The Whale’s persevering story gets to grips with many challenging themes while using a unique script to create an overwhelming sense of empathy towards its central character, played by a career-best performance by Brendan Fraser, who acts his heart out to make viewers sob at his earnest portrayal throughout the film. 

 

Fraser causes painful laughter in nearly every scene, drawing empathy or tugging at our heartstrings as his portrayal comes across with searing honesty. Fraser’s performance is one of the few instances where a role fits so well for an actor's sensibilities and skill that you think nobody else could’ve pulled it off with the sincerity and care it needed. It’s not surprising to learn that director Darren Aronofksy said he’d wanted to make this film for ten years but couldn’t get the casting right until he found Fraser. It’s tough to imagine another actor filling the shoes of Charlie as Fraser so convincingly does. While many roles seem very fitting and popular claims say nobody else could play the role, it ends up usually being hyperbole, but in the case of Brendan Fraser in The Whale, he fits the role swimmingly. 

 

It is a shame that reviews and viewers perceive this film as fat-phobic or hateful. The fact that the Whale tells a story about many characters dealing with trauma and guilt that leads them towards having callous attitudes does not mean the film is fatphobic, no matter the cruelness some characters have towards Fraser about his weight. There has been a polarizing response to Fraser wearing a fat suit and the treatment of his character in the film. There has also been negative criticism about how The Whale reflects society’s already troubled perception of overweight people. The portrayal of Hunter's script, combined with Aronofsky's direction, depicts a humane understanding of how Charlie arrived at the point in his life where we view him. The loss, trauma, and guilt that led him to this saddening lifestyle are all a part of what humanizes Charlie. The Whale successfully breaks down negative stereotypes and offers a convincing yet upsetting character-driven story. 

 

Auteur director Darren Aronofsky is restrained more than ever in The Whale regarding cinematography and editing choices. Perhaps he intended to keep much of the spirit of Hunter’s play on screen. This leaves The Whale as a film that leans heavily into Samuel Hunter’s script and Fraser’s towering performance. Although some of Aronofsky’s signature style is absent, his bold risk-taking is still apparent in scenes that are borderline repulsive and upsetting for audiences to sit through, yet they support the story of Charlie. The honesty within The Whale leaves room for comedy and tragedy as Charlie is a highly self-aware character with the self-awareness to crack self-deprecating jokes about his appearance. He even says to his friend about himself, “Who would want me to be part of their life?” It’s a brutally honest quote devoid of melodrama and sensationalism because it’s the protagonist's self-truth about their self-perception without any added emotional flair. Charlie’s acceptance of his eventual death and choice of not seeking help due to medical debt and the trappings of modern healthcare places him in a dark mindset that he can grind through. This harrowing acceptance that creeps in pushes him towards attempting to rekindle his family relationships before his time is up. 

 

Instead of hiding behind the sensitive nature of the topic, The Whale aims for brutal honesty not only from Charlie but from its narrative goal. The Whale creates empathy while offering an unflinching look into a life filled with regret, trauma, and the struggles of obesity. Hunter’s script has several aims in its sights, such as religion, fatphobia, family turmoil, same-sex relationships, forgiveness, and complex societal norms. 

 

The Whale delivers its message towards most of these themes with value and conviction. The film rarely gets lost in its ambitious goals, but when it steers off course, it is usually because the focus is not on Charlie. The issue of family turmoil is explored through Charlie’s relationship with his estranged daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he has not seen in eight years since he left his wife Mary (Samantha Morton) to marry another man. Charlie hopes to connect with Ellie as his life is crumbling. He insists and pleads with her to write anything for him, her thoughts and feelings, as he desperately wants to learn more about her. Charlie can’t help but feel guilty about Ellie’s current struggles with the academic and social aspects of high school. Mary even exclaims that their daughter is evil, to which Charlie laughs back in response, “she’s not evil”. It’s an endearing response as it shows Charlie is not remotely close to giving up on Ellie and knows deep down that she means well. 

 

Fraser’s ability to remain optimistic and motivated to finally “do something right in his life,” as he puts it, is a dramatic tug at the heartstrings towards the end of the film. He yearns to leave his relationship with his daughter and her well-being in a well-intentioned place, where he hopes she realizes how much Charlie supports her. 

 

His optimism sticks with viewers, highlighted by his aspirational quote, “Do you ever get the feeling that people are incapable of not caring? People are amazing.” Charlie's goal is to overcome trauma and set things right, and his outlook on life leaves him with a feeling of solace throughout all the pain and adversity he faces. Prepare to be won over by Fraser’s efforts in a demanding role to pull off while being absorbed into the emotionally charged narrative that will leave you filled with a unique poignant feeling while offering a glimpse of hope not seen in a story of this magnitude.