American Splendor (2003)

A bizarre blend of real life, documentary, fiction and dramatic re-enactment of the life of an average loser, the everyman Harvey Pekar. Harvey’s misery becomes instrumental to his success in life. He gets trapped in that cyclic depression, becoming both an inspirational idiot and a living parody.
It’s an indie comedy with a message about something or other. Paul Giamatti is wonderful; his facial expressions convey inner thoughts without the need for dialogue. It’s not depressing, nor particularly uplifting, it just drifts along at a nice pace, but it is well-made and has heart.

3½ Plebian lifestyles out of 5