The Fanatic

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🎙️ EPISODE 629: 12.28.22 During the podcast review for this film, I mused about the idea of a suggested double feature including yesterday's movie as well. The ultimate yin and yang as it were. Both films are the first, and thus far only efforts by two prominent musicians on the polar opposite of the spectrum: David Byrne, eternal indie rock optimist, NYC cool dude and critical darling, and the much maligned Fred Durst, nu metal downer, Floridian dork and critic's punching bag. These movies couldn't be more on the nose for what one might expect from either party. (And that one is ostensibly "good" while the other is "bad" is also part of the equation.) Watching them back to back was a unique experience that seemed to shed a mysterious light on both. Our expectations are sometimes just as important as any appreciation or disdain for the end product. In fact, these concepts work in tandem in a mechanical, almost unconscious way. The names of the directors might very well be the reason, the only reason, that the majority of people ever watch either of these films.

Name value alone suggests one of these things will be competent and the other will not. But what struck me most about The Fanatic is just how damn competent it is. It's certainly not a very good movie, but Durst's directorial work is hardly the reason why. In fact, outside of a kinda lame Limp Bizkit reference, he completely fades into the background (although, to be fair, this isn't difficult when John Travolta is playing an autistic person in the lead role). Whereas, on the flip side, with True Stories, Byrne's and Talking Heads' presence is so intricately part of the work, it's maybe the main reason people like it (not to shortchange John Goodman or any of the other great actors, but I still feel this is true).

However, the main reason I feel this would make for a fascinating double feature is what both projects have to say about America, and how they each speak to both specific aesthetics and sociological viewpoints of their creators (at least in terms of an albeit, highly vague, public persona way). Maybe I'm looking for something that isn't there and I should just chalk up my successive viewings to fate? Perhaps. In the end, The Fanatic isn't super fun to watch no matter how you shake it. Sure, Travolta's performance is a fascination, but you can get the gist of it from the trailer mostly. He sure commits to whatever it is he's doing here, though. I'll say no more on the topic.

The thing is, this is is ludicrous on paper and certainly something you'd expect to watch and enjoy ironically, but in reality it's fairly well-made and acted. I mean, I wouldn't call what Travolta is doing here "good" necessarily, but it's definitely interesting! But there are enough bad (and not funny bad) moments which bog it down, like the out of place and poorly written narration. The look Devin Sawa gives here seems to sum everything up nicely...


There's also a decent enough twist ending even if you can sort of see it coming. But I don't want to oversell it. It's fine, and flawed. Hey! That's sort of opinion about Limp Bizkit too. Funny how things work out sometimes.

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ EPISODE 628 - (YOU ARE HERE) - EPISODE 630 ⫸

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The Fanatic is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed and co-written by Fred Durst. It stars John Travolta as Moose, an autistic man who develops an unhealthy obsession with his favorite actor Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa) and stalks him. The film was given a limited theatrical and a VOD release by Quiver Distribution and Redbox Entertainment, and received mainly negative reviews, with some praise towards Travolta's performance. It was released on August 30, 2019.