INTRODUCTION.
The Whale 2022 is an American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky. The Whale film is not based on a true story; it is written by Samuel D. Hunter and based on his 2012 play of the same name.
The Whale film stars Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” is a profoundly moving story about redemption, loss, and trauma. In the film, an English teacher with morbid obesity tries to restore the relationship he had with his teenage daughter Ellie.
Aronofsky has stated that he sought to have the film done for almost a decade but was unable to do so due to his inability to find the proper actor to play Charlie. After seeing clips of Fraser’s performance in a trailer for Journey to the End of the Night (2006), he believed Fraser might be a suitable fit.
On January 11, 2021, it was revealed that A24 had acquired global distribution rights to Aronofsky’s The Whale, starring Fraser. Ty Simpkins joined the ensemble in March, after Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, and Samantha Morton joined in February. Sathya Sridharan joined the cast at an unspecified point in time.
The film was initially scheduled to star James Corden and be directed by Tom Ford, but Ford quit due to creative issues. George Clooney considered heading the picture briefly but ultimately declined.
The Whale runs for about 1 hour 57 minutes, and English is the only language used.
SYNOPSIS.
A solitary English teacher who is severely obese tries to reunite with his estranged teenage daughter for one final chance at forgiveness. – RottenTomatoes.
THE WHALE (2022) OFFICIAL TRAILER.
THE WHALE (2022) FILM REVIEW.
As stated in the introduction, it is not a sad film. Instead, it is a psychological and emotional drama much deeper than Fraser’s looks in the movie, and that’s the true intention and power of this piece.
The Whale starts as complex but gradually breaks down each character’s role to understand who they are and why they do what they do.
The Whale is a perfect movie I feel you’d enjoy, but at the same time, it’ll piss a lot of folks off. This is because Fraser is wearing a fat suit to appear as a morbidly obese person, but what more can the director do to portray this role, get an obese person to do it? They will likely do as much as Fraser did in this film.
Character/Acting: This film features a few cast and almost the entirety of the story takes place in an upstairs apartment to which Charlie is confined. The tight space adds tension to every interaction between the four characters, including Charlie’s ex-wife Mary.
Branden Fraser, the George of the Jungle star, plays the leading role in the film as the reclusive English Instructor. He portrayed Chalie to perfection. You feel sorrow for his character. He uses his eyes to convey so many thoughts, to convey regret, and so many emotions. I could not even take my eyes off the screen.
Hong Chau stars as Liz, a nurse who tends to Charlie with a sense of loyalty and caring through their friendship. She plays an impressive role as a supporting actress. Her performance is fantastic, and she is strict with Thomas (Ty Simpkins) yet kind to Charlie.
Sadie Sink from Stranger Things plays Ellie. Ellie is Charlie’s estranged daughter, filled with hate and rage. She displays lots of emotions showing displeasure and disgust for the life her dad has chosen to live and what he made her go through in the past.
Her performance is fantastic.
Brendan Fraser’s had instant chemistry with Sadie Sink, which made the film much more enjoyable and relatable.
Each character shows a variety of emotions that are so humane and makes your heartbreak even more with the contrast between their philosophies on life and how life treats them.
Cinematography: Rob Simonsen’s terrific score and cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s expert camera work enhance Fraser’s magnificent performance and the countless moments of high tension and emotional upheaval.
The makeup artist did a wonderful on Fraser to make him look obese.]. The ending is handled masterfully, giving us a break from the emotional rollercoaster of the previous two hours.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to IMDB, Brendan Fraser had to wear a thick prosthetic outfit for the job because of his character’s extreme weight. He told journalists attending the Venice International Film Festival (via Variety), “I discovered muscles I didn’t know I had.
I felt dizzy when the production crew removed the equipment; it was like walking off the dock into a boat in Venice. That [impression of] is undulating. It made me appreciate those with comparable bodies. To inhabit that bodily existence, you must be an influential person, both emotionally and physically.”
CONCLUSION.
I enjoyed this film. The idea was original because I had never seen anything like this. Some might not like Branden’s role, but we cannot doubt the beauty of this performance.
This is only a film for some. A person abandoned and expecting easy answers will only receive them partially. Ellie will not forgive Charlie. However, he is not precisely pleading for it. He wants to do the right thing, and his optimism, despite his physical ailments, irritates people.
For me, the film’s message was that everyone is flawed but that authenticity, more than anything else, should be the path to happiness in life.
There is no hero or villain in the film. Everyone is made out to be to some extent, and it’s heartbreaking to get to know these people and watch them seek redemption throughout the film.
Darren Aronofsky surprised me by keeping the characters and their reactions to circumstances at the centre of what is happening on screen.
It is Rated R for language, some drug use and sexual content.
I’ll rate The Whale 5/5.
You can watch The Whale (2022) on Apple TV, Vudu, and Prime Video.
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