The Fan

Rating:
Summary: TAKE ME OUT OF THE BALL GAME
Review: If you want someone to play a psycho, who else but the immensely talented Robert DeNiro? In "The Fan," based on Peter Abraham's novel, De Niro plays Gil, a washed up knife salesman who is obsessed with baseball. He's divorced from his wife, but has been able to maintain a relationship with his young, impressionable son. However, as Gil becomes more psychotic, his ex-wife realizes the potential danger so she puts out a restraining order. Meanwhile, Wesley Snipes' Bobby Rayburn recently purchased by the Giants for a cool forty million wants his #11 back, which has been given to Benito Del Torio's Juan Primo. And then the slump hits Snipes. DeNiro displays his loyalty by trying to get Primo to surrender the number and when he refuses, well it's....you can imagine. Onward then, DeNiro finds a wonderful opportunity to get into Snipes life by rescuing his son, Sean, who is drowning. He and Snipes almost bond, until Snipes confesses that he just doesn't care anymore, baseball is just a game. Snap goes what little is left of DeNiro's sanity and we face a showdown in a rain-drenched night game.
Maybe overwrought, but Director Tony Scott handles everything so well, he elevates his film above it's derivative plot. Some of the baseball scenes are quite beautiful; Ellen Barkin and Patti D'arbinville shimmer in great supporting roles; John Lequizamo as Snipes' manager is good, and Charles Hallahan (so good in the remake of "The Thing") has a brief, but effective cameo as Coop, Gil's childhood buddy.
Hans Zimmer's score is hauntingly beautiful and there are nice effects from the many Rolling Stones tunes that fill the picture. San Francisco looks beautiful, and the whole effect is quite effective.
An underrated thriller, highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Yo Quiero The Fan!
Review: If you're one of those people who are into sports and sports-based movies, like myself, then "The Fan" is for you. Here you will see the marvelous talents of Robert DeNiro and Wesley Snipes as a disgruntled knife salesman and major league baseball player. John Leguizamo plays Snipes' million-dollar agent, and handles his role well, for a serious actor. I was rather surprised to learn the chihuahua with a bit part in this film is none other than Gidget, the "Yo Quiero Taco Bell Dog!" You'll enjoy this film's suspensful ending, as well as the storyline. I saw "The Fan" at the theater, so thought I would add this VHS title to my video library. You should too.

Rating:
Summary: Beyond "Fan" Into Obsession
Review: It may be true that everyone during their lifetime has fifteen minutes of fame, even if in most cases it only lasts about a minute and a half. And if that minute and a half comes early in life, how far into adulthood can you carry it with you, and when does a healthy memory become an obsession that finally blurs the line between reality and fantasy? "The Fan," directed by Tony Scott and starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes, is an intense and disturbing motion picture that examines that moment and the effects it can have on the lives of those either directly or indirectly involved. Here, the focus is on one Gil Renard (De Niro), a knife salesman in San Francisco and a die-hard Giants fan who is pumped about the acquisition during the off-season of superstar centerfielder Bobby Rayburn (Snipes), whom he believes will bring a pennant to the team. Once a player himself-- a pitcher-- Renard's life has since been on a downhill slide. Divorced, he has a young, little league aged son, Richie (Andrew J. Ferchland), with whom he has an unsettling relationship, and at work, his sales have been so poor his job is on the line. An angry, disturbed individual, Renard has reached a pivotal point in his life; for inspiration, he continually returns to the philosophies of the catcher from his playing days, Coop (Charles Hallahan), whom he considers one of the finest athletes he ever knew. And as his life continues to deteriorate, his obsessions begin to add further to the imbalance of his perceptions of reality, which finally lead him past a point of no return.

Scott's film, of course, has less to do with baseball than it does with how the game itself actually relates to life and the things that really matter. As Rayburn says at one point, "We're not curing cancer here." But to those to whom life has been reduced to that minute and a half to which they still cling, the game can be everything. And it is just that unhealthy obsession that Scott examines in this film, that comparatively insignificant moment that in the obsessive mind becomes an episode of monumental importance that finally distorts any semblance of reality the individual may have left. What's truly frightening is that upon close scrutiny, in Renard there is much with which many viewers will be able to relate in one way or another: The anger, the frustration and perhaps the inability to let go of that minute and a half, even when it threatens to become more than just a pleasant memory, but an unhealthy lifeline to another place and another time that, in reality, may never have existed in the first place. It's like a search for self-esteem by the has-been-who-never-was, who can neither realize nor accept it's elusiveness. As Renard says to Richie, "Baseball is better than life, because it's fair. You hit a sacrifice fly and it doesn't count against your average." An ideal that has forever eluded Renard; in his life, he's never been able to "give himself up for the team" and get anything in return for it.

As Renard, De Niro gives an explosive performance that at first glance may seem to have a bit of Travis Bickle and Max Cady in it-- which in fact it does-- though upon closer inspection, Renard is a unique character. Those with a disturbed mind may have traits in common, as these characters De Niro has portrayed certainly do; but De Niro has successfully given each of them an individual personality, and when viewed side by side, the differences are readily apparent. Bickle may be a sociopath, Cady a cold blooded killer; but Renard is a man who was just never able to get a handle on his life and has allowed his obsessions to dictate the choices he has made along the way. De Niro is simply a master of his craft, with the ability to make his characters so real that a performance like this one is often overlooked; this is Oscar worthy work for which he never received the acclaim he was due. His Renard is so like someone you would run into in your everyday life that in retrospect, it's scary. But it's the kind of performance we've come to expect from De Niro, and as usual, he does not disappoint.

Wesley Snipes, as well, gives a solid performance as Rayburn that is one of his best ever, which is not surprising when you consider with whom he was working. If you study De Niro's films, you may discover a common thread running through them with regard to his co-stars. De Niro has the ability to make those with whom he is working better; and it's something that stays with them forever after. Consider Christopher Walken and Meryl Streep before "The Deer Hunter," or Ed Harris before "Jacknife." Certainly they were exceptional talents before, but they have arguably been better since. And Snipes is no exception. Nor is Benicio Del Toro (Recipient of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for "Traffic"), who gives a memorable turn here as Rayburn's rival outfielder, Juan Primo.

The supporting cast includes Patti D'Arbanville (Ellen),Ellen Barkin (Jewel), John Leguizamo (Manny), Chris Mulkey (Tim), Dan Butler (Garrity) and Brandon Hammond (Sean). A thought provoking thriller that gives some real insight into the cause and effect of the psyche of human nature, "The Fan" is like an open wound that may hit too close to home for some. And to dismiss this as just a "baseball" movie or another "action" flick would be a mistake, for there is much more here than meets the eye. In the end, those who pay attention will ultimately reap the rewards it proffers.

Rating:
Summary: just entertainment
Review: Just a good movie with one great actor and one ok. Script was lacking, but wortha 2 buck look.

Rating:
Summary: Just something to watch on TV if you're bored
Review: Most De Niro fans won't even want to waste their time on this movie. I wish I hadn't. The story is pretty blah, and it's not very suspenseful at all. I can't believe people are calling De Niro's character a "Travis Bickle of the 90s". Please! What an insult.

Rating:
Summary: better than what you people say
Review: ok now people are always telling me that the fan is poop. pish posh it is a pretty good movie. the concept of the movie is good.. really good.. and de niro pulls it off.. really good. i mean of course snipes performance is nothing to get orgasmic about, but look past that, look at the story. and then think, could there really be people out there that have no life and are like him. i mean it's just such a neat story, and i think people look past that. in my opinion it is a pretty good movie that should be givin a chance. like some people say they like jeepers creepers... now that is a piece of poo poo... but this movie is a lot better than what people say. give it a chance and just look at the story.. and i bet u might like it

Rating:
Summary: A baseball thriller than does not go the whole nine innings
Review: Robert De Niro playing a character out of his mind is still something to see, as this 1996 film amply proves. This time around he plays Gil Renard, who sells just about every type of knife under the sun in the San Francisco Bay area, but not as well as he did in former days. Divorced, his wife is giving him one last chance with his son, Richie (Andrew J. Ferchland). Gil wants to take the boy to opening day at Candlestick Park, but he has also been given an ultimatum by his boss and he has a key appointment that same afternoon. Of course, Gil blows both opportunities and all he has left in the world is his love of baseball in general and the Giants new $40 million centerfielder, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). Gil even calls up the radio sports talk show of the emasculating Jewel Stern (Ellen Barkin) to talk to Bobby and praise him to high heavens.

However, Bobby gets off to a very bad start with the Giants. As the new big gun in town he has displaced the teams centerfielder Juan Primo (Benicio Del Toro). In the first game neither backs off on a fly ball and they collide. Bobby is hurt, but refuses to leave the game. To add insult to injury, Juan wears number 11, which has always been Bobby's number, and Primo refuses to give it up. Freaked by a visit to a young boy in a hospital who is not only dying but has the same name as his son, Bobby had promised to hit a home run and is feeling the pressure of that obligation. The result is that while Primo plays like an All-Star, Bobby's average dips below the Mendoza line and becomes the constant target of the local media. The only friend he has town might just be Gil.

Without a job and under a restraining order to stay away from his son, Gil has nothing else to do but go to the ballpark and follow Bobby around town. When he learns that Bobby wants to wear number 11, Gil decides that maybe there is something he can do about that. Actually, nobody wears 11 for the Giants because the number was retired for the Hall of Fame screwball pitcher Carl Hubbell, but this movie has less to do with the real world as it goes merrily along. What matters is that Gil feels that he has helped Bobby, who is back to his All-Star form, and is rather upset that his efforts have gone without notice. As he says, "A simple thank you would have been nice." At that point we know that something very, very bad is going to happen to Bobby.

The film's climax, of course, takes place at a baseball game with Bobby having to hit a home run in an at bat under more pressure than anybody else in the history of the game. Casey at the bat? Meaningless. Bobby Thompson in the 1951 National League Playoffs? Nothing. Roy Hobbs trying to hit one out for his son in "The Natural" is close to the mark, but Roy did not have to do it in the pouring rain and if he struck out his son was only going to be disappointed and not killed. Besides the complete downpour he also has to hit off the pitcher while the jumbo-tron shows the pitcher pitching. Now, major league baseball stadiums do not show live pictures while there is any action on the field, but that is why the end of "The Fan" is where the story is abandoned in favor of a big cinematic finish.

The early part of the film, as Gil descends into madness and Bobby's batting average takes a nosedive, is the most interesting part of "The Fan," because at that point it is primarily a case of parallel character studies. There is a sense in which the character played by Snipes is actually more interesting than De Niro's because we get some insights into the peculiar psychoses of a major league baseball player. At the end of the film we are surprised to learn that what distinguishes the two men most of all is their very different explanations for why Bobby has started hitting.

However, in the end the psychology gives way to the action in a scene that scene that uncomfortably reminds us of the climax of "The Naked Gun." It is impossible to accuse either star of going over the top in this film because "The Fan" does that all by itself at the end. Given the character foundations that were established in the first parts of the film, this is one instance where less at the end would have been more.

Rating:
Summary: A baseball thriller than does not go the whole nine innings
Review: Robert De Niro playing a character out of his mind is still something to see, as this 1996 film amply proves. This time around he plays Gil Renard, who sells just about every type of knife under the sun in the San Francisco Bay area, but not as well as he did in former days. Divorced, his wife is giving him one last chance with his son, Richie (Andrew J. Ferchland). Gil wants to take the boy to opening day at Candlestick Park, but he has also been given an ultimatum by his boss and he has a key appointment that same afternoon. Of course, Gil blows both opportunities and all he has left in the world is his love of baseball in general and the Giants new $40 million centerfielder, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). Gil even calls up the radio sports talk show of the emasculating Jewel Stern (Ellen Barkin) to talk to Bobby and praise him to high heavens.

However, Bobby gets off to a very bad start with the Giants. As the new big gun in town he has displaced the teams centerfielder Juan Primo (Benicio Del Toro). In the first game neither backs off on a fly ball and they collide. Bobby is hurt, but refuses to leave the game. To add insult to injury, Juan wears number 11, which has always been Bobby's number, and Primo refuses to give it up. Freaked by a visit to a young boy in a hospital who is not only dying but has the same name as his son, Bobby had promised to hit a home run and is feeling the pressure of that obligation. The result is that while Primo plays like an All-Star, Bobby's average dips below the Mendoza line and becomes the constant target of the local media. The only friend he has town might just be Gil.

Without a job and under a restraining order to stay away from his son, Gil has nothing else to do but go to the ballpark and follow Bobby around town. When he learns that Bobby wants to wear number 11, Gil decides that maybe there is something he can do about that. Actually, nobody wears 11 for the Giants because the number was retired for the Hall of Fame screwball pitcher Carl Hubbell, but this movie has less to do with the real world as it goes merrily along. What matters is that Gil feels that he has helped Bobby, who is back to his All-Star form, and is rather upset that his efforts have gone without notice. As he says, "A simple thank you would have been nice." At that point we know that something very, very bad is going to happen to Bobby.

The film's climax, of course, takes place at a baseball game with Bobby having to hit a home run in an at bat under more pressure than anybody else in the history of the game. Casey at the bat? Meaningless. Bobby Thompson in the 1951 National League Playoffs? Nothing. Roy Hobbs trying to hit one out for his son in "The Natural" is close to the mark, but Roy did not have to do it in the pouring rain and if he struck out his son was only going to be disappointed and not killed. Besides the complete downpour he also has to hit off the pitcher while the jumbo-tron shows the pitcher pitching. Now, major league baseball stadiums do not show live pictures while there is any action on the field, but that is why the end of "The Fan" is where the story is abandoned in favor of a big cinematic finish.

The early part of the film, as Gil descends into madness and Bobby's batting average takes a nosedive, is the most interesting part of "The Fan," because at that point it is primarily a case of parallel character studies. There is a sense in which the character played by Snipes is actually more interesting than De Niro's because we get some insights into the peculiar psychoses of a major league baseball player. At the end of the film we are surprised to learn that what distinguishes the two men most of all is their very different explanations for why Bobby has started hitting.

However, in the end the psychology gives way to the action in a scene that scene that uncomfortably reminds us of the climax of "The Naked Gun." It is impossible to accuse either star of going over the top in this film because "The Fan" does that all by itself at the end. Given the character foundations that were established in the first parts of the film, this is one instance where less at the end would have been more.

Rating:
Summary: A Thrilling and Suspenseful Film
Review: Robert De Niro portrays Gil, a complusive baseball fan. His favorite player is Bobby Rayburn. When Rayburn has some troubles in his career, Gil will stop at nothing to ensure he gets back on his feet. Gil's obsessiveness gradually turns into madness, and his insanity is similar to that of De Niro's unforgettable villain Max Cady in "Cape Fear". Those who enjoyed "Cape Fear" should enjoy this movie. It's an excellent story that teaches a lesson about letting go of the past and not letting an obsession take over your life.

Rating:
Summary: The Fan ...Fans Out!
Review: Robert DiNiro completes a quintent of bad guy/psycho roles for the 1990's (AWAKENINGS, THIS BOY'S LIFE, CAPE FEAR,JACKIE BROWN) with THE FAN. With a resurgence of Baseball movies beginning in the late 1980's, this has got to be one of the worst of the bunch and the worst of the five DiNiro pictures. The pairing of DiNiro (who literally phones in his performance here)and Wesley Snipes (Is actually convincing as a baseball player. Remmeber his Willie Mays Hays in MAJOR LEAGUE?)in what could have been an interesting thriller turns into another predictable slasher-type film. DiNiro (Gil Renard) becomes an obsessed fan to Wesley Snipes superstar Baseball Player(Bobby Rayburn). There is some social commentary about modern sports and the responsibility of overpaid athletes but all commentary is drowned out by a weak script and weak direction. Also, there is a scene that most baseball purists have been complaining about in this film. This is the sequence where the umpires let a baseball game keep going and it is pouring rain. Director Tony Scott in his own directorial style shows the sequence in slow-motion with players slipping and sliding, with water and mud flying all over the place, all for dramatic purposes and creative license. Overall, a weak sports film, a weak thriller, and wasted talent makes THE FAN a very forgettable film.