The Fan

Play trailer

The Fan

R

1996

1h 57m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Action

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

37%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

35%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A troubled salesman who peddles knives, Gil Renard (Robert De Niro) has a volatile personality, which has resulted in divorce and a strained relationship with his young son. The one thing that Renard cares passionately about is baseball, particularly the San Francisco Giants and the team's newest recruit, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). As Renard's personal life continues to crumble, he begins obsessively tracking Rayburn, leading to kidnapping and even murder.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Tony Scott's visceral flash proves to be an ill fit for The Fan, a queasy tale of obsession that succeeds at making audiences uncomfortable, but strikes out when it comes to delivering the thrills.

Read Critics Reviews

David Ansen

Newsweek

What's disingenuous about Scott's movie is that it pretends to have something to say about an all-too-familiar syndrome.

Feb 27, 2018

Full Review

Quentin Curtis

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Scott, as ever, drowns the still, sad music of humanity in an oratorio of style. The screeching soundtrack never relents and the heavily top-lit images, sometimes using garish tints and slow motion, flash at us with all the feeling of a rock video.

Nov 22, 2017

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

Ed Travis

Cinapse

Tony Scott's energetic direction is the outstanding element of The Fan. The guy just makes this otherwise standard fare really pop.

May 2, 2020

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a lesser entry within Scott's exceedingly erratic filmography.

Rated: 2/4

Nov 4, 2016

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

A roughly-assembled, mean movie: flashes of solid genre filmmaking keep it from being a wash, but it's really not much fun at all.

Rated: 4/10

Jul 27, 2013

Full Review

Read all reviews

Todd B

A good movie a true fan, even to the point of an obsession. I loved it. Good casting. This was I think maybe a remake from the 1981 version of the movie of the movie of the same title. A starring role of Michael Biehn, which his character played a stalking fan role, as well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/25

Full Review

Sherwin C

One of the many best of Robert Fuckin' De Niro watch it a 100x times since the 90s up to now 2024. Still one of my fave movies of all-time. 😎👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/19/24

Full Review

Steve D

It just keeps getting more ridiculous.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

Full Review

Meinhard P

small storyline, good actor (de Niro)

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Surely for die-hard fan...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Michele P

No clue how this film has such a low critic and audience score. It's great!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/16/22

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Tony Scott

Director

Robert De Niro

Gil Renard

Wesley Snipes

Bobby Rayburn

Ellen Barkin

Jewel Stern

John Leguizamo

Manny

Benicio del Toro

Juan Primo

Courage Under Fire

86%

66%

Courage Under Fire

Watchlist

Body of Lies

55%

62%

Body of Lies

Watchlist

Death Sentence

20%

60%

Death Sentence

Watchlist

The Brave One

43%

64%

The Brave One

Watchlist

The American

64%

39%

The American

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Weekly Ketchup: Keith Richards’s "Pirates of the Caribbean" Antics, Hermione’s "Harry Potter" Doubts, Stallone Speculation, And More!

Critical Consensus: "Domino" Topples, "Elizabethtown" Disappoints

View more photos

Synopsis

A troubled salesman who peddles knives, Gil Renard (Robert De Niro) has a volatile personality, which has resulted in divorce and a strained relationship with his young son. The one thing that Renard cares passionately about is baseball, particularly the San Francisco Giants and the team's newest recruit, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes). As Renard's personal life continues to crumble, he begins obsessively tracking Rayburn, leading to kidnapping and even murder.

Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Wendy Finerman
Production Co: TriStar Pictures, Scott Free Productions, Mandalay Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.1M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now