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Lovable loser Harvey Pekar (played by Paul Giamatti and Harvey Pekar himself) is going through a rough time in his life, losing his voice and then his wife (she doesn't die, she just leaves). This unique and underlooked movie was one of the best that 2003 had to offer. It has a very creative style to it, blending a normal "camera following the character" look with interviews with the real Harvey Pekar and his real-life friends, which are unlike any interviews I've ever seen. They place him in a white room, surround him with his familiar objects, such as shelves and his record collection, and just have him narrate his way through parts of the story. Extras can sometimes be seen in the background, checking out his record collection. The white floor and background give the sequences a look that is a lot like a Gap commercial.

If this movie needed an actor to carry it, and it doesn't, Paul Giamatti would be just right for the job. His Harvey Pekar character will probably remind many viewers of Steve Buscemi's character in Ghost World (another overlooked movie). He lives a miserable, meaningless life, and he's smart enough to know it. When his friend becomes famous by making comic books Harvey starts realizes that he could do it too, but without a superhero or some fantasy story. The comic is about his everyday-life, and people love it. Harvey doesn't use his success to change his life, perhaps because he needs the routine of an regular job. He does manage to find a wife, Joyce Brabner (played by Hope Davis), that is just as odd and nerdy as he is. Their unusual relationship plays an important role in the developing plot. The funniest parts of this movie were seeing a "regular guy" like Harvey make repeated appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. This was real archived footage from the show, featuring the real Harvey Pekar.

It's hard to say anything bad about this movie. I guess the setting is a little drab, but hey, that's Cleveland. I really like the way that Giamatti was used to play Pekar for most of the movie, but with Pekar playing himself for several key parts. I know most people missed this movie when it was out in theaters, but it will be your loss if you skip it at the rental store. This is not just for people that love comic books. I've never read an entire comic book in my life and I was still able to love this movie.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10