The Whale

2022

1h 57m

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

4.3K

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Drama

A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.

Directors

Darren Aronofsky

Writers

Samuel D. Hunter(screenplay by)

Samuel D. Hunter(theatre play by)

Stars

Brendan Fraser

Sadie Sink

Ty Simpkins

See production, box office & company info

Top cast

Charlie

Ellie

Thomas

Liz

Mary

Dan the Pizza Man

Young Ellie

Young Mary (uncredited)

Lance Oppenheim

Julian (uncredited)

Grace Perkins

Maddie (uncredited)

Wilhelm Schalaudek

Liam (uncredited)

Directors

Darren Aronofsky

Writers

Samuel D. Hunter(screenplay by)

Samuel D. Hunter(theatre play by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

The Whale is a heart breaking story of our main character, Charlie (Brendon Fraser), as he tries to make amends for abandoning his daughter. Charlie is obese, an ailment that has manifested itself as a coping mechanism for a life of regret. In every scene and interaction this regret is worn by Charlie as a cloak of his past that will stay with him until his dying breath. This character is an immense undertaking and Brendon Fraser plays him perfectly. The emotion he delivers is palpable, which lends itself so seamlessly to scenes of raw sadness and despair. Not only is Fraser a highlight, but the entire supporting cast does an excellent job. Hong Chau is superb, and despite her tough, no nonsense, science focused exterior hides a deep and genuine connection with Charlie. She is incredibly hurt by the way he is treating his body, but is defenseless to his desires, resulting in her to continually feed his addiction. It is a brutal back and forth that is tackled with immense care. Sadie Sink is great as well, she is delivers a brutal performance that leaves the character of Ellie easily hatable with very little redeemable qualities. I understand that this was the point of her character, and by no means is this a knock on Sink's performance, but it felt like a bit much. She was too cruel, to the point of unbelievability, which took a bit away from the message that was trying to be delivered. The pace was a bit slow for my liking. I felt as if the Thomas subplot was a bit pointless and could have been cut from the movie with no ill effects. But despite my minor complaints, the movie is carried by fantastic performances, amazing cinematography and intense emotions that will leave many viewers pleased with their experience, but will not be for everyone. Score: 82% Verdict: Great

TitanGusang01 Feb, 2023