"Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff."

American Splendor (2003)
Directed by Sheri Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, rated R, 101 minutes

American Splendor is an imaginative and engrossing cult film that tells the story of comic book author Harvey Pekar, who wrote comic books that were a dramatization of his life. The film takes an interesting route of having the actual Harvey Pekar intruding into the story to comment, which doesn't distract from the story, but adds a richness to it. Paul Giamatti is always terrific, and he's spot on here in what could have been a mundane role, but is instead exorbitantly interesting. American Splendor is a sweet and modest film with incredible acting and a creative style. You'll like it if: You like biographical films, independent films, Paul Giamatti, Persepolis or Big Fish.