The Fan (1996)

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Movie
German title The Fan
Original title The Fan
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1996
length 111 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Tony Scott
script Phoef Sutton
production Wendy Finerman
music Hans Zimmer
camera Dariusz Wolski
cut Christian Wagner
Claire Simpson
occupation

The Fan is an American psychological thriller from 1996 directed by Tony Scott . The leading roles are played by Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes . The film is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Abrahams .

action

Gil Renard is a representative for Messer, whose job is at risk due to insufficient sales and his moody behavior towards customers. He is divorced and has limited visiting rights to spend time with his son. Gil is also an obsessive fan of the San Francisco Giants baseball team . When player Bobby Rayburn moves from the Atlanta Braves to the Giants for the astronomical sum of $ 40 million , Gil risks his job, which is already at risk, by attending the season opening game, even though a meeting with one of his key customers is due at the time. As he promised him, he also takes his son to this game, but leaves him alone in the stadium during the game to meet his customer. In his customer's office, he learns that he is “no longer at home” but is watching the game in the stadium. Angry, Gil returns to the stadium, but cannot find his son there. It turns out that his son was brought to his mother by an elderly couple. Gil, who first appears at his mother's house with apologetic gestures, enters the house, locks himself in with his son in his room and apologizes to him for his wrongdoing. The next day he is laid off by his employer because he has lost his most important customer.

Bobby Rayburn, who was injured in a clash with Juan Primo in the opening game, has started the season badly with his new team. In addition, it is bothering him that he cannot wear his usual number 11 on his jersey, as Juan Primo already claims it for himself. The fans, whose high expectations Rayburn cannot meet, boo him in the stadium and urge him to return to Atlanta. Gil, who is now unemployed and is no longer allowed to approach his son due to an injunction, increases his fanaticism and sticks to Rayburn. This goes so far that he is openly hostile in the stadium with fans booing Rayburn.

Gil, who accidentally overhears a confrontation between Rayburn and Primo in the toilet of a bar, in which the point is that Rayburn wants to get "his number" from Primo, is now following Primo. In the sauna of a hotel he chases after him and asks him to give his number to Rayburn so that he can return to his well-known performance. When Primo rejects him, he pulls out one of his knives and stabs him.

Rayburn, however, who feels guilty for Primo's death, is returning to his old form. Gil feels responsible, and thinks that he did Rayburn a great favor by killing Primo. Obsessed with his idol, he watches it in his beach house. When Rayburn's son Sean accidentally threatens to drown, Gil rushes into the water and saves him from drowning. Rayburn, grateful for saving his son, invites Gil to his house. Gil, posing as "Curly," claims that he has only a moderate interest in baseball and talks about baseball with Rayburn. Rayburn discredits his fans by claiming that they are just failures, who only love him when he plays well and want to spit on when he plays badly. In the evening Gil asks to be allowed to throw "a few balls" for Rayburn. While they do so, Gil continues to talk to Rayburn about baseball, trying to get him to confess that it was only through Primo's death that he got back to his old form. Rayburn, however, denies this and says his recurring success is only because he didn't care whether he played well or not. Gil, angry about his idol's utterances and ingratitude, kidnaps his son and flees in Rayburn's Hummer .

Gil flees to "his old catcher" Coop, where he finds shelter. From there he calls Rayburn and tells him to hit a home run at the next game and dedicate it to him so that he can see his son again. After the conversation, Gil, Sean, and Coop play baseball. When Gil is distracted, Coop helps Sean escape, whereupon Gil beats Coop to death with a baseball bat. Gil follows Sean and catches him again.

During the next game, Gil calls reporter Jewel Stern in her reporter booth at the stadium and reveals to her that he is in the stadium. This also informs the police who are busily looking for Gil. During a game interruption due to rain, Gil overpowers a referee and now pretends to be him. The game comes to a head dramatically. When Rayburn hits a home run shortly before the end of the game, he gets into an argument with the referee, who does not want to recognize it. During the argument, Rayburn realizes that Gil is hidden under the mask of the referee. A fight breaks out in which Rayburn's team-mates storm onto the field. Gil stabs one of Rayburn's teammates to death. Surrounded by the police, Rayburn tries to coax Gil where he is hiding his son. Gil replies, "he could be in heaven in the big stadium". When Gil tries to throw a knife at Rayburn, the police shoot him.

During the investigation, the police revealed Gil's identity and, when questioning his son, received the information that they liked to be in the “Stadium in Heaven in the Children's League Park”. There the police find his son Sean in the presence of Rayburn and are able to free him.

background

With an estimated production budget of $ 55 million, the film only raked in $ 18 million at the box office. In Germany, the film was seen by 293,819 moviegoers.

Reviews

“A glossy thriller from Tony Scott, younger brother of 'Alien' director Ridley. As usual, De Niro acts impressively, because here he skillfully makes the gradual change to a psychopathic assassin. Unfortunately some unbelievable twists and turns and the intrusive soundtrack disturb. "

- prism

“The advertising film aesthetic of the production prevents a stringent development of the story and a believable drawing of the characters. The intrusive soundtrack destroys any mood. What remains are an extremely present main actor and some light and color dramaturgical effects that break through the superficial high-gloss staging. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

The film won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award in the Favorite Supporting Actress - Adventure / Drama ( Ellen Barkin ) category . The film was nominated for three other awards, including an MTV Movie Award .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Fan at boxofficemojo.com (English), accessed January 30, 2012.
  2. ↑ Top 100 Germany 1996 on insidekino.de, accessed on January 30, 2012.
  3. ↑ The Fan on prisma.de, accessed on January 30, 2012.
  4. ^ The Fan. In: Lexicon of international film . Film service , accessed August 24, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used