"The Whale" Review

The Whale is a 2022 drama starring Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. Charlie (Fraser) is an obese, binge-eating, and reclusive English teacher whose only friend is his nurse Liz (Chau), but while he has resigned himself to death from heart failure, he wishes to reconnect with his abrasive and mean-spirited daughter (Sink) while dealing with constant visits with young missionary Thomas (Simpkins). 

The movie is very simplistic, largely being set in Charlie's home, using mostly static camera shots, showing Charlie's physical and emotional struggles as he intentionally over-eats. Charlie is someone dealing with a lot of deep emotional pain, and Fraser's deliberate performance makes it clear in every scene. Frankly, all the performances are pitch-perfect, encapsulating all the struggles and difficulties the characters face, making the audience hope that they might just turn out fine and giving the audience a channel for deep emotional investment in all the characters.

All the characters are fully explored and have a lot of psychological depth. Every character has their own flaws and struggles, but the film takes care not to make them terrible people, just realistically flawed or perhaps trapped into seeing things from a given perspective. The film's messages are change and empathy, and how empathy can effect positive changes. Charlie, despite indulging in deeply self-destructive behavior, is a very kind and empathetic person who always sees the best in people and wants Ellie to realize that she doesn't have to push people away. Ellie is a very troubled teenager who has closed herself off from people around her out of lingering resentment for Charlie leaving her and her mother Mary (Morton). While Ellie's behavior is terrible, it is clear that it comes from a place of pain, and Charlie spurring her on to affirm her worth and hoping to trigger a positive change in her while attempting to mend the rift between them is a central focus of the film, and the interplay between them is just enthralling. Liz is a nurse who just wants the best for Charlie, and as the film goes on, she reveals that she has a personal stake in helping him, all while plainly wanting him to stop his dangerous behavior while knowing that her efforts will likely be in vain. Even Thomas the missionary, despite his overzealous attempts to get Charlie to come around to his way of thinking and to join the church, is afforded some sympathy by the narrative.

The Whale clearly illustrates the power of empathy in changing people for the better, and how grief and pain can be healed through love, understanding and unwavering kindness. For this and the brilliant performances, especially from Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau, and Sadie Sink, I highly recommend The Whale!