Go see Big Fan

Big Fan is the directorial debut of Robert D. Siegel the critically acclaimed writer of The Wrestlerand let me tell you he chose a worthy project. Siegel also wrote this story of an obsessive fan of the NY football Giants and the lengths he will go to protect his favorite player who attacked him.

 Patton Oswalt plays Paul Aufiero a parking lot attendant and general nobody in the world who is constantly abused and berated in his daily life and who attempts to escape his inadequacies through his obsessive love of the Giants. Paul lives at home with his mom and his only outlet to really express himself is to call the local late night sports radio show hostedby the one and only Ferrall. The movie starts out introducing Paul and his best friend and fellow Giant fanatic Sal played by Kevin Corrigan (Grounded for Life, Slums of Beverly Hills).

 The movie really takes off when Paul and Sal are out one night and see their favorite Giant linebacker Quantrell Bishop played by newcomer Jonathan Hammout with friends and decide to follow him and his friends ultimately to a Manhattan strip club. When after several hours of waiting to make a move they finally send Bishop a beer and attempt to introduce themselves. When it is revealed that the two fans followed them Bishop beats Paul up and literally puts him into a coma.

When Paul wakes up he is urged by a police detective and his family to turn in Bishop and send him to jail and to sue for huge damages for a star athlete. Will Paul turn Quantrillin and sue him for all he is worth? Will Paul continue to spiral out of control into his own alternate reality? You will just have to see….

 First off the writing here is really very good, believable characters and a very stark a realistic tone really matches the honest and straightforward camera work that I have to say really impressed me. Patton Oswalt literally becomes Paul Aufiero and let me tell you that as talented as I think he is in comedy he really can act in a very serious drama as well. 

The tone of the film is very dark but it is warranted with the subject matter and I found it to be a strong character study about what a true fanatic will do to protect the reality that he has built around himself and what happens when that world come down around him.

Now this is not to say the film is perfect, and I will not say that this movie is going to sweep the Oscars but it is definitely worth your time because in this day and age of bloated CGI driven and overused actors doing the same movies over and over again, it is nice to see an artistic risk about real people and the dark side that they will go to profit from one man’s misery and their attempt to exploit the riches of a professional athlete.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 I had the pleasure to interview Patton Oswalt in connection with this movie on Tuesday August 25th and I wanted to share some of the highlights from a really nice conversation with an actor and comedian whom I have enjoyed watching for years.

 The Dirty Bird: Thank you so much for speaking with me today.

Patton Oswalt: Thank you for wanting to speak with me.

 TDB: First off let me just say I really enjoyed the movie and I just had a few questions for you.

PO: Thank you, sure.

 TDB: I really enjoyed the movie and I wanted to just ask a few questions about it.

PO: Sure.

 TDB: First off, I know you grew up in Virginia and I was wondering if you grew up a sports fan?

PO: No, not really. I didn’ t dislike it but sports just didn’t really appeal to me.

 TDB: Did you draw inspiration from your performance from anyone specific or was the character of Paul made up entirely in your mind?

PO: I had a lot of people to draw from but no one specific. Paul was really on the page when I read it.

 TDB: In the film you play a true die-hard Giants fan. Did you do anything to study or immerce yourself in that culture?

PO: No, I have a lot of friend who are like that so I drew it from there.

 TBD: There is a point in the film when Paul is in a really bad place but looking at the Giants schedule he is instantly turned around and looks up and says, "This is going ot be a great year."

PO: I really liked that scene too becuase it shows the depth of his insanity and how much further down he is going in his obsession insead of seeing the gravity of what has happened to him.

TBD: Great insight, I didn’t see it that way.

The interview went on from there in more in depth stuff about the movie and some major plot spoilers that I don’t want to reveal. Mr. Oswalt was kind and funny and very very cool. I suggest anyone who has a chance see this movie when it premeires tomorrow in Los Angeles and New York.