Film Review: Through Fraser’s extraordinary acting, the film gains moments of vulnerability and observation in its exploration of guilt, redemption, grief and trauma
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the film “the whale” is a huge success thanks to the tremendous acting of Brendan Fraser. And the actor, whose career was stalled for a long time, deserves enormous praise in the role of Charlie – so much so that he is even nominated for an Academy Award for 2023. This is the director’s last full-length film Darren Aronofskywhich was born from a script by Samuel D. Hunter. While the film is determined to live with the idea of pain, it is also bombarded with the main character, and there are many moments of vulnerability and subtle observation in the exploration of guilt, redemption, grief and trauma.
Charlie (Fraser) is a 270-pound English professor suffering from congestive heart failure. He lives alone and is mostly motionless, although his friend, Liv, visits him sometimesHong Chao, also nominated for the 2023 Academy Award), who is also a nurse. Frustratingly, an annoyingly obstinate missionary, Thomas (Tea Simpkins), who tries to save Charlie. When Charlie falls into pain, he reads an essay about the book Moby Dick which makes him relax and feel better. However, knowing he is nearing the end of his life, Charlie reaches out to his estranged daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), hoping to repair their relationship before his death.
Fraser’s game is magnetic and full of nuances. He instills Charlie with so much optimism, kindness and empathy. While most of the characters, apart from Liz, are pretty horrible and cruel, Charlie is not. The film acknowledges that he has been through a lot in his life: he lost the love of his life, he wasn’t able to be there for his daughter in the way he wanted, etc. Despite all of Charlie’s difficulties, regrets and sadness, the film does not fail to find pockets of light in one or another tragic situations. The story explores Charlie’s character in depth to understand him and his journey, from where he was to where his life is now. Other characters offer their sympathy and want to help, but this is a case where they themselves are at a loss for advice or pounce on a person who appears to be an easy target. Charlie, however he feels, doesn’t fall into these traps most of the time.
Aronofsky’s film is not without pitfalls. There is a lot of verbal abuse thrown at Charlie, and daughter Ellie is despicable in the way she treats him. The brutality in some of the characters’ actions and words can be exaggerated, making for painful viewing at times. This is especially true when Aronofsky’s direction presents Charlie in a horrific light, one designed to disgust viewers rather than offer empathy as suggested in other scenes. It’s as if the filmmakers wanted to subject Charlie to the worst before the end of the film, and this apparent desire to inflict unrelenting pain on the lead character may repel viewers.
While the-“the whale“Never boring, his over-the-top theatricality turns certain elements of the script into an aggressive melodrama that doesn’t always work. The characters’ dialogue—except for Chow as Liz, who brings equal parts heart and frustration to her role—offers an excess of text, when subtle hints would have sufficed.”the whale” is in any film unforgettable, about a man who is able to withstand Charlie’s pain, while dealing with themes such as regret, guilt and grief. Although it often offers superficial commentary on religion or father-daughter relationships, the film is worth watching if only for Fraser’s performance.
“The Whale” – now in theaters.