The Whale

In my opinion, The Whale is Aronofsky's second best film, after The Fountain. It isn’t nasty like Requiem for a Dream, nor is it bloated like Black Swan or weepy and formulaic like Wrestler (although it has a lot in common with the latter), but this time it just worked. Although the story doesn't really surprise with anything, it's so well written (you can see the theatrical backbone), acted (Brendan Fraser is brilliant, I'm rooting for him) and filmed (we practically don't leave the apartment, but it doesn't matter) that my cautious curiosity turned into enthusiasm pretty quickly. But I must also praise Sadie Sink and Hong Chau, without whom Charlie would not be Charlie, and I must not forget Simonsen's music. I was originally going to give it four stars, but after a couple of days my reservations melted away under the weight (ahem) of all the unexpectedly positive things the film brought. (2023-03-04)

In terms of sentimentality and weepiness, Darren Aronofsky takes it to absurd lengths, and while I don't feel that it ever slips into the realms of emotional blackmail, I imagine that many viewers will have a big problem with this. I was able to get over it, mainly thanks to the almost hypnotic performance of the lead actor. Yeah, if there's anything about this movie that really needs to be highlighted and remembered, it's Brendan Fraser. He simply pulls it off on his weight as far as his heart and blood vessels will take him, and the whole film relies on his performance. I was also pleased to see that Aronofsky went for a more civil, intimate and straightforward material and was not as overly pretentious this time as he is wont to be. He could have cut down a bit on the tearfulness, but it's definitely a morbidly fat thumbs up for me. (2022-10-04)

After not very well received film Mother! and five long years, the master of depressing and oppressive dramas is back, and he's still on form thanks to (his thematic favourite) God. Within Darren Aronofsky's filmography, The Whale is probably closest to The Wrestler in its somewhat restrained approach by the director's standards, as it also tells the story of the bitter life of a man at the end of his rope who has a problematic relationship with his daughter. In terms of premise, The Whale is not an inherently complex film, but it mixes in some interesting themes and moments that leave the viewer engaged with the action on screen. The lion's share of all this is of course (literally, given the fat-suit) the breathtaking performance of Brendan Fraser. I always had reservations about him, but here he proved his acting qualities to perfection as Charlie. He was ably seconded by all the supporting characters played by Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, as well as Ty Simpkins and Samantha Morton. While the film kept pretty much to the ground (or was it Earth?) (thanks to Charlie's mass, and not just Charlie), there were more than a few places where Aranofsky poked fun at his favorite Creator, but not in an underhanded or purposeless way. The Whale, like Charlie, may be naive and overly positive in places, but it also manages to convey the message that people can be amazing if they have support and are honest with themselves in an authentic and not aggressively weepy way. (2023-03-09)

It's been a long time since a film managed to evoke so much sadness, regret and compassion in me, and it's all the more surprising that it was Darren Aronofsky who did it. I know he's a highly respected director, but his films are not among my favorites, and I don't feel the need to revisit them (except for Requiem for a Dream). This film probably won't be an exception, but it definitely appealed to me more than his previous works. Apart from the very captivating music, the film stands mainly on Brendan Fraser's performance, which is incredible; considering how he pulls everything together with his voice, his face, his facial expressions, his eyes – the performance was incredible. Sadie Sink is undoubtedly a talented young actress, but unfortunately I didn't like her character. Of course, I understand where her anger, resentment, bitterness, maybe even hatred stems from, but I couldn't find my way to her. She was evil from start to finish, and the hint of reconciliation in the last second of the film wasn't enough to mollify me. Nevertheless, this is an interesting and novel piece of work, and one that emotionally swayed me quite a bit. (2023-03-07)

It makes me happy whenever a movie draws me in so perfectly that I forget it's just a movie. And this one did it extremely well. I know Brendan Fraser as more of a comedic actor, but he convinced me that he deserves an award for his performance here. I consider the Oscars highly politically influenced, but if it makes anyone happy, let it be Brendan Fraser. Fans of more action-packed spectacles might not enjoy this film, but I really immersed myself in the story and enjoyed watching the protagonist whose suicide was agonizingly slow, as well as all the secondary, undernourished characters. I really enjoyed the character of Liz, who was smaller in size but 10 feet tall at heart, and Sadie Sink as the bitchy Ellie. Despite being profound, the film did not dissolve into boring philosophizing about the transience of human life. On the contrary, the creators spiced it up with a pizza night that turned into an evening with Mr. Creosote, and I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't help but notice that the Heimlich maneuver has evolved, and I'm glad that there was space for occasional flashes of subtle humor. / "You say you're sorry one more time, I will shove a knife right into you, I swear to god!" "Go ahead, what's it gonna do? My internal organs are two feet in, at least." / Lesson learned: If you decide to commit suicide, be aware that some methods are time-consuming and financially demanding. 5*- (2023-03-27)