One of the most underrated films of the past decade and a gripping character study

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2005)

No, I'm not joking.
And no, I'm not just saying this because I'm a De Niro fan.
I admit when he makes mistakes -- "Rocky and Bullwinkle" for example -- but the critics really took a beating on De Niro when this was released and I think the criticism was wholly unfair. In my opinion "The Fan" is one of the best thrillers of its kind, up until the messy conclusion (which is stupid, far-fetched and disappointing). It reeks of Hollywood interference - as if test screenings failed and the corporates demanded a re-shoot, or something.
The rest of the movie seems too honest to deserve such a horrible ending. De Niro plays Gil, an obsessive baseball fan who takes a liking to newly recruited Giants player Bobby (Wesley Snipes), whose contract was some $40 million for the team. Others are skeptics, but Gil believes in Bobby, even after an injury lowers his batting average and fans everywhere cry bloody outrage.
Gil decides to take matters into his own hands by "helping" Bobby -- until the baseball player turns on his fans and Gil feels betrayed and works up a revenge scheme.
The plot summary for this may sound stupid, but I like it because of the depth added to the characters. The film really builds up insight into Gil, a failing knife salesman who has a strange obsession with the Rolling Stones, baseball and violence.
In fact the subtleties are what make this movie succeed past others of its genre. We don't understand what's going on with the Rolling Stones at first. "Sympathy for the Devil" is playing on Gil's car radio and later some more songs, and then inside his room we catch a brief glimpse of a Rolling Stones shrine with pictures of Mick Jagger... maybe Gil is in fact a repressed homosexual? Or perhaps before he took a liking to baseball he stalked the Stones as well.
It's my opinion that Gil is a continuation of the Travis Bickle character from "Taxi Driver." It's like seeing him 20 years onwards. The obsessions, compulsions and behavioral problems are all the same -- in fact, if anything, worse than before.
I really do like this movie for the most part. Up until its conclusion it's well-made, a taught character study that doesn't rely on stupid action sequences for effect. It takes its time studying Gil and most of the film is indeed dedicated to revealing his true nature, which is rare for a Hollywood film these days, and especially rare for a Tony Scott film.
I don't understand why all the critics hated this, I think it's one of my favorite guilty pleasures.