Big Fan

Patton Oswalt shows a different side of his talent in this film, which explores fandom and the power that celebrity has over people. Months ago, I won tickets to a screening of this film here in Seattle, but I didn't make it despite being a huge fan on comedian Patton Oswalt. I'm glad I didn't make it actually, because I found part of the picture quite painful to endure. In the film, Patton plays super-fan Paul Aufiero whose sole area of success in life is being able to call into local late-night sports talk radio (hosted, surprisingly, by Scott Ferrall) and get in without the long wait. He still lives with his mother on Staten Island and works at a parking garage for his career despite being 36 years old. After an encounter with his favorite player at a Manhattan nightclub, Aufieri's true character is unveiled when he must make a choice to voice the truth and doom his beloved New York Football Giants to another season without a post-season or lie and let the events go unpunished and let the Giants fortunes fall where they may. Despite Oswalt's enormous comedic acumen, there is little comedy in this film and he manages to portray the pathetic single-mindedness of fandom and all of it's delusions. The subject of fans transcends sports. Just think about your favorite actor or musician or artist or designer, etc., chances are that even the most gregarious of them, put in a certain situation, can and do come off as complete assholes. I've always believed that it's best not to meet people with any amount of fame and if you do see them in public, then a simple head nod and nothing above a "thank you" is necessary. If only poor Aufieri and the millions of other fans out there would heed this advice, we might have more modest talented people out there instead of the celebrity culture that has evolved over the last few decades. I thought this movie was disturbing and asked a lot of great questions, but in the end only showed the weakness of the human condition and offered no growth through experience.

Grade: 7.8