'The Whale' Review: Brendan Fraser Delivers a Career Best Performance in Stagey Aronofsky Drama
The Whale
R: For language, some drug use, and sexual content
Runtime: 1 Hour and 57 Minutes
Production Companies: Protozoa Pictures
Distributor: A24
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Samuel D. Hunter
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, Samantha Morton
Release Date: December 9, 2022
In Theaters Only
The Whale tells the story of a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.
For the past few years, actor Brendan Fraser has been making his highly anticipated comeback via supporting roles in television and film. In his 2018 GQ profile, he opened up about countless devastating career details. He was assaulted by HFPA president Philip Berk in 2003, got blacklisted, got a divorce, and ultimately fell into a pit of depression during the 2010s. It was an emotional read that pushed fans of his work to reflect. Since the article was published, he’s received nothing but love and support from fans and industry professionals.
Fraser’s charisma and wit were unparalleled throughout his career. There weren’t many blockbuster action stars who had his range and commitment. That’s become more noticeable during the current mundane MCU era. We were just waiting on that one leading role to bring the blue-eyed king of charisma back to his throne. Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale provides him with this opportunity.
Based on the stage play of the same name by playwright Samuel D. Hunter, this adaptation follows Charlie (Brendan Fraser), a 600-pound gay English professor on the brink of death. Everything from masturbating to walking puts him so close to the edge. The grim reaper is drooling with anticipation the entire time. He navigates life from the comfort of his couch, spending most of his day teaching virtually, though he keeps his camera off. He’s estranged from everyone outside his caregiver, Liz (Hong Chau). His angsty teenage daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink) hates him. His ex-wife (Samantha Morton) wants nothing to do with him. There’s also a young missionary (Ty Simpkins) who thinks Charlie is worth saving. As his life nears its final curtain call, Charlie uses everything he can to reconnect with his daughter.
Brendan Fraser’s performance alone is worth the price of admission. He has received multiple standing ovations at festivals, including Venice and Toronto, and you should believe the hype. I’m not a “standing ovation” type of person. I rarely do it unless it’s at a comedy show or in the presence of a living legend. After my initial screening of The Whale at TIFF, I was overwhelmed with tears and instantly stood up, uncontrollably clapping to my heart’s content for him. He’s that phenomenal. Fraser channels an amalgamation of his notable attributes that many of us grew up with—and haven’t seen in quite some time—with his role of Charlie. He brings his trademark charisma, earnestness, and soul while wearing a coat of maturity that delivers well-earned chills and tears. While buried under a weighted fat suit, Fraser brings enough humanity to this dialogue-heavy character study and keeps you invested whenever DP Matthew Libatique’s lens focuses on him. Fraser carries the entire project on his shoulders, and you see the fire in his eyes in every frame.
Out of all the supporting players who come and go through Fraser’s door, Hong Chau stands out the most. Chau’s Liz is the only side character who feels like a fleshed-out human being, sharing a deep familial relationship with Charlie. She holds the weight of a burden for her friend, choosing to be a caregiver, companion, and enabler. On many occasions, Liz advises him to go to a hospital. However, he’s already accepted death, so the best she can do is provide company. The history of their relationship is felt rather than bashed into your head. Chau shines in moments where she has to mitigate uncomfortable, sometimes traumatic, situations. Her cold honesty leaves you breathless.
Darren Aronofsky is on cruise control. The Whale is undeniably a single-set performer’s movie that, outside of Fraser and Chau, veers into operatic rather than humanistic. For a story about an obese man who is literally about to die (that also tackles themes of homophobia), subtlety is necessary to make everything feel thoughtful. Unfortunately, this film is over the top in a very deceiving and cloying manner. They make Charlie’s condition a personification of gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins, for shock value rather than sincerity, and it’s hard to get behind the film for that.
Samuel D. Hunter’s screenplay is a direct translation of his stage play with on-the-nose dialogue. Characters express how they feel via theatrical conversation that’s better suited for a stage than the big screen. Hunter attempts to navigate themes like religion, grief, homophobia, parenting, redemption, and several others. To reference a better 2022 A24 release, he’s exploring everything everywhere, all at once. Biting off more than he can chew, the only area where the screenplay feels nuanced is its handling of religious institutions and homophobia. It’s not common for movies to discuss how homophobia from religion dampens the psyche and causes tragedy. The Whale does a stellar job of discussing those elements. That said, the saturated melodrama of the dialogue dilutes the importance of its themes. The incompatibility between Aronofsky and Hunter shows in the performances, and the toll is heavy, especially for the youngest actors.
Sadie Sink is an outstanding performer who had everyone “Running Up That Hill” earlier this year in Stranger Things. I can’t tell if she’s miscast, if her material is too broad, or if Aronofsky’s direction made her go over the top, but Charlie’s angsty teen daughter Ellie is a mixed bag. For a straightforward drama, Ellie resembles a one-dimensional teenage girl straight out of a self-aware satire. Her dialogue is as nuanced as a mean girl from a Ryan Murphy show. Sink tries hard to make the material worthwhile and match the same caliber as Fraser. While she brings a quick wit and energy to her line deliveries, Ellie is bland. Ty Simpkins’ Thomas, the directionless missionary who nails the annoying Jesus freak archetype, suffers from a similar issue. This is not the performers' fault, but the puppeteers who tangled their strings.
Despite being too on the nose in direction and writing, The Whale is an engaging character study elevated by Fraser and Chau’s phenomenal performances. It’s more operatic than humanistic, but this outlook on human redemption and compassion is carried by a lead performer who wrings tears out of you.
