The Whale Movie Review
Nathan Swank
December 20th, 2022
An emotional film led by a powerhouse performance from Brendan Frasier. I kept hearing that his performance is the only thing that’s good. But THE WHALE is a riveting story that keeps revealing layers. Adapted from Samuel D. Hunter’s play, the intimacy of keeping the location in a single apartment creates an effective emotional response. Everyone is exceptionally good, but this is definitely Fraser’s film
Charlie (Fraser) is a reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher who holds all his classes through zoom but always says his camera isn’t working. He refuses to be seen by anyone even having food delivered at his doorstep. The one exception is his best friend, Liz (Hong Chau), who is also a nurse and the sister of his deceased ex-lover. Therein lies the driving force of his depression and his journey of gluttony, which is having a rocketing effect toward death. Before he dies, he is trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink).
THE WHALE is an incredibly emotional story that is clearly meant for the stage. However, Darren Arronofsky has miraculously crafted the beautiful story for the screen. Every beat of the film is perfectly brought out through these honest and vulnerable characters who are all impacted differently. From what I’ve heard from others, not everyone will agree with me, but I am surprised at how emotional THE WHALE truly felt without being overly sympathetic or melodramatic.
SCHOOL TIES, BLAST FROM THE PAST, and THE MUMMY – I grew up with Brendan Fraser in films that I still love today. I am ecstatic that he was cast in this role to showcase such great talent and hopefully achieve a comeback if so desired. Fraser is absolutely incredible giving an Oscar worthy performance where nearly the entire film relies upon his believability. It’s not just the physical size that Fraser has to embody, but it’s the emotional vulnerability. To see someone so depressed to harm himself in such a physical way is heartbreaking.
There are a few eating scenes that, for me, were more unbearable to view than any horror movie. The pain and anguish that this character is enduring and the supporting characters must endure as result, specifically Charlie’s daughter, is excruciating to watch. But it’s a testament to the performances and story of THE WHALE to create such sympathetic characters and to the heartfelt love people can have for one another.
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