December Movie Pick: 'The Whale'

This film is provoking, brutal, and demands to be seen. I recall the muscles of my face making movements that I hadn’t made in a while. In fact, the last time my face cringed in such ways and with that frequency was during another film by the director of "The Whale" – "Requiem for a Dream." Remember that one? Even though your instincts might urge you to turn your face away and switch off the TV, "The Whale" captivates your interest and focus with the powerful performance of Brendan Fraser. I love this movie for its brutal honesty, the realism of the situation, and the incredible performances by everyone in it.

A while back, I watched a video of Brendan Fraser receiving applause for about 6 minutes at the Cannes Film Festival, and I thought to myself, "that’s cringe," but now after watching this movie, I get it. I had to check Wikipedia, but the film stars Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. All of them find something special in the morbidly obese English professor Charlie, who had an incredible relationship that ended with the suicide of his partner.

What drew my attention from the beginning of the movie is the way it was shot; it didn’t hide anything. It is as honest as it can get. It is in your face, and even though sometimes you may feel repulsed by the visuals presented in front of you, you start to see beyond your own shallow perception and realize how good and how smart this person is. Unfortunately, like in real life, sometimes we lose control and we go through bad and traumatic experiences that change the course of our lives forever. The results of the trauma of that event transform Charlie in every possible way. In his loneliness, he finds a chance to win back his daughter, portrayed by "Stranger Things" Sadie Sink. In his apartment, he bears the enormous weight and pressure of his failures. In this apartment, you can observe the brutal reality and challenge your own initial judgment. You see the real him, his soul, the radiant goodness, and the multiple layers of his character, including his mistakes and addiction.

The entire movie takes place in one location, the apartment, and it makes sense not only because it is based on a play of the same name but also because of the struggle Charlie fights to move. His best friend, played by Hong Chau ("The Menu"), is incredible. She is the dynamic backbone that takes the movie to another level, and she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role here.   

The end of the movie is a bit cheesy and artsy for me (but I get it), and it is the only thing that took me out from the magical brutal realism that held my attention. However, Brendan Fraser delivers an Oscar-worthy powerful performance. There are some small twists and turns that kept me intrigued until the end. I find the movie able to demolish the walls of our own shallow judgment and superficiality, giving us an honest look at a raw human soul, with all the mistakes, strength, and goodness, only to remind us that our bodies are not the only things that make us human. 

Iliya Badev