The Whale Review: A Steady and Heartbreaking Tale!
Ever since its release at the Venice Film Festival in September 2022, The Whale has been on many critic’s radars, as well as movie goers excited to see the return of Brendan Fraser in a starring role. Director Darren Aronofsky’s has an act for his character studies in dramatic and heart breaking films like Black Swan, etc. that display the main characters as the reason for their own trauma.
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In The Whale, Charlie is an online college professor who lives in a small apartment bound by his inability to live a normal life at 600 pounds. What begins to present itself early in the film, this story is not about a man’s obesity but instead a deeply depressed and broken man on the verge of killing himself after his lover passes away. What unfolds afterwards is an emotionally heartbreaking story with unexplainable feelings of hope despite the apparent conclusion.
The Whale has one of the tightest scripts this year, with every piece of dialogue and moment written without waste. Being based off of a play, it unfolds just like a stage adaptation thanks to the fantastic writing of the original playwrighter Samuel D. Hunter. The story takes place entirely inside Charlie’s apartment as various characters come in and out, including his friend and caretaker by choice, Liz (Hong Chau), his daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), his ex-wife (Samantha Morton), and a Thomas, a Christian missionary (Ty Simpkins).
Brendan Fraser in The Whale (2022; Aronofsky) pic.twitter.com/OmkoKRGBiP
— Cinema Tweets (@CinemaTweets1) December 22, 2022
Although the themes and metaphors in The Whale make obvious connections to a classic novel based at sea that is read in an essay Charlie constantly turns to for peace, it does not make this Darren Aronofsky directorial any less impactful. Just as a play is written to convey an obvious message to its audience, the movie follows this dynamic but is adapted to film beautifully.
Every performance in the movie is amazing and each character possess their own depth that enhances the overall idea. Hong Chau gives one of my favorite performances aside from Brendan Fraser through her ability to show Liz’s pain, anger, and compassion, arguably being the most emotionally taxed character in the film. Sadie Sink does a great job of portraying a hard exterior with obvious characteristics of care deep inside. I was especially surprised by the writing of Thomas. Despite being a door to door missionary, seemingly possessing all the answers about life, Thomas is the least honest with himself, a massive theme in the film.
Sadie Sink and Hong Chau in The Whale pic.twitter.com/gJJbrVkgUY
— Justin (@jerstonfilm) December 14, 2022
One of the best compliments I can give a film is a writer’s ability to display a character in an authentic way, letting the audience determine their feelings towards him or her. In this way, we sympathize with Charlie in some ways while understanding the awful decisions he made in the process and that grief doesn’t necessarily give someone a pass for unforgivable choices.
The utilization of lighting and cinematography enhanced Aronofsky’s vision and connection to being out at sea. Rarely ever seeing the outside world, aside from a couple of short shots, the sounds of rain and thunder can be heard inside, giving the impression of a lost sense of hope and loneliness. The claustophobic nature of the apartment and the 1:33 aspect ratio of the film was used to its advantage and really created a deeper sense of dread while watching.
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Being a film that portrays depression in a raw and honest way, everything about The Whale was strung together perfectly all the way up to its conclusion. Never does one feel emotionally manipulated by the script because of Aronofsky and Hunter’s talents to handle it with honesty. I urge everyone to go see this movie as soon as they can.
‘The Whale’ Rating – 4/5
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