Big Fan (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lucas M

  
  Robert D. Siegel, bring a criative screenplay that show to the audience the empty and lonely life of Paul Aufiero, Patton Oswalt in a very good acting, a sport fanatic, just like others fans. Big Fan, is a terrific independant dark comedy that, make me want see the film from the… More
  Robert D. Siegel, bring a criative screenplay that show to the audience the empty and lonely life of Paul Aufiero, Patton Oswalt in a very good acting, a sport fanatic, just like others fans. Big Fan, is a terrific independant dark comedy that, make me want see the film from the beginning to the end. Fresh.

• Josh M

  
  Big Fan is a minor, dark indie masterpiece, full of honesty, drama, pathos and painful humor. Writer/director Robert Seigel shows immense talent as an observer of obsessive losers who have the audience's absolute empathy, despite of - or because of --their utter lack of self… More
  Big Fan is a minor, dark indie masterpiece, full of honesty, drama, pathos and painful humor. Writer/director Robert Seigel shows immense talent as an observer of obsessive losers who have the audience's absolute empathy, despite of - or because of --their utter lack of self awareness. . Be warned if you're expecting another Adam Sandler Waterboy - it's NOT essentially a comedy, let alone a Hollywood one. In a blurb on the box, you might be misled into thinking that this is light fare about wacky sports fans. The same material could have easily been spun in a way similar to other light Hollywood comedies about obsessive fans like Fever PItch. That disconnect is likely why the film didn't much of an audience in its theatrical release and those who have seen it, expecting wacky Sandler-like mayhem, must have ejected the DVD disc before hitting the half hour mark. The film captures a culture of obsessive football fans who define their entire lives by the ups and downs of their team (The New York Giants in this case). Their own limited lives matter far less to them than the fate of their heroes. Paul, the lead character is self defeating. He runs away from any chance of getting out of his mother's house and his job as a parking lot attendant at the age of 35 and lives to call in to the sport phone in shows as the most super Giants fan of them all, his only accomplishment. That and getting the stuffing beaten out him, almost killing him, at the hands of the Giants' star QB. The casting of all supportive roles is stellar, from Paul's suffering mother to his Sancho Panza buddy in Giants obsession, to his sleazy brother, a personal injury lawyer. The film is grungy, and not aesthetically beautiful, but is appropriate to its dreary setting and characters. It's also paced beautifully. After this and the Wrestler (an excellent film, but I think this film is more interesting, despite Mickey Rourke's star power) I greatly anticipate what Robert Seigel will do next. Not to mention the star: Oswalt's performance is full of honesty and courage, he is very gifted with the pathos as well as the funny. Every twist and turn of Big Fan is surprising and fresh, and pays off. I thought the only misstep in Seigel's script was a hasty and apparently violent ending (last ten minutes) that didn't quite compute. In addition, no one changes or learns any lessons, which is possibly true to life, but not as interesting dramatically.

• Melvin W

  
  Paul Aufiero: He was rusty. Upon a second viewing of Big Fan, I liked it a lot more than I remember. I believe a lot of the negative ratings come from people going in expecting a laugh a minute comedy; when Big Fan is more of a dark drama with some comedic moments. Patton Oswalt… More
  Paul Aufiero: He was rusty. Upon a second viewing of Big Fan, I liked it a lot more than I remember. I believe a lot of the negative ratings come from people going in expecting a laugh a minute comedy; when Big Fan is more of a dark drama with some comedic moments. Patton Oswalt was perfectly casted as Paul Aufiero. He's a big fan as you might expect from the title. He scripts out what he's going to say all day before making his calls into the Sports Dog; his favorite sports radio program. He's such a big fan that he goes to the stadium every Sunday just to sit out in the parking lot and watch the game on television. He calls his team(New York Giants) we, like he has something to do with their success or failure. Kevin Coorigan is also perfect as Paul's friend Sal, an equally big fan who is Paul's one and only friend.The drama begins when he gets to close to his hero and favorite player. After an altercation which results in his heroes suspension, he has a choice to make, him or his team. Big Fan is a really good black comedy and it reminds me a lot of another movie I recently watched, Film Geek. Both movies center around a guy who has let his respected passion take over his life completely. Big Fan is much more enjoyable then Film Geek though, and really deserves a viewing or two.

• First L

  
  NFL fans can be pretty rabid at times, but there exists a special breed of sports fan, one whose whole life is consumed by the game, that goes beyond rabid. Take Paul (Patton Oswalt) for example. He's a 36 year-old parking garage attendant whose time is occupied by the New York… More
  NFL fans can be pretty rabid at times, but there exists a special breed of sports fan, one whose whole life is consumed by the game, that goes beyond rabid. Take Paul (Patton Oswalt) for example. He's a 36 year-old parking garage attendant whose time is occupied by the New York Giants and the Giants alone. There are no other interests or hobbies, and his friends and family come a distant second. He makes weekly calls to a sports talk radio show, for which he spends much of his free time writing down what he wants to say on his next call. Things come to ahead when he and his friend Sal (Kevin Corrigan) see his idol, Quantrell Bishop (Jonathan Hamm) at a gas station and begin following him across town. After following to a strip club, a misunderstanding arises, and Paul lands in the hospital with a concussion. This leads Paul to a great dilemma: whether to press charges and hurt the Giants in the play-offs, or let Bishop get off scott-free after practically murdering him. You won't find any profundity in Big Fan, just an indie film that takes a shot at the atypical sports fan. Oswalt manages to achieve the right amount of psychosis for his character, from the disturbing blinking to his random outbursts. Is it a dark comedy or simply a dark movie? I'm leaning towards the latter.

• Chris W

  
  Writen and directed by Robert D. Siegel (who wrote The Wrestler), Big Fan is a dark dramedy (emphasis on drama) about the nature of being a fan of something, and how it can dominate one's life. This charming little indie film is a nice character study that I'm sure plenty of… More
  Writen and directed by Robert D. Siegel (who wrote The Wrestler), Big Fan is a dark dramedy (emphasis on drama) about the nature of being a fan of something, and how it can dominate one's life. This charming little indie film is a nice character study that I'm sure plenty of people can relate to in some way, especially sports fans. Despite having an uneven tone, this small, quiet film makes a good case for why Siegel is someone to watch, and why Patton Oswalt deserves more work/recognition. The casting and performances are top notch, and, it probably helps that this is an indie- it just wouldn't be the same if it was a little more mainstream. The mainstream crowd may find something to enjoy here though. I really liked how this film got to be pretty unpredictable, especially towards the end (although some of the impact of the end is lessened by one quick shot...that I can't reveal for risk of spoiling). Aside from that, I really have no complaints...except for the tone (again). For a first feature though, this is some really good stuff worth checking out. Just make sure to be ready for something kinda dark and offbeat.

• Michael G

  
  A generally disappointing movie that couldn't decide if it wanted to be a comedy or a trip to the dark side. There were a few parts that I think were supposed to be funny but the overall grim and pathetic tone never really let me know it was okay to laugh. I felt like I was… More
  A generally disappointing movie that couldn't decide if it wanted to be a comedy or a trip to the dark side. There were a few parts that I think were supposed to be funny but the overall grim and pathetic tone never really let me know it was okay to laugh. I felt like I was watching a Taxi Driver and King of Comedy mash-up that never really got off the ground. All of this of course while being reminded of how truly retarded sports fans can be.

• Cynthia S

  
  Haha. wow. I can't believe that I liked this movie, cuz I never did like Patton Oswalt. However, I found this movie strangely compelling. This is one loser guy that really needs to get a life. Watching him slowly deconstruct was great. I have to admit that he did ok.

• Carlos M

  
  Big Fan is a quite humorous look at the lonely life of a fanatic sports fan, and first-time director Siegel manages what I considered to be almost impossible: to make a poignant portrayal of a loser who does only think of football, a task that is helped mostly by Oswalt's… More
  Big Fan is a quite humorous look at the lonely life of a fanatic sports fan, and first-time director Siegel manages what I considered to be almost impossible: to make a poignant portrayal of a loser who does only think of football, a task that is helped mostly by Oswalt's terrific performance.

• Reid V

  
  When I think Patton Oswalt, I don't think A-list. However, he handles himself will in the film. The first twenty minutes are fantastic and really set the tone for what could have been a five star film. Yet, while the film veered off course as it went on, it is still a fascinating… More
  When I think Patton Oswalt, I don't think A-list. However, he handles himself will in the film. The first twenty minutes are fantastic and really set the tone for what could have been a five star film. Yet, while the film veered off course as it went on, it is still a fascinating look into the psyche of a die hard sports fan.

• David L

  
  Robert D. Siegel's directorial debut Big Fan is as remarkable for what it isn't as for what it is, and that's something that's said with real, heartfelt admiration. The long-time editor and editor-in-chief of The Onion and writer of last year's incredible The… More
  Robert D. Siegel's directorial debut Big Fan is as remarkable for what it isn't as for what it is, and that's something that's said with real, heartfelt admiration. The long-time editor and editor-in-chief of The Onion and writer of last year's incredible The Wrestler has made a film about an obsessive, lives-with-his-mom football fan (comedian Patton Oswalt) that examines the dynamic between athlete and booster that's serious and intelligent, without straying into the crazy stalker/murder territory covered by films like The Fan or Misery. A true on-the-cheap independent, the film is a quietly great character piece about a man having to make a difficult decision about the nature of his relationship to the team he loves. Paul Aufiero is a big fan of the New York Giants. He lives in a room with football posters in his mother's house, and works in a parking lot booth at night, where he scripts the calls he makes to the Sports Dog radio call-in show, where he engages in a rivalry with Eagles fanatic Philadelphia Phil. He and his best friend and fellow fan Sal (Kevin Corrigan) watch home games from the parking lot outside Giants stadium and away games in front of a chips and root-beer littered table in Sal's apartment. Paul is hounded by his mother, his successful litigator brother and his brother-in-law to do something with himself, to move out, but he seems content being a fan. After seeing their favorite player, Quantrell Bishop (Johnathan Hamm), at a gas station on Staten Island, Paul and Sal, fascinated, follow him into Manhattan, and into an expensive club. The pair gradually work up the courage to approach Bishop, and manage to introduce themselves, much to the derision of Bishop's posse. Paul explains that they followed him from Staten Island, which enrages the football player, who then puts Paul into the hospital. When he wakes up, Paul discovers that Bishop has been suspended from play indefinitely due to his actions, pending an investigation, and that the Giants lost. Paul must decide what to do: tell the police the details of the attack and doom his team to a lost season and personal humiliation at the hands of Philadelphia Phil, or forget the whole thing and move on. The discovery in the film is Oswalt who as Paul Aufiero has every opportunity to wring as many laughs as he can out of his character but more often than makes much more interesting choices. At the start of the third act, after the beating, Paul's brother (Gino Cafarelli) accuses Paul of being brain-damaged, and it's a sign of the quality of Oswalt's performance and Siegel's script and direction that that's not a joke or a throw-away insult. Paul Aufiero is a character that is totally familiar to anyone that's watched sports in a bar or listened to talk radio but is at the same time a total cipher, with occult, deeply felt motivations. Aufiero could very well be brain damaged but he could very well just be different, happy subsuming his self into the identity of fan, of true supporter. Oswalt's performance is fantastic. Siegel's direction is solid, wringing as much grit and realism out of a guerilla-style shoot in the parking lot of the stadium as possible, and it's a testament to his seriousness as a filmmaker that none of his characters - the slimy litigator brother, the nagging mother - are less than three-dimensional in a story where the audience all but expects broad types. Big Fan has some slow spots, some thin spots a small budget couldn't quite cover, but ultimately it's more than held aloft on the back of a great, smart script and a handful of great performances, Oswalt's chief among them.

• Tim S

  
  I agree with Keith in the fact that for an hour and a half I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how someone could be that stupid. At the end, I was wondering if I was the stupid one. Some of the shots in this movie are just flat out terrible and I couldn't stand some… More
  I agree with Keith in the fact that for an hour and a half I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how someone could be that stupid. At the end, I was wondering if I was the stupid one. Some of the shots in this movie are just flat out terrible and I couldn't stand some of the casting choices. It's also written like the guy knew absolutely jack shit about football and just googled different terms and slapped them all together.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"The Eagles suck!"</i> Paul Aufiero, a hardcore New York Giants football fan, struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"The Eagles suck!"</i> Paul Aufiero, a hardcore New York Giants football fan, struggles to deal with the consequences when he is beaten up by his favorite player. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Simplicity is a rare commodity in today's fast moving, conglomerate world, but for Paul Aufiero (Patton Oswalt) there's only one thing that matters in his life. Everything else is irrelevant in comparison and it isn't his wife, or his child, or his family in general; it is the American Football team the New York Giants. As the self-proclaimed 'biggest Giants fan ever' Paul lives, breathes, shouts, screams, and sleeps everything about the team. He even situates a poster featuring his favourite player Quantrell Bishop (Jonathan Hamm), the Giants quarterback, above his single-bed. But when an opportunity arises to meet Quantrell, the player mistakes Paul for a stalker and violently strikes out causing his instant hospitalisation. Once released he has to come to terms with the fact that his simple, linear life is now starting to crash around him, like a fumble in the final moments of the Super Bowl, as his family, the media and the team all want a piece of the Giants 'Big Fan'. While Oswalt's performance is mesmerising, Robert Siegel's writing and direction must also be commended. His script is honest and straight-to-the-point, he captures it captures all the awkward events of Paul's life perfectly, including the argument between the brothers on the toilet. While he uses the space of the world around him perfectly to capture Paul's subtle isolated life brilliantly and at the same time Siegel also uses the, sometimes overtly exaggerated, close-up shot to portray the characters emotions within this one man's own perfect universe. 'Big Fan' is low budget, high impact film that thrives off a gleaming central performance by Patton Oswalt, and is definitely one of the best independent films of the last couple of years.

• Nate Z

  
  The directorial debut from the screenwriter of The Wrestler follows another down-on-his-luck loser. Patton Oswalt gives a surprisingly dark and affecting performance as Paul, a 35-year-old tollbooth worker that still lives with his mother. Paul’s life is devoted to his favorite sports… More
  The directorial debut from the screenwriter of The Wrestler follows another down-on-his-luck loser. Patton Oswalt gives a surprisingly dark and affecting performance as Paul, a 35-year-old tollbooth worker that still lives with his mother. Paul’s life is devoted to his favorite sports team, the New York Giants. He spends his evenings meticulously planning his call-in statements to the nightly sports radio show. He’s so devoted to his team that when Paul gets brutally beaten by his favorite Giants player he blames himself. The player gets suspended and the Giants start piling up losses, and Paul can’t deal with the crushing guilt he feels. Big Fan is an intriguing exploration of how absorbed people can get with fandom; I always thought it a bit odd when people refer to a team’s accomplishments with “we” like they had something to do with it. Paul’s fragile world is coming apart and he breaks down with it. Obviously, Paul has a few screws loose in order to make him unpredictable, which gives the last twenty minutes some serious unease. Paul goes undercover as a Philadelphia Eagles fan (his disgust at putting on the enemy jersey is palpable) to hunt out his gloating sports radio nemesis Philadelphia Phil. Big Fan is occasionally funny in an under-your-breath kind of way, but really it’s more is a small-scale psychological study on a hapless individual whose religion is sports and who feels he has sinned before his almighty God. At a mere 86 minutes, the movie doesn’t press too hard into the twisted psychology, nor does Paul leave much of a dent as a character as the film doesn’t make judgment on his obsessive behavior. This isn’t as poignant as The Wrestler, pure and simple. Yet, Big Fan is buoyed by a strong performance by Oswalt and some interesting insights into a flawed fan willing to go all the way for his team. Nate's Grade: B

• James A

  
  The title will not let you down. It is indeed about a big fan and nothing more.

• Rico Z

  
  Big Fan is a great example of the quintessential dark comedy: bleak in its depiction of humor; satirical in its commentary and sardonically irreverent and unapologetic in its execution and portrayals. Patton Oswalt delivers a knock-out performance as a more-than-dedicated and… More
  Big Fan is a great example of the quintessential dark comedy: bleak in its depiction of humor; satirical in its commentary and sardonically irreverent and unapologetic in its execution and portrayals. Patton Oswalt delivers a knock-out performance as a more-than-dedicated and loyal-to-the-death fan of the New York Giants. His adoring admiration for the teams quarterback is nothing less than completely blind and unabashed idolatry. But Paul (Oswalt) is a fan like no other. When people say they are the "biggest fan," they're just blowing bubbles. When Paul says it, he means it. Of course, forget about the fact that he's 36 and still lives with his mother. Forget the fact that he has a Napoleon Dynamite/Pedro relationship with his equally slackerish best friend. And you can definitely forget that he spends his every waking (and working) minute preparing slams, comebacks and editorial comments for a late-night sports radio talkshow. A job he should be getting paid for but which he's more than glad to contribute toward if only for the mere fact of being validated by a complete stranger. But when Paul gets a chance to receive validation from the person who matters the most to him: Giants quarterback, he goes on a sad quest in stalker mode to get an autograph, a handshake--anything at all. When things go sour and the quarterback suspects him of being an obsessed fan, things get nasty for Paul and his life is changed forever. Though he's pressued to take certain measures to have justice be served, Paul must find it within himself to either bring down the idol he worships or lift his team toward glory. The choices he make are astonishing and it goes to show how much fans around the world are willing to endure from the people they idolize and look up to. Oswalt is very captivating in his portrayal of the loyal fan from hell. He is has an endearing aspect that brings shades of humanity to an otherwise detestable and irritating character. He is a revelation in the role and I am hopeful that he will receive an Oscar nomination for best actor. Also, the script deserves a mention in the original screenplay category simply based on the fact that it manages to deliver laugh, suspense and an overall feeling of sad and reluctant sympathy for the messed-up characters we see on the screen. I'm definitely a big fan of this one.

• Aaron N

  
  Paul: Let's get our seats. A little indie drama/dark comedy that reminded me of Scorsese's The King of Comedy mixed with Tony Scott's The Fan. While both of those films starred Robert De Niro, this film features comedian Patton Oswalt in the lead, flexing his acting… More
  Paul: Let's get our seats. A little indie drama/dark comedy that reminded me of Scorsese's The King of Comedy mixed with Tony Scott's The Fan. While both of those films starred Robert De Niro, this film features comedian Patton Oswalt in the lead, flexing his acting chops and he's quite good. Oswalt stars as Paul, a hardcore NY Giants fan, still living with his mom, working at a nothing job, as a parking lot attendant. At nights, Paul calls in regularly to a sports radio show to argue why his Giants are amazing. On game days, Paul and his friend Sal, played by Kevin Corrigan, go to the stadium, but sit outside (as they can't afford tickets) and hookup a TV to watch in the parking lot. On a fateful night, Paul and Sal happen to see their favorite Giants player, Quantrell Bishop, and follow him to a club in Manhattan. When Paul attempts to confront Bishop for a friendly praise, Bishop takes Paul presence as a possible stalker and beats him up. Awaking in a hospital bed a few days later, Paul must now deal with what to do after being beaten up by his favorite player. Its a neat premise for a film that I wish could have followed through in the end better. Its a short film, but there is still more I wish could have been done to better resolve the predicament. This being said, Oswalt is very good in the lead. He brings the more subtle qualities of his personality out and creates a character that is interesting and full of pathos. Paul is a person who tends to be quiet but can burst out with emotion. His love for the Giants and his non-aggressive stance on his position in life leads to bringing a lot of boiling tension inside of him to the surface in a number of moments. Written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, of The Wrestler, the film has a similar feel to that film, although not imbued with as solid of a story. Its well enough made and maintains a solid tone throughout. Good premise, with a decent enough execution. Paul: You know when you say words like Can't when its can not and don't when its do not. Dennis: You mean contractions? Paul: Yeah, you stop using them when you want to sound smart.

• Jeff T

  
  A grimy, uncomfortable story about a tiny, sad little man, this dark and ultimately hilarious examination of a pathetic football geek is a sharp slap-in-the-face surprise. Patton Oswalt is just plain terrific and if the movie around him lacks polish, that seems to be completely by… More
  A grimy, uncomfortable story about a tiny, sad little man, this dark and ultimately hilarious examination of a pathetic football geek is a sharp slap-in-the-face surprise. Patton Oswalt is just plain terrific and if the movie around him lacks polish, that seems to be completely by design (which is made clear in the delightful and surprising last act of the film). Defiantly independent in tone and execution, it may not be the feel-bad winner of the year, but it's definitely worth the trip to the grimy independent moviehouse where it's no doubt showing.

• Sol C

  
  Patton Oswalt's performance is the best reason to watch this film. He shines in this film. The film kind of reminded me of the film The Fan with Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes. Oswalt's character kind of reminded me of DeNiro's character from that film. Kevin Corrigan… More
  Patton Oswalt's performance is the best reason to watch this film. He shines in this film. The film kind of reminded me of the film The Fan with Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes. Oswalt's character kind of reminded me of DeNiro's character from that film. Kevin Corrigan does a good job, playing Oswalt's best friend in the film. They have a great on screen chemistry. The only negative is that the pacing is off, however, cause the performances in the film were really good, the pacing didn't really bother me here. I definitely recommend this film, especially cause of Oswalt's shinning performance.

• Philip P

  
  This is an odd little film. I've been anxious to see it since I saw the first trailer. I was also happy to see the writer of 'The Wrestler' already getting his shot at a directorial debut and although he stays along the sports lines, this is far from his previous work.… More
  This is an odd little film. I've been anxious to see it since I saw the first trailer. I was also happy to see the writer of 'The Wrestler' already getting his shot at a directorial debut and although he stays along the sports lines, this is far from his previous work. 'Big Fan' is the story of a man who other than football has nothing he cares for or lives for. He is completely consumed in the sport as well as calling in to a local sports radio show to voice his opinion for that weeks game. He has nothing else and apparantly wants nothing more. The film is brisk and at some points oddly edited-this could be the result of an inexperienced director, but this can be forgiven for the story being so solid and the actors give honest performances. There is something to be said for Patton Oswalt, I've never much been a fan of his, but he proves himself here to be a very wirthwhile actor and I hope to see him in more roles that showcase him as this did. As I was watching I was unsure which direction the film was going to choose to go in, but although it has a dark, disturbing tone to it I was very pleased with the conclusion. This is a solid first effort from Siegel and I look forward to his next project.

• Ryan C

  
  Oswalt gives good work here in a kind of familiar story we have seen before, but with a bravura ending. However, even though I thought the unexpected climax was near brilliance, it kind of turns most of the film into more a prank than a statement.

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