The Fan

A 1996 American sports psychological thriller directed by Tony Scott, based on the 1995 novel by Peter Abrahams. The story follows Gil Renard (Robert De Niro), an unstable knife salesman and obsessive fan of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. After losing his job and facing estrangement from his ex-wife Ellen (Patti D'Arbanville), who obtains a restraining order against him, Gil fixates on the team's new star player, Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes), who has just signed a $40 million contract. When Rayburn struggles on the field and clashes with teammate Juan Primo (Benicio del Toro) over jersey number 11, Gil believes Primo is hindering Rayburn's performance. In an attempt to "help," Gil murders Primo in a sauna, leading to Rayburn's improved gameplay. However, when Rayburn fails to acknowledge his fans, Gil kidnaps Rayburn's son Sean (Brandon Hammond) and demands that Rayburn dedicate a home run to him in the next game. During the match, Gil, disguised as an umpire, interferes, resulting in his exposure and death at the hands of the police. The film also features John Leguizamo (Manny), Ellen Barkin (Jewel Stern), and Jack Black (radio broadcast technician). With a budget of $55 million, the film grossed approximately $42 million worldwide and received generally negative reviews from critics, though it was later praised for its direction, performances, and Hans Zimmer's musical score.