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The Fan

Play trailer Poster for The Fan R 1996 1h 57m Mystery & Thriller Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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42% Tomatometer 31 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.
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The Fan

The Fan

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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.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek Feb 27, 2018
What's disingenuous about Scott's movie is that it pretends to have something to say about an all-too-familiar syndrome. Go to Full Review Quentin Curtis Daily Telegraph (UK) Nov 22, 2017
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. Go to Full Review USA Today Jan 1, 2000
2/4
An awful but watchable baseball movie until it degenerates into an all-out howler. Go to Full Review Danny King Screen Slate Aug 24, 2026
The movie is distinguished from other thrillers of the time not only by Scott’s well caffeinated sense of pacing but by the disturbing particulars of De Niro’s performance. Go to Full Review Justin LaLiberty Screen Slate Aug 18, 2026
Like its source novel, Scott’s film takes the United States’ favorite pastime and makes it insidious. Go to Full Review Ed Travis Cinapse May 2, 2020
Tony Scott's energetic direction is the outstanding element of The Fan. The guy just makes this otherwise standard fare really pop. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Farah R @Farah Jul 17, 2026 The movie plays it too safe, leaving Robert De Niro’s character all bark and no bite. All he does is annoy Wesley Snipes until things get way outta hand in the most illogical way. The ending doesn’t make any sense either, so what’s the point in watching? See more Julie G @Jue207 Jul 6, 2026 I enjoyed robert de niros and wesley snipes performance but the story could have been so much better and darker it was slow,long winded and got boring.Not the actors fault. See more James A @ablett001 Jul 5, 2026 Whilst at times it pushes the level to non-believable The Fan’s two main characters are portrayed perfectly by outstanding performances from Snipes and De Niro. Supported by a great score, tense moments and well executed cinematography it reminds us of a time when performances relied on gritty acting staying true to its form. Great watch. See more Carlos I @carlosFibarra Jun 11, 2026 The Fan is a fun, stylish thriller that delivers solid entertainment despite following a lot of familiar territory. While the narrative walks down a well-worn path of psychological obsession, director Tony Scott infuses the film with his signature visual flair and kinetic energy. The tension builds steadily, but the crescendo isn't quite as thrilling as it needs to be to make a truly lasting impact. See more Stoner J. @Stoner Jun 9, 2026 An underrated thriller since inception. DeNero delivers a chilling performance and Snipes, a super watchable victim throughout. Underrated thrillers since 96. See more Ben W @Username618 May 27, 2026 In the Line of Fire, better. See more Read all reviews
The Fan

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Cast & Crew

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Tony Scott

Director

Robert De Niro

Gil Renard

Wesley Snipes

Bobby Rayburn

Ellen Barkin

Jewel Stern

John Leguizamo

Manny

Benicio del Toro

Juan Primo

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The Fan

The Fan (1996) The Fan (1996) The Fan (1996) The Fan (1996) The Fan (1996) View more photos

Movie Info

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, Mandalay Entertainment, Scott Free Productions
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
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