What a film to close out 2022, and what a masterful performance by Brendan Fraser. Telling the story of a morbidly obese man named Charlie, The Whale is equal parts heartbreaking and thought provoking What’s more, it is one of the best movies of the year.
Adapted skillfully from the off-Broadway stage production, director Darren Aronofsky and writer Samuel D. Hunter do a wonderful job of highlighting the selfish and difficult choices that ultimately tear a family apart and indirectly lead Charlie to the life of a recluse. It showcases the disgust, embarrassment, and other challenges those with daunting weight challenges face on a daily basis—both from within themselves and from the outside world—while infusing heart and empathy through unique storytelling mechanisms and a powerful musical score.
This is a challenging film to watch (in a good way) and it’s driven by Fraser’s performance above all else. But what’s so profound about this film is that its direction allows viewers to be enveloped by the world through the eyes of a Charlie, while more deeply understanding his struggles not only as a gay man or an obese man, but as a father who walked out on his family. That pain, despite being caused by the Charlie himself, is heart wrenching and painful to behold on an Oscar-worthy level.
Likewise, Sadie Sink as his daughter, Ellie, is tremendous and elevates the story in an unexpected but very relatable and at times unlikeable way. I think she did a perfect job embodying the character. In fact, each actor in the film brings their A-game and it only makes the story they collectively tell all the more effective and damning.
At its heart, this story is about honesty and self-awareness, but it presents those concepts in a way that can provoke a deeper conversation on both accountability and faith—in God, in others and in yourself.
The bottom line: There’s so much I loved about this film and it is something unlike any other movie I’ve seen this year. 9.5/10