Andy and I started a movie last night - American Splendor. It's based on the life of Harvey Pekar, who wrote a comic book of the same name that was also based on the life of Harvey Pekar. Pekar is played by Paul Giamatti, but Pekar himself, as the narrator, refers to Giamatti as "the guy who plays me." You think that the peripheral roles are caricatures until you see the real guy at the refreshments table side by side with the actor playing him and realize that the original man is just that absurd. And Paul Giamatti sits in a chair in the background and laughs at him. The film is nonlinear, jumping back and forth in the life story, intercutting scenes of Pekar's life reenacted, stills of the comic books, and shots of Pekar narrating or just talking to the crew.
If you like quirky documentaries, if you like a loser protagonist, if you like looking at regular people in regular life in irregular ways, you might like this movie a lot.
Amber's and Carmen's birthday
2 months ago
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This is one of my very favorite movies, and I'm pleased to see that someone else liked it. Did the copy work alright for you? Mine flamed out at the end.
I was really surprised by how much I loved this movie. I think Harvey's friend was my favorite, the distinctive-speaking one.
Oh, we watched part of this for my psych in film class. Doesn't he have Asperger's?
Heh, this is one of the movies I told you'd like back in the day when you didn't want to watch it. Just sayin'. :D
I love movies like this! I'll have to try and watch it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Random note: I'm always amused by the word verification thingy when I comment on a blog. This one can actually be pronounced, so I thought I would share it: boouyz
Here's the definition I gave it:
boouyz [BOO-ooiz]: n, homemade alcohol, usually of a nature found among college students; comes from combining the English words "boys" and "booze"
I'm also amused that there is a small handicap person next to the word verification in case you need handicap access to the word. Very thoughtful.
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