The Fanatic (2019 film)

The Fanatic is a 2019 American psychological horror-thriller film directed and co-written by Fred Durst. It stars John Travolta as an autistic man obsessed with meeting his favorite actor (Devon Sawa). The film was given a limited theatrical release on August 30, 2019, followed by a release on streaming platforms, and received mainly negative reviews.

The Fanatic
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFred Durst
Produced byDaniel Grodnik
Oscar Generale
Bill Kenwright
Screenplay byDave Bekerman
Fred Durst
Story byFred Durst
StarringJohn Travolta
Devon Sawa
Ana Golja
Jacob Grodnik
James Paxton
Music byGary Hickeson
John Swihart
CinematographyConrad W. Hall
Edited byMalcolm Crowe
Nik Voytas
Production
company
  • VMI Worldwide
  • Pretzel Fang
  • Primal Film LLC
  • Quiver Distribution Inc
  • Media Finance Capital
  • The Wonderfilm Media Corporation
Distributed byQuiver Distribution
Release date
  • August 30, 2019 (2019-08-30)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$3,153[1]

Plot

Moose is an autistic man and works as a street performer on Hollywood Boulevard. Moose is also an avid movie fan, especially of the action film actor Hunter Dunbar. When Moose finally gets an opportunity to meet him and get an autograph, he is rejected when Dunbar's ex-wife comes to abruptly see him. Moose is friends with a young paparazzi photographer, Leah, who shows Moose an app that publishes home addresses of famous celebrities, including his hero. Moose goes to Dunbar's house and tries to give him a letter in search of an autograph. Dunbar confronts Moose and tells him to stay out of his neighborhood. Moose comes back again and climbs a fence, but is scared off by Dunbar's housekeeper. Moose keeps returning and eventually gains entry to the house after accidentally pushing the housekeeper into a stone fountain, killing her. Moose is again rejected by Dunbar, who calls Moose a stalker and threatens to shoot Moose if he sees him in the neighborhood again.

Moose returns and ties up Dunbar while he sleeps. When Dunbar awakens he sees Moose lying on the floor, appearing to have killed himself, only for Moose to start laughing and get up. Next, Moose dresses up in a Jason Voorhees mask and pretends to stab Dunbar, but his blade is revealed to be a retractable prop knife, again fooling Dunbar. Dunbar pleads for Moose to untie him with promises of autographs and friendship, and he does. Dunbar attacks and nearly kills Moose, shooting off his fingers with a hidden rifle and stabbing him in the eye. Moose starts to cry and after a seeming change of heart, Dunbar spares Moose and lets him leave. Moose wanders the streets of Hollywood, sobbing and passing tourists who request to take photos with him, believing his wounds to be a part of a realistic costume, before Leah takes him to the hospital. As the movie ends, Dunbar is seen being arrested for the murder of his housekeeper and for the attack on Moose.

Cast

Production

Pretzel Fang produced the film with VMI Worldwide, Wonderfilm Media, Media Finance Capital, Primal Film LLC and Quiver Distribution Inc. funded the film.[2] In March 2018, principal photography began in Birmingham, Alabama.[2][3] Redbox Entertainment also funded the film in exchange for release via the Redbox kiosks and streaming services.[4]

Reception

Box office

The Fanatic earned $3,153 from 52 theaters in the U.S. on its opening day, making it a US box-office failure.[1][5][6]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 17%, based on 64 reviews, with an average score of 3.47/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "John Travolta gives it his oddly coiffed all, but The Fanatic rings hollow as an examination of the way fan appreciation can curdle into toxic obsession."[7] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 18 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[8]

NPR published a negative review that called the film a noticeable downgrade from The Education of Charlie Banks and The Longshots, labeling the work a "miserable psychodrama". Specific elements attracting criticism included the "cliché-filled voiceover narration" and "a bunch of scenes where Travolta zealously overacts".[9] The New York Times issued a negative review as well, the analysis of the movie arguing that it "delineates the border that separates the merely stale from the genuinely rancid."[10]

In a positive review, Josh Millican of Dread Central called the film "a riveting indie with genuine suspense", and he praised both John Travolta's and Devon Sawa's performances.[11]

Accolades

Awards and nominations for The Fanatic
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
Golden Raspberry Awards March 16, 2020[12] Worst Picture Daniel Grodnik, Oscar Generale and Bill Kenwright Nominated
Worst Director Fred Durst Nominated
Worst Actor John Travolta (also for Trading Paint) Won
gollark: I'm not very knowledgeable on the history, but I doubt what happened was a historical certainty. I think one pivotal thing was one of the emperors converting, and without that it might never have taken over.
gollark: Historical coincidence, better memetics, possibly monotheism making it easier to justify wiping out of competing beliefs, I guess?
gollark: It's *mostly* gone though, based on my approximate knowledge of religious leanings.
gollark: Besides, who says that isn't mostly driven by historical coincidence and resources and such?
gollark: Which is still a somewhat subjective arbitrary thing to judge them by.

References
  1. McClintock, Pamela (August 31, 2019). "Box Office: John Travolta Hits Career Low As 'The Fanatic' Bombs". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  2. Harvey, Dennis; Harvey, Dennis (2019-08-27). "Film Review: 'The Fanatic'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  3. Colurso, Mary (2019-07-24). "Watch the trailer for 'The Fanatic,' filmed in Alabama and starring John Travolta". al. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  4. Spangler, Todd (February 18, 2020). "Why Redbox Is Moving Into Free, Ad-Supported Streaming Video". Variety. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  5. "FRED DURST's New Movie 'The Fanatic' Is A Spectacular Box Office Bomb". Blabbermouth.net. September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  6. Reilly, Nick (September 3, 2019). "John Travolta and Fred Durst's new movie 'The Fanatic' bombs at US box office". NME. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  7. "The Fanatic (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  8. "The Fanatic reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  9. "In Stalker Thriller 'The Fanatic,' Travolta Stalks, But Never Thrills". NPR.org. August 29, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/movies/the-fanatic-review.html
  11. "EXCLUSIVE: DEVON SAWA ON THE FANATIC". Dread Central.
  12. "RAZZ NEWZ - The Razzies!". razzies.com.
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