Big Fan (2009)

Robert Siegel proves he can wear both a writer's and a director's hat, both probably jauntily askew to fit at the same time, with Big Fan. Patton Oswalt stars (did I say "stars"? I meant "dominates") as Paul Aufiero, a parking lot attendant from Staten Island and diehard Giants fan. He lives with his nagging mother and spends most nights calling into a local sports radio show to battle a jerk from Philadelphia who's always going on about the Eagles. He and his best friend Sal (Kevin Corrigan) tailgate at the stadium but actually attend the games, opting instead to watch on a television in the parking lot. When they see Quantrell Bishop (Johnathan Hamm), their favorite player, driving around their neighborhood, Paul and Sal follow him around looking for an opportunity to meet him.

They end up at a club in Manhattan and finally have the guts to approach him, only for him to assume they're antagonistic stalkers. Bishop beats Paul to a pulp and is suspended from the team, making Paul feel incredibly guilty and frustrated to have been involved in something so negative for the Giants. His brother (Gino Cafarelli), a personal injury lawyer, insists he should sue, but he just wants the whole thing to blow over so he can go back to enjoying the games. His family, the police, and various sports fans are constantly hounding him, and Paul's fairly simple life has become so complicated he might do something drastic.

Big Fan can be viewed a lot of ways. It's definitely funny, with Patton Oswalt cracking wise here and there and some good visual gags. But it has a decidedly sinister edge that makes the viewer unable to predict how serious it will get. It can also be seen as a portrait of a lonely, presumably sad man with little to care about except a football team. I watched it with a mix of the first two approaches, since I didn't really feel bad for Paul. His life might not fall within the conventional ideas of "happy" or "normal", but he seems ok with it and that's all that matters. I wasn't buying into his mom's whole "everyone should want a family" speech.

This movie's story is deceptively simple, but weaves in an undercurrent of humor, internal drama, and character depth. The plot escalates in an unexpected and extremely well-handled way. Seriously, what a good ending. The performances are great, especially Oswalt's nuanced portrayal of the conflicted Paul. I liked Kevin Corrigan a lot too, because he seems like such a fun guy!

Siegel keeps the visuals stark and gritty, appropriately reminiscent of The Wrestler in its looks and tone. Plus I got to feel special since Giants Stadium is like 5 minutes away from where I live. So... yay NJ for hosting NY teams all the time. Big Fan is an impressive directing debut and I hope Siegel continues to work behind the camera (while still writing, of course), and Oswalt has really proven to be a versatile performer; I'll admit I wasn't expecting him to be so good in a more dramatic role. Anyway, go see this movie. I don't even like sports, and I think it's awesome.

4.5/5