The premise of The Whale movie is simple, the result is anything but and then there’s Brendan Frasers monumental performance. This movie is a must see.
The premise. A reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. Am guessing that wouldn’t have you rushing to the cinemas. You’d be so wrong.
English teacher Charlie (Brendan Fraser) sits on his couch laptop on his knee, teaching a class online. The square in the middle of the screen is blank. The black abyss hides his image. His camera is still broken he explains to the eager class.
The real reason for the dark chasm is Charlie’s appearance, he weighs 600 pounds (272 kilos). With his health rapidly deteriorating he’s withdrawn from the world. The blinds are drawn and the regular food delivery boy is told to leave the box on the porch and take the money left outside. The lounge room is cluttered, dark and it doesn’t take much imagination to smell the stale air. The only person allowed into his domain is his friend Liz (Hong Chau), a nurse who regularly begs him to go to hospital.
Charlie is fully aware of the consequences of his actions and at times through either frustration or anger attempts to hurry them along. On one occasion with death signally its imminent presence, a stranger knocks on the door and Charlie reluctantly lets him in. Once inside Charlie insists the door-to-door evangelist (Ty Simpkins) read his favourite essay aloud. He doesn’t want and ambulance, nor the help that could save his life, or a lecture about god, he simply wants the essay read to him in his dying moments. Reading the essay works and the status quo returns.
One day everything changes when his long-estranged adolescent daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink) returns.
The nurse, the daughter, the evangelist, can any of them help Charlie save himself or will their own personal agendas prove too great.
As the final scenes roll a smattering of light applause quickly dissipates, seemingly inappropriate as the rest of the audience sits in stunned silence. I pondered:
- A sure sign that a movie’s hit it’s mark is an audience shuffling out in silence;
- I can see why Fraser received a 6 minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival and similar events at the London and Toronto Festivals. His Charlie is the embodiment of grace in the face of death. Frasers’ performance deserves all the awards;
- All of the small cast did a terrific job, perhaps inspired by Fraser. Sink is highly believable as an angry daughter. Some of you may recognise Hong Chau from The Menu another fine movie;
- Based on the acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter the movie presents as a theatre play;
- I couldn’t help ponder the comparative budget to emotional impact of The Whale versus one like Babylon. Sometimes a cast of five, a one room movie set, and an astonishing performance is all you need to pierce an audience’s heart;
- If I was at home I would have been soaked in tears, as it was I couldn’t hold quote a few of them back;
- Don’t book to go out for a meal afterwards.
For more information go to Luna Cinemas
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