“The Whale”, a Darren Aronofsky-directed film with a script by Samuel D. Hunter, concludes on a depressingly upbeat note. A 600-pound man named Charlie, played by Brendan Fraser, seeks to patch fences with his estranged daughter as he approaches the end of his life. The tragic conclusion of “The Whale” marks Charlie’s passing. He has made an effort to get in touch with his daughter Ellie, and the two have made some progress together. Charlie tries to go approach Ellie unaided in the closing scenes of the movie and begs her to read him her essay about Moby Dick. In keeping with The Whale’s examination of religion and faith, when Charlie passes away at the end of the movie, a brilliant white light appears to indicate his climb to an idealized vision of heaven.
Story of the movie
The story of Charlie, an obese gay man who distances himself from his 17-year-old daughter Ellie and her mother in favor of a younger male lover, is told in “The Whale” which is based on the play written by Samuel D. Hunter and adapted for the big screen. Charlie learns to accept his mistakes and the terrible understanding of his bleak future through his different interactions, especially those with his best friend and caregiver Liz.
The cast of the movie
- Brendan Fraser as Charlie
- Sadie Sink as Ellie
- Jacey Sink as young Ellie
- Hong Chau as Liz
- Ty Simpkins as Thomas
- Samantha Morton as Mary
- Sathya Sridharan as Dan
What does the title of the film “The Whale” mean?
Because writer Samuel D. Hunter also created the screenplay for the movie adaptation, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” stays pretty true to the original play. The conclusion of the play and the cinematic version, however, differ significantly. In contrast to the play, Aronofsky’s movie has a more optimistic conclusion, with Charlie finding some resolution and atonement in his dying moments. The play is set in 2012, the year it premiered Off-Broadway, and the film takes place during the 2016 presidential elections.
What is the meaning of the movie?
“The Whale” explores a wide range of topics, including sexuality, the yearning for connection, and guilt related to growing up in a home with rigid religious beliefs. The idea of redemption is the movie’s most potent one. “The Whale” makes it clear that Charlie wants Ellie’s forgiveness because he believes that is the only way he can atone for his previous transgressions. Thomas works extremely hard to convert Charlie to religion because he too wants to be saved. The movie makes the point that while Charlie works hard to gain atonement, it must also originate from a desire to make amends in the first place.
“The Whale” also addresses the subject of being oneself regardless of what others may think. Despite his compassion for others, Charlie hides a lot out of feelings of shame related to his sexuality and weight. The movie version, however, makes the point that being open and truthful to oneself and others may be beautiful. Importantly, “The Whale” also examines the various ways in which a person could cope with loss, whether that grief is brought on by the death of a significant other or the absence of a parent. Everyone responds to it uniquely, and Aronofsky’s film illustrates the variety of experiences.
The release date of the movie
“The Whale” had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2022. On December 9, 2022, A24 released “The Whale” in the United States. The 80th Golden Globe Awards nominated Fraser for Best Actor. Now, on December 21, 2022, it will be released worldwide.
Review of the movie
According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, commentators thought Brendan Fraser’s portrayal of the whale made “The Whale” an empathic movie. On the site, 68% of 162 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. 43 reviews were gathered by Metacritic, who classified 20 as favorable, 18 as mixed, and 5 as unfavorable. With a weighted average rating of 61 out of 100, it indicated that the movie had “generally good reviews”.
