The Whale (2022) - Movie Review
- Red
- Mar 17, 2023
- 3 min read
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream) is a harrowing adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter's dramatic play that goes by the same name.
The Oscar-nominated movie follows Charlie, a morbidly obese English teacher who works from home and stays in his apartment constantly - ashamed of what he's become. We follow him in his desperate attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter and we watch him develop and come to terms with his decisions and his life.
Mild spoilers follow...
The story is brought to life by truly stellar performances. Brendan Fraser plays the lead - an entirely different role to the type we saw him in decades ago. He brings his all, truly bringing Charlie to life, making the viewer disgusted yet also pitiful. He does a great job of showing the character's inner feelings and making the audience sympathise with him. He is supported by Sadie Sink (best known from her role as Max on Stranger Things) who plays Ellie, his daughter. Sink is excellent in capturing the rebellious essence of her character and her complex relationship with Charlie. However, one can draw many similarities between Sink's role in The Whale with her one in Stranger Things, so time will tell if she becomes typecast in this type of role. Oscar nominee Hong Chau stars as Charlie's nurse and sole friend, Liz. Her portrayal perfectly balances the character's frustration with her love and care for her friend. She has a handful of scenes where she really stands-out, leaving a fantastic impression on the viewer. I hope we see more of her in the future.
Director Darren Aronofsky works well with the cinematographer Matthew Libatique in order to convey ideas visually. Charlie's apartment feels very cramped and claustrophobic, with the camera angles reinforcing this. The aspect ratio is 4:3 which causes Charlie to look even larger than he does - taking up a large portion of the frame. The colour grading is distinct and although the movie was shot digitally, it looks like film. This enhances the simplistic feel of the way the movie was filmed. There's mostly one location, very simple costumes and an often static camera. This draws attention to the performances and allows the audience to focus on the characters and their journeys throughout the story. This was a great decision by the crew.
Charlie's apartment is very dark and dingy, reflecting his life and self-esteem. It's almost always raining and little do we see outside. We are trapped inside, watching the character in his habitat. It's only at the end of the film do we see the light, when Charlie stands up and reconnects with his daughter. The metaphor is very obvious and direct, but I feel as though it was effective and worked well for what it is.
The cast is small, but everybody brings their A-game, full of raw emotion. The pacing of the movie is brilliant; its ability to keep the audience constantly engaged even though the majority of the film is dialogue in just one location is impressive.
Charlie's character arc is well-done, which adds a much-needed positive tone to the film. There is meaning and purpose to the film, delivered through subtext both subtly and rather clearly throughout.
A part of me, however, feels as though something is lacking in the movie. There's something stopping it from reaching the 5/5 rating. It's difficult to pinpoint, but maybe the ending could've been extended or we could've delved a little deeper into Charlie and his eating habits, or his backstory with Liz. The movie was absolutely great, but I just feel that something small was missing and I didn't feel completely satisfied when it finished. My feelings may change upon a rewatch though!
The writing is good, with some memorable lines and scenes, but this is mainly down to the incredible performances. Without the performances and without Fraser as the lead, the film definitely wouldn't be on the level that it is. I completely understand why it was Oscar-nominated for its performances, but not best picture.
All in all, the Whale is an exceptional yet tragic film that also has a heartwarming element to it. It takes the viewer on a journey with the characters and conveys their emotions very well through superlative performances and visual cues, using the medium of film to its advantage. It's clear that the film was made with care and effort, thus making it a very interesting and though-provoking watch.
Watch The Whale on Amazon Prime Video
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