The Whale

I dare say that this dense and intense human drama with well-drawn characters is definitely one of the best movies that directorial magician Darren Aronofsky has made so far. In my opinion, it has a lot to say about contemporary interpersonal relations. On the surface, it may seem like a simple story about a stout man overeating, but I personally think that The Whale reflects the state of today's Western society in a very artful and sad way. Aronofsky's movie requires greater sensitivity and patience, but it richly rewards the audience with psychological depth and truthfulness. If you accept the plot without preconceptions and let it wash over you, you will experience a stronger catharsis at the end. I would never have dreamed that I would ever wish Brendan Fraser an Oscar, but he really deserves it for his utterly convincing portrayal of the morbidly obese good guy Charlie. But the list of great performances certainly doesn't end there. Sadie Sink is also excellent as the rebellious daughter Ellie, and Hong Chau as Charlie's caring friend is also very interesting. (90%) (03/12/2023)

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. (03/07/2023)

An acting masterclass combined with a masterclass in unnecessary directorial manipulation. If Darren had reined in his desire to drag the viewer into a fit of transcendent emotion and had carried the film through to the end as an intimate story about a human mass of guilt and loneliness, it might have had the punch that he last achieved in The Wrestler. Unfortunately, however, this is how the redemption of a self-destructive man becomes more distant the more the director tries to make it poignant. Fraser, on the other hand, deserves maximum respect, as he account for all of the humor and humanism in this dubious dramatic cetacean. (12/30/2022)

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. (03/04/2023)

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*- (03/27/2023)