Big Fan

Some of what sports fans do I think in many other societies could be viewed as a form of mental instability. Don't get me wrong, I love most sports, and am actually a big football fan, but I know when to stop.

Paul is a shlubby guy in his mid thirties who lives with his Mom and works as a Parking lot attendant at nights. He spends his days listening to the radio to call in sports programs and writing out his retorts for when he calls in later that night. Little in his life doesn't revolve around watching and loving the New York Giants. When out with another super-fan friend they spot their favorite player Quantrell Bishop. They jump in their car and naively follow him, his ride stops in a bad neighborhood and he goes inside to presumably buy some drugs, either Paul doesn't realize that's what he's doing, or he doesn't want to believe it.

They then follow him into Manhattan where he goes into a strip club, they make their way in, and after a few failed attempts to get his attention they actually go over and visit him. At first things go fine, until Paul slips and mentions something that gives away that they were following him. Bishop gets very upset and beats the crap out of Paul. He is hospitalized and chargers are starting to be prepared against Bishop. He could go to jail, and if he does the team will suffer, and the team is Paul's life.

Paul is played by comedian/actor Patton Oswalt. He has been a favorite comedian of mine for some time now, his early stuff showed promise and over the last few years has really hit a stride with his style. This would be the first movie I think Ive seen him in that is actually a serious role, and a very serious movie. He is vastly talented and does a great job with the role. I was actually surprised how well he played some of the scenes. Nothing was over the top, he was just a sad loser. His family adds to the character of Paul as well, his brother the sleazy personal injury lawyer and his brother's orange tanned fake titted trophy wife. It paints a real picture of where he came from, how his life is that sad that he will cling onto anything that brings him a set of emotions like loving the Giants does.

It gives him something everyday to feel. Sometimes happy that they just won and that they are doing well, angry that a ref made a bad call, or there was an injury to a key player. It also gives him a social acceptance, the sports watching community is vast, and he can go almost anywhere and talk about football with someone who loves the sport too. Thing is though, he is a Big Fan, perhaps to much, when he is beat up, all he can think about is the team. Having a rivalry with another guy who calls into the radio station ends up consuming him.

The story telling is very straight forward and rather simple, but it works, this mans life is uncomplicated, he goes to work, he watches the games and that's enough for him, there's not much to complicate his life until his run in with Bishop. There were some really interesting shots and some cool things done with the lighting, but for the most part it was standard dramatic lighting, they kept some style in it, but it wasn't stylized, or at anytime unrealistic.

I just read a moment ago that its director, who also wrote this, was also the writer on "The Wrestler" While watching this I couldn't help but notice the similarities, and there are many. They are not the same movie though, but they are both a negative look on the people who idolize athletes, and shows the other side of the story. We see what wrestling does to the human body in "The Wrestler" and in "Big Fan" we see what football does to the psyche of a fan who takes it to seriously.

The film very effectively points out the problems our society has in giving attention to the wrong things and rewarding bad behavior simply because there is something we like in the person, or that they do. 8/10 stars.

Director: Robert D. Siegel

Starring: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Jonathan Hamm, marcia Jean Kurtz