Paul Aufiero, a 35-year-old parking-garage attendant from Staten Island, is the self-described "world's biggest New York Giants fan". One night, Paul and his best friend Sal spot Giants star linebacker Quantrell Bishop at a gas station and decide to follow him. At a strip club Paul cautiously decides to approach him but the chance encounter brings Paul's world crashing down around him.
Acting
Patton Oswalt's career-best: pathetic, sympathetic, completely committed.
Writing
Siegel's script understands fandom as religion and mental illness.
Direction
Cramped Staten Island spaces mirror Paul's psychological imprisonment.
Director
Robert D. Siegel
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Robert D. Siegel wrote The Wrestler and based this on his own Giants obsession and sports radio call-in experiences.
The film predicted modern parasocial fan culture—Paul would absolutely be running a toxic Twitter account today.
US
