Brendan Fraser making one BIG comeback to remember
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Written by: Samuel D. Hunter
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau
Rated R for language, some drug use, and sexual content
Release Date: December 21, 2022
Runtime: 1:57
This review may contain spoilers
The Comeback Kid
Hollywood is a place where you can make it big. But you can quickly fall into obscurity with one wrong choice. It can be a career-killing movie, an embarrassing arrest, or a crippling drug addiction.
But some are lucky enough to make their comeback. Robert Downey Jr. was dealing with addiction and prison for a while, and then he rose to be a top-tier actor in Iron Man.
I think Brendan Fraser is next to make a comeback, and The Whale might just be the break he’s needed.
A Whale Called Charlie
Fraser plays Charlie, a severely obese English professor who hides in his apartment. He gives online classes while keeping his webcam off to shield himself from his students. Charlie even hides from the daily pizza guy until the coast is clear.
The story follows Charlie’s week as his health is fatally declining. He attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink, Netflix’s Stranger Things), before his time is ultimately up. However, Ellie resents Charlie for leaving her and her mom for a student he fell in love with.
From the stage to the screen
The film is based on the play written by Samuel D. Hunter. Hunter was also the writer for the film. It does feel like a filmed play, especially with the long dialogue scenes. Actually, most of the film is dialogue scenes with very little action. The focus is on the characters and the connections they share (or lack).
The 600-pound man
Admittedly, they never say specifically how much Charlie weighs in the film. In the play, he’s about 600 pounds. Regardless, he’s huge. He’s so big; his stomach sags down to his thighs when he stands.
How was that never a “Your Momma is so Fat…” joke? Has that one ever been used?
The makeup was impressive, even to the details of Fraser’s arms, neck, and face. It’s hard to imagine how much that fat suit weighed on Fraser. Chris Hemsworth’s fat suit in Avengers: Endgame gave him an extra 60 pounds to deal with, and his Thor wasn’t a 600-pounder Avenger.
Big heart for a big guy
Despite struggling with his health, Charlie has an overbearing perspective of seeing the good in everyone. It’s ironic when you see Charlie has made selfish decisions in his past that greatly affected those around him.
But nonetheless, Charlie sees the greatness in others, especially in Ellie. She is a hardened teenager, thanks to Charlie abandoning her family. Everyone has just about given up on her except her dad, whom she hates. This complication doesn’t hinder Charlie from seeing her potential. This makes her repeated rejections all the harder to watch.
The Whale Upstairs
The Whale is almost entirely shot in Charlie’s apartment. This gave the viewers most of Charlie’s day-to-day life in his apartment. You get to see everything from Charlie working on his laptop, maintaining his former lover’s room, and even his lonely moments (coooould had done without that part).
It’s also shocking that Charlie lives on the second story of his complex. Those poor tenants below him…
Applaud Sign
The film debuted at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. It’s the world’s oldest film festival held in Venice. Not only did The Whale end with applause, but it also had a six-minute standing ovation, especially for Fraser.
– via Facebook
Before the film was released worldwide, Fraser won Best Actor at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards. He is also nominated for a multitude of awards, including the Oscars.
The true ‘whale’ of The Whale
The title is a strange one; it could have several meanings. The first thought immediately goes to Charlie – he’s as big as a whale. Pretty self-explanatory.
Another answer could be related to Charlie’s essay about Moby Dick. Charlie savors the paper as one of the best, honest essays he’s ever read. He likes to read it repeatedly, like a personal mantra. It seems to be useful when he has heart attacks, too.
Or…
I think there’s a deeper meaning to the title. Moby Dick is the key here, but I don’t think Charlie is “the whale” – he’s Ahab. Ahab was so obsessed with his whale that he gave up everything to kill the beast. This included everything from his men, his health, and, ultimately, his own life.
Charlie was mirroring Ahab’s ambitions. His health was deteriorating for years after the loss of his boyfriend, and he resorted to overeating. But he refuses to go to the hospital (even after heart attacks) due to medical bills. This causes major tension with his friend and personal nurse, Liz (Hong Chau, Downsizing), who spent over a decade trying to help him.
So, I think the “real whale” is Ellie. Not to kill her (even if she is a mean-spirited little shit), but to reform their father-daughter relationship again. Ellie made it clear that she wants nothing to do with Charlie, but he still wants to be part of her life in any way possible. Even if it’s only to give her all $120,000 in his savings.
Also, his having that much money does not go well with Liz or Charlie’s ex-wife.
But reconnecting with Ellie was the only important thing left for Charlie. Even with Ellie consistently refusing any connection with her father, Charlie keeps on trying, even resorting to writing essays for her to pass school.
This is an Aronofsky-directed movie, so I think I’m onto something.
Also, fun fact – the alternative name for Moby Dick was The Whale.
“Thar she blows!” (Sorry, had to)
The Whale is a strong, emotional film. It feels like a theatrical play unfolding Charlie’s rough life as both an obese man and a social recluse. Fraser’s performance is easily one of his best in film and deserves the award hype he’s been making. Along with the awards he’s already winning, I feel it’s safe to expect to hear Oscar nominations coming. It’s a double experience viewing – Charlie’s path to do the one right thing for Ellie, and Fraser’s path to make the comeback he’s been struggling so hard to make.
The Whale is currently playing in theaters.
