bookman Robert Crumb, whose comic book examples made the way for Pekar's newfound fame and eventual success. Pekar who really didn’t look like he had much to offer anyone, sat down and started writing his own comic.

Thus American Splendor was born and offered up a whole new world for Pekar and his not so perky life that he was living. Harvey Pekar is played by the extremely talented actor Paul Giamatti whose roles include: Saving Private Ryan; Private Parts; and one of my personal favorite films Man on the Moon. Pekar puts his everyday life on paper, and then publishes it for everyone to read. What's so intelligent about this film is that they have the actual people who have experienced Harvey’s life in person.

The film balances itself between reality and fiction, letting both sides open doors for the other to take a peek. You can see actual footage of Pekar on the Letterman show. The NBC footage mixed with the fiction adds a unique dimension to the film. There are a few scenes in the film where Giamatti is entering to do the program, but before you know it, you are watching the original airing of the program.

American Splendor is a documentary that definitely deserves your utmost attention. While mainstream studios are still producing films that drown you in boredom, it's good to know there are films like American Splendor, that you can honestly realize a lot of time and effort went into the making of this documentary masterpiece. Even if you live an ordinary life, it’s what you do to make it an extraordinary one.

Dan Berman