The life of comic-book artist Harvey Pekar is brought to the screen in this surprising and smart adaptation of his highly idiosyncratic, autobiographical work. Paul Giamatti stars alongside the real Harvey, as well as an animated version of the author, creating a unique, multi-layered account of a life lived outside the mainstream. The film’s original structure underpins a warm and touching warts-and-all story about two depressives who find love among their allergies and paranoias. Part narrative, part documentary, part animation, the film never loses sight of the real humanity of its characters. It is at once as personal, unique, and mundane as its subject, and maintains an un-ironic stance towards Pekar that makes the title of the film more true than one might imagine.