The Fan

Starring: Robert De Niro, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin, John Leguizamo, Benicio Del Toro, Patti D'Arbanville, Andrew J. Ferchland, M.C. Gainey, Jack Black, John Carroll Lynch, Brandon Hammond
Directed by: Tony Scott
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A deranged man (Robert De Niro) becomes obsessed with a San Francisco Giants player (Wesley Snipes), which builds in intensity when the city turns against the player for an unexpected slump.

Review:
Tim: I first watched The Fan in the late 1990s or early 2000s. I distinctly remember disliking the movie, finding it difficult to watch. That feeling was so strong that it took me 20 years to sit down and watch the movie again, this time in 2020. My first viewing went similarly to the first. This is an ugly, hopeless little movie that deserves its box office failure. Director Tony Scott might have had a decent source material (I've never read the book), but it didn't matter. This is never more than an okay film.

The idea of a fan becoming obsessed with a baseball player is not only grounded in reality, but should make for a great premise for a film. The idea of this movie is so much stronger than its execution. As you watch it, you keep wanting it to be better. Instead, it's just a depressing, one-sided film.

The movie centers around two men. In the lead role is Robert De Niro. De Niro is a tremendous actor, and it's hard to fault him too much here. He did exactly what was asked of him- to play this deeply troubled, awful human being. He goes that exceptionally well. The problem is how he' presented. It always feels too extreme. How could a man this messed up have made it this far? He's deeply disturbed. This shows up in so many ways. Hardest to watch are the interactions with his son. He's brutal and nasty and completely oblivious to the damage he's doing. I remember those scenes vividly from my first viewing and they stuck with me again here, this time watching as a parent. It's awful and ugly and just so hard to watch. That should do enough to convince us Gil's a bad guy, but we get so much more. Interactions with his ex-wife, bad behavior at work. Everything in this movie works to tell us that Gil is a terrible human being. And, after that message has been delivered, the film keeps pounding us over the head with it, again and again. We get it, but still it comes. It makes this 1 hour, 56 minute movie feel much longer. It's often a slog to get through. It feels like De Niro was asked to play a character like this was Taxi Driver when the movie is very different.

The other main character, Bobby Rayburn, is actually much more interesting. Wesley Snipes is very good in this role, but it isn't like De Niro was bad- Rayburn is presented in a more complex manner. He's arrogant and selfish, but he's also a good father. He wants to succeed. He's got flaws, but he feels like a more complete human character, verses the purely sociopath Gil. His story was actually intriguing. I had a good time watching what it's like for a star player to hit a bad slump and feel like the whole town has turned against him. That storyline is much more compelling, but of course, we don't get as much time with Rayburn.

The supporting cast is decent, but there's not much oxygen for them here. I liked seeing Ellen Barkin, but she has almost nothing of importance to do. It was a waste of her talent for this afterthought role. John Leguizamo got to do some good things as Rayburn's agent. His part was small, but he made a positive impact. I really liked Benicio Del Toro here. It's a fairly restrained performance, but he's so memorable as Primo. It was a lot of fun seeing him in this role.

I really didn't care for The Fan. Sure, it has some memorable scenes sprinkled throughout the movie. The climax isn't as cool as it could have been, but that scene on the field in the rain is absolutely memorable. The scene with Snipes and De Niro on the beach is good, too. Unfortunately, Tony Scott's film can't capitalize on those effective moments. The movie as a whole is too hard to sit through; it offers too little reward for the tough parts. That makes for an experience that isn't enjoyable. I've sat through this film twice now and I can guarantee, never again.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy