American Splendor (film)

America Splendor is the 2003 live-action Fine Line Features film adaptation of the comics of the same name created by Harvey Pekar.

Paul Giamatti stars in this as Pekar, a cartoonist struggling with life's everyday annoyances by depicting them in underground comix that he creates. Hope Davis also stars as Pekar's wife and collaborator Joyce Brabner. Judah Frielander also stars as pal Toby Radloff.

Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman directed the film from their own script. The film is a hybrid of various styles. While the core story is traditional cinema, it is intercut with documentary-style narrative (where Pekar, Brabner and Radloff appear as themselves) and animation drawn directly from the artwork of the comics.

The innovative film was a hit with critics and art-movie fans. It was nominated for dozens of awards including an Oscar nod for Best Screenplay.