Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Big Fan’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​Sports fans are an interesting breed. They are loyal to their favorite team to no end, and with good reason. They are there for all of the highs and all of the lows. They share incredible moments with one another, moments of incredible athletic feats that leave you with your jaw agape. It's incredible to walk into a bar or a restaurant and see a sea of jerseys, along with the eyes of the people wearing them locked onto the television screen all to enjoy a taste of glory.  

Yet there is a dark side to it as well. There are fans out there that are well...jackasses. You know who I'm talking about. They're in your face for every moment of success with glee but turn into an insufferable jerk the instant something doesn't go their team's way. Sometimes these fools create a ruckus and they get everything they deserve when fans around them fire back some fine trash talking. It is all of these elements that are explored in depth in an incredible film starring Patton Oswalt...Big Fan.  

To call Paul Aufiero anything less than a Super-fan would qualify as an insult. His passion and love for the New York Giants is unparalleled. You'll find him at every home game, usually watching the game on TV from the stadium parking lot. You'll hear him defend the honor of his team from the haters on the radio. In fact, there is little else in Paul's life more important than football. So, when a chance encounter with his favorite player turns violent, Paul's world is left in tatters and this big fan, will never be the same.   

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I caught this movie on Netflix many years ago, and it absolutely caught me by surprise. For starters, Patton Oswalt is absolutely brilliant in the role. He delivers an incredible performance, one that captures the good and the bad of sports fans masterfully. But his ability to bring Paul Aufiero to life is aided by a strong script that is an epic character study on quite frankly, a man with nothing else in his life.  

Paul is fine with his dead-end job. Paul is fine living at home with his mother, and bear in mind he is well past thirty and fully capable of supporting himself. But he's a simple man with simple tastes, and as long as he has the wonder of football in his life, what else would he need? It's why the ugly encounter with his favorite player is such a masterful stroke of genius. He literally holds the playoffs for the Giants in his hands and his conflict to either turn in the player he adores and watch the Giants' season crumble or let the whole matter slide is just beautiful storytelling.  

This film in a nutshell is a tragedy. It is not a knock on professional sports or the desire for violence that infects some of its players. Nor is it an indictment on sports fans and their obsessions. It is simply a tale of the dangers of having nothing else to live for and this is the kind of story where you simply have to know how it ends. Big Fan is an incredibly thoughtful film, one you need to see as soon as possible, and one you will absolutely enjoy. ​

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