Here I am, just back from a way-better-than-OK Sundance Film Festival, to find that Paul Blart Mall Cop has topped the box office for the second week in a row. Somebody shoot me! This in a week when the Oscar nominees for Best Picture are in wide rotation. So much for the Sundance spirit of nurturing artful storytelling. The appeal of watching Kevin James' bumbling Bart save the mall from robbers (what a concept!) has shot this hackjob comedy to a 10-day box-office total of $64.8 million. All this puts me in denial. Or better yet in affirmation of a terrific movie I saw at Sundance that is the perfect antidote to the dumb cliches of Mall Cop.
The movie is called Big Fan. On the surface it sounds like another variation on the theme of chubby loser against the system. Comedian Patton Oswalt stars as Paul Aufiero, a thirtyish parking attendant who still lives with mom in Staten Island, and spends his time obsessing over his favorite football team, the New York Giants. Talk radio is Paul's outlet for his sports fanaticism. In Hollywood hands, Paul could have been a target for comic ridicule. But the gifted Wrestler screenwriter Robert Siegel, in a directing debut of potent promise, turns Big Fan into something funny, touching and vital without ever resorting to snark or condescension. And Oswalt delivers a portrait in full of a life in which fandom is one man's personal defense against loneliness. This one's a keeper.
A funny sidenote on Oswalt. Before a TV interview I did with Oswalt in Sundance for ABC News Now, the actor made a confession, reminding me of a review I wrote for Rolling Stone of the second X-Men movie. In the 2003 review I quoted fancifully named critic Neill Cumpston (as in cum stain?), whose take on X2, as posted on the Ain't It Cool Web site, spoofed geek addiction to the max.
"X2: X-Men United kicks you in the balls so hard that you puke on your balls and also your ass," wrote Cumpston.
Looking me squarely in the eyes, Oswalt—who did the voice of Remy the rat in the Pixar blockbuster Ratatouille— confessed, "I am Neill Cumpston."
It was quite a moment for both of us. After all, I had given Cumpston props for wittily epitomizing the devalued state of film criticism. And here was the man before me, the man who had felt so shortchanged by the first X-Men film that he wrote:
"Remember how the first film had all that story (= for gays) in the first part, and you were like, 'How 'bout some ass-kicking already?' and then finally they got to it? Not this one. It's like, OK, there's the credits, and now here's the ass-kicking, and it starts and doesn't stop and you're all like, 'Pants, meet shit.' "
How do you top that? I guess by giving an outstanding performance in one of the best movies at Sundance '09.
Success, meet Patton.
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TATE | February 4, 2009 10:08 AM
Hmm, last Depression was the heyday of screwball comedy, big band jazz and musicals. History shows even when folk are down to their last shekel they will forego bread for chuckles, a funky good time and Fred Astaire. Now, I am a bona fide film geek--Bergmans 'Cries and Whispers' is my idea of a date movie, 'Reygadas' 'Japon' is my kind of sex romp, my 'American Pie'--and havent seen 'Mall Cop' but I ain't mad at Kevin James or goofy, lowbrow American physical comedy. 'Specially now. Cuz except for 'Slumdog', (best Frank Capra pop-fantasia since 'Shawshank') many of our artful, whitefolks misery-exploiting Oscar pix promise about as much escape-ism as a trip to the white-collar unemployment line. On the other hand folk, while I know sarcasm doesnt always travel in print, know that the cheeky tongued Travers is just winding y'all up a bit. So lighten up my fellow broke-ass Americans. Let's keep on laughing to keep from crying. Viva le King of Queens. Viva le WALL-E. Viva le Heath Ledger.
Wow | January 29, 2009 3:40 PM
Sheesh, Travers, would it have killed you to do some research on Oswalt before writing this valentine to yourself? Your little sidenote re: Oswalt and your taking a dump on an easy mark like Paul Blart are such obvious attempt to win favor with film geeks that I don't know whether to laugh at you or cry at the state of film criticism.
Gobo | January 28, 2009 12:36 PM
Yes, Patton Oswalt is a thousand times funnier to me than "Paul Blart". But what's wrong with families enjoying a clean, PG-rated comedy? I'm happy that a movie like "Paul Blart" can be successful without resorting to toilet humor and swearing.
tim | January 27, 2009 10:18 PM
patton's always been one of my favorites - i've got all his stuff, of course. i'd put his stand-up next to bill hick's anyday, tho patton's got more range (and could you see hick's on a MOVIE SET?). looking forward to checking the flik out
BU | January 27, 2009 2:45 PM
I went to high school with Patton and this dude has always been a riot!
your mom | January 27, 2009 10:58 AM
It is a little weird that this juxtaposition was made with NO reference made to the fact that these two co-starred TOGETHER on King of Queens.
Captain Subtext | January 27, 2009 3:25 AM
"And Oswalt delivers a portrait in full of a life in which fandom is one man's personal defense against loneliness."
Wow, tha's spot on Mr. Travers. I want to see this movie.
Also, Oswalt's Werewolves and Lollipops is amazing!
I actually loved X-Men though.
Brad Vidmar | January 26, 2009 10:32 PM
I saw 3 movies in 2008:
1) "The Dark Knight"
2) "W."
3) "Pineapple Express"
..."Pineapple Express" was the only one I liked. Definitely my pick for Best Pic.
Oswalt is pretty funny (and I know all about his PAST), but Kevin James should burn in hell for making us all suffer through "King of Queens."
Thanks to that show, I'm never getting married.
TV Paul | January 26, 2009 10:19 PM
Dear Travers - I'm hoping that you are aware Patton Oswalt learned a good deal of his comedy skills from Kevin James on the classic "King of Queens" show that ran for nine years. When Patton starts bringing in as much cash as King James, then we'll talk. Love live slapstick, big bucks comedy!
unknown | January 26, 2009 9:13 PM
i love mr.travers and thinks he s a great critic but paul blart was just a movie to make people laugh which it did . it wasnt trying to get recongization for its modern cultural art movement . with this recession we all need to smile and not be as critical. RS is the shit and i hate school
Anonymous | January 26, 2009 8:21 PM
Lighten up, Sure Paul Blart is probably a steaming pile of crap, but its not like people are deciding between slumdog millionaire and paul blart. If it wasnt playing, there would be some other shitty movie
Ryan | January 26, 2009 1:39 PM
Travers, I know your pissed about the success of "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," believe me, I am too. However, as much as I would like to see "Slumdog Millionaire" or "Frost/Nixon," two of the Oscar contenders who expanded this weekend, take the top spot, they are still in 1600 less theaters than "Blart." Working at a 7 screen theater in Scappoose, OR that only gets intellectual devoiding blockbusters like "Blart," it's hard to get the good movies. Though if you look, this weekend "Slumdog" had the best per-screen average, which should tell the studio to get the damn movie in more screens, because people want to see it, and I sure as hell want to see it again.