A Reel Review: THE WHALE

Acclaimed writer and director Darren Aronofsky has never held back in throwing harpoons at his characters; from Mickey Rourke’s aging athlete in THE WRESTLER (2008), to Natalie Portman’s obsessed ballerina in BLACK SWAN (2010). For his latest film, his new target is Brendan Fraser’s character in THE WHALE. 

 

Charlie (Fraser), is a morbidly obese English professor teaching online courses, cared for by his friend and nurse Liz (Hong Chau). As his health deteriorates with only days to live, he reaches out to his teen daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), who hates his guts for leaving her and her mother (Samantha Morton), for his gay lover. 

 

Directed by Aronofsky and adapted from the play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, THE WHALE is a closed-quarters drama with a ticking clock. Charlie has moved into congestive heart failure, refusing to go to the hospital, and only wants to make amends with his rebellious and madly-in-anger-with-the-world daughter. Things are compounded when Thomas (Ty Simpkins), a New Life Church missionary, shows up at his doorstep to try and save him from eternal damnation. 

 

Backstory is the key element at work here. Charlie has a past history with (obviously), his daughter and ex-wife, and the New Life Church which has him resolute in not wanting to be saved. There’s a lot to unpack as Ellie attacks Charlie for coming out as gay and leaving her, and Liz just wants to get Charlie to a doctor. Past histories are revealed nicely, and sometimes tragically, and makes THE WHALE an emotional ride that cuts deep. 

 

Making it all work is the stripped down, raw emotion. The film does not dip into cheesy, hard-to-swallow Hallmark movie territory, and is instead firmly set in the real world. Characters jab at each other with un-filtered honesty, and there is not a line of dialogue or argument here that doesn’t feel real. THE WHALE carries its roots as a stage play to great effect; other than a few quick flash-back shots the story never leaves Charlie’s dark and cramped apartment, and the non-traditional, old TV-style box-ratio gives it an even more claustrophobic vibe. 

THE WHALE leans heavily into Charlie the character. As an online English professor (who keeps his webcam turned off at all times to hide his appearance), he is well-equipped to help Ellie with her school writing assignments, but ironically, not so well equipped as a parent. Aronofsky gives Charlie a slight obsession with Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, which seems too on-the-nose at first, but eventually earns its relevance in the film as it goes on. 

 

At the center of it all is a remarkable and breathtaking performance by Brendan Fraser. Despite wearing a 300-pound prosthetic suit to turn him into a 600-pound man who can barely move, Fraser acts his own soul out of that shape. He does a lot with his eyes, giving an often-heartbreaking window into his soul. As great as he his, he is matched perfectly by the rest of the cast. Sadie Sink is outstanding, as is Hong Chau. Ty Simpkins (the little kid from IRON MAN 3), is a revelation and shows he’s ready to move into adult acting. Samantha Morton is also incredible. 

 

With the stripped-down, raw emotion and humanity at work, along with some un-nerving visuals that most of us have never seen before (and will never forget), THE WHALE is not an easy watch. It pulls no punches in its presentation of the struggles of a shut-in, nor does it care if the characters are drowning in their own lives. But those who hang on for the journey will be rewarded with a wallop of an emotional ending. Driven by excellent direction and Fraser’s startling performance, THE WHALE is a catch. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it