John Travolta's career looks like it desperately needs a second comeback. We thought it might happen with his excellent turn as OJ Simpson's lawyer, Robert Shapiro, in 2016’s “The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” Ever since then? Nada. Zilch. Zero.
In “The Fanatic,” which was directed by Fred Durst, frontman for Limp Bizkit., John Travolta plays Moose, a fan obsessed with an actor, Hunter Dunbar. The movie has been panned left and right by critics. Its 18% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 17 Metascore have positioned it upfront as a contender for next year’s Razzie awards.
And yet, it appears as though Travolta is actually campaigning his performance for an Oscar nomination, with a For Your Consideration ad being noticed on social media.
“The Fanatic” is based on a real-life experience that Durst had. The film is about an obsessed fan, played by Travolta, who begins stalking his favorite action-film star, played by Devon Sawa (Remember him? From “Idle Hands” and “SLC Punk?”).
At the top, it's John Malkovich's to lose. He is a lock for Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine.” This would be his first lead nod. A late-career Malkovich comeback in a McDonagh movie? I'm all for it.