The Whale Broke Me (Not In a Good Way) | Movie Review

Have you seen THE WHALE? Let me know what you thought of the film!

I hate how people see the film as fat phobia.
It's not about finding Charlie disgusting. It's about finding sympathy for what he has physically become and finding the drive to cheer for his last shot at redemption.

I respectfully disagree with you. This was a deeply moving experience for me. I know addiction, although mine is not an eating disorder, I could relate four-by-four to his frustration, and especially with his Hurculean ability to see past his self-pity and self-loathing to accomplish something truly beautiful. That is a major triumph. Just thinking about it makes me tear up.

The truth is, in this story, people aren't disgusted by the character's body, but by the attitude he has developed, by his depression. The movie's intent isn't 'fat is disgusting, look at this pig', it's 'look at how this person's issues destroyed his body and mind, and left him struggling to crawl back out of that hole'.

Brendan Fraser is a champion. He has struggled with a ruined back for years and he knows what it means to suffer. My mother and I had the great privilege to meet him at Fan Expo in Toronto. He was a true gentleman. He listened to my mother's story about her own back surgery and problems. He was extremely kind and sympathetic. He gave her a big hug, held her hands, and thanked her for coming to see him. Brendan Fraser is the greatest ambassador that Canada has ever had.

Hey man, I’m morbidly obese and I loved this movie. Like a lot. I cried in theaters and I don’t cry at movies. It’s also not fat phobic, it’s fucking accurate.

I had a professor who was morbidly obese and obviously only teaching for health benefits... he would break down in tears in class because he couldn't physically get through it. It was sad to watch.

I am going to sound really judgemental saying this, but I feel like a lot of people who don't connect with Charlie haven't been through similar things. I have dealt with addiction for over a decade. Feeling so shitty that you can't even bend over to pick up a key you dropped, that's straight up body horror. You have people that enable you and then use it as ammo. To me, Aronofsky's films are about humanization.

Anybody who thinks his performance is meant to make people think ‘fat people are disgusting’ just doesn’t get it. His character is so intelligent, well-spoken, and kind. Imo the audience is meant to feel for him, not make fun of him or think he’s disgusting. It’s meant to highlight the ‘tragedy’ of somebody so capable, kind and well-spoken falling prey to an addiction to the extent that it ruins their life.

This movie was powerful for me as an addict. Brendan’s face when he ate the candy was so accurate. Especially if you get to a point where you know it’s killing you but you can’t stop.

Brendan Fraser absolutely deserves this comeback and the love he has received from fans all around the world, and even more. I can’t express how happy I am to see him back in movies, he was a huge part of my childhood

Never left a cinema so drained like I was after this movie. It was just incredible.

There is absolutely no way you could possibly show addiction and all of its truth without it becoming grotesque. This is a situation when you are in the center of an addiction where one is actually in hell any person who's gone through addiction or seen someone go through it or has family members gone through it and it had that experience will tell you it is actual hell and it is grotesque.

I saw it in the theater and it broke me. I have been crying for two days. I have binge eating disorder and the way he portrayed binge eating literally made me gasp and sob in the theater. I also am a nurse and have worked with so many patients who we just can't save from themselves. As much as I will tell everyone this is an outstanding and beautiful film, it was also gut wrenching to watch and still has me feeling upset.

This movie reminded me of my father. How he left and went through this downward spiral of addiction too alcohol and food. His gluttony. It tied to me aswell with past weight struggles. Charlie even shared my father eyes, the same tired blue with red obscuring the white. It was honestly too much for me. It was good but it destroyed me so much I feel like I enjoyed it less. It just hit to close to home

This movie hits the most when you have someone in your life that you are actively observing destroy themselves. Maybe that's your family member. Maybe it's a friend. Maybe it's yourself.
I dunno. I liked it. Charlie's self-loathing/self-pity was physically hard to watch
And ultimately it gave me feels. That's the difference between good art and bad art; does it make you feel, or does it make you numb?

I'm not a cinema person, not at all, but as someone who struggles with binge eating disorder, and someone who has watched someone die at its hands. The feelings that Charlie struggles with and watching these extremely intense feelings be played out is extremely cathartic. This movie left me shaking and sobbing. I think its a tragic portray that unless you have experienced addiction, or and eating disorder first hand this movie may not hit home. This movie for me was more about Humanizing the fat experience.

As a recovering alcoholic, this movie brought me to tears. I view eating disorders no differently than substance abuse - and the fact that his wife was an alcoholic was so sadly poetic. Immensely moving film.

I know nothing about binge eating but I'm very familiar with hurting yourself while having faith in others. That's what broke me about the film. Everyone is seeing in through superficial eyes and not seeing the bigger picture. I believe Hong Chau definitely deserves recognition, she was absolutely amazing

As a person who is overweight myself i can tell you this. No fat person will be offended by Fraser's portrayal as his weight is not what defines him in the film. He is a complicated character. His weight is seen as the embodiment of his self loathing and his desire to die rather than something like," ew, this fat person is so gross".
Edit: why the fuck are there rightoids in the comments railing against an imaginary strawmen of the left.
Edit: holy shit, this post is still getting likes and comments.

When the film ended EVERY PERSON in the theater (myself included) was perfectly still for ten minutes. I’ve never experienced anything like that reaction before. We were all processing in silence before any of us got to our feet, like when you wake after an intense dream and you stay in the position you woke up in while piecing together the dream. It was like that.

The binge eating scene is spot on. I was bulimic for 14 years. Yes, folks, that is how binging looks, at least the way I binged. I still have a struggle with my relationship with food at 69 and my family. I found this movie to be extremely real for me. This is someone who "swallows back" his own emotional baggage to desperately try to please others.
I loved it.

I deliver for doordash and have attended food addiction support groups so I know people like Charlie. This movie told a story that I’ve personally never seen told before in a way that had me engaged the entire movie. The movie really tries hard to make you cry and for me it succeeded. I’ve never cried harder watching a movie.

It honestly feels like the people complaining at the movie for being fatphobic have not experience being overweight and feel powerless over your food addiction. I think we need more honest portrayals of the struggles of emotional eating so people actually understand the struggle of these people. Body positivity sounds good on principle but it's not helpful for people that are overweight because of mental health and are desperate because it doesn't seem like they can overcome it.

Regardless of how anyone feels about this film, Brendan Fraser deserves and Oscar, a Golden Globe and a SAG award for his performance. And anyone who complains that it's about fat shaming and the use of a fat suit etc is wrong, must remember it's called acting, and Brendan does just that perfectly in this role. He is amazing. I am so glad to see him back on the screen and can't wait to see more from him.

I saw The Whale in theaters. I thought, as a parent myself whose experienced trauma, that this movie was brilliant and a true piece of art. If you have experienced trauma, been shunned by society, have in any way experienced anything that was shown in The Whale...this really got to you. This was beautiful and wonderful. I would have given it a 5 out of 5.

This movie made me cry uncontrollably afterwards. I couldn’t believe it. What an experience this was and I appreciate how a movie can do that.

When I first saw the whale it broke me open. From the beginning I had tears in my eyes and I could hear many others crying too. By the end scene of the film I along with almost the entire audience was was crying. I cried through the whole credits and had an emotional conversation with the theatre staff about to clean the auditorium and one of them was even crying during the ending also. This was a wonderful experience for me and I would personally rank it as tied with everything everywhere all at once as the saddest movie of the year.

After watching the movie, nobody spoke. Usually people whisper or chat a little as they exit. But this time everyone just quietly gathered their things and left.
I think it really left a memorable mark on the audience.

The reason the film has received so much praise is because it is moving, and it's moving because anyone with an addiction can relate to this film on an emotional level. The Whale really nails alot of the pain and struggle that addicts live with, and that's why the film is considered a masterpiece by so many people.

I think that the movie just got me. I ended up crying like a baby at the very end. Not perfect, but an indisputable piece of art; from the image to the sound to the writing, it's just so good.
Loved it, 10 out of 10.

Great film. The kind of movie you only watch once. The scene when the delivery driver finally sees him is so sad.

i think its one of the most accurate portrayals of the human nature in this day and age. The sheer simplicity of the set and the cinematography blew me away. The Whale is so heartbreaking because its chararcters tell such a common story in a unique way. The abandonment issues are prevalent among us, with most families being dysfunctional rather than functional. Charlie and his behavior is almost like an omen for everybody who was part of such family. The added tension of his limited time just raises the stakes and begs the question. What would have we done if we were put in such a situation: try to reconnect with our parent/child or reject everybody and everything and live in hatred. Charlie is great character for this situation, and Ellie compliments him perfectly. She manages to express her deep feelings of fear, pain, confusion, love, care and hate towards her parent in a straightforward way, thus becoming a beacon for the children who feel abandoned by their parent/s, who want to find out what happenned, but cant, because its just too hard of a situation to deal with.
The Whale is a beautiful movie about such a simple yet important matter in our life today. The responsability of being a parent and its rewards are showchased in almost a Kafkaesque way, by humanizing the parents, allowing the viewer to understand that not only the child is burdenned, but so are them, and love is complicated, and tough, and illogical. The world we live in today wants us to be put in boxes, to be stuck with a label on. Love is the one thing they cant categorize and explain, and most of the time it fucks up the system. That is The Whale. Its not about an obese guy on the brink of death and his daughter. Its about love, its about being a parent, its about flaws and how they maximize the human experience.
Kind of a long comment, but I couldnt help myself, the movie brought me to tears of pain and joy. Not many movies do that these days

I saw this as an honest portrayal of a man suffering from his mental illness in a physical form. This film is saying there are extremes that we put ourselves through whether it's because of shame or guilt, it inevitably decomposes the body, mind, and spirit. I am glad I watched this film but cannot see to pull myself together emotionally since having an eating disorder has been my own private hell. I am still functioning and go to the gym so no one truly sees my pain but it's been following me for years. I have so much love for Brendon for taking on this role.

The Whale was my first A24 film that I saw in theaters. This movie will always have a special place in my heart because of that. The confrontation Charlie has with the missionary boy on the reality of Charlie's relationship with his partner was one of my favorite scenes and, to me, felt like such good representation. Charlie was so in love, his depression was evidence of it. I hope people don't take away the queerness built into this movie intentionally because of fear of misunderstanding.

Man, the whole theather I was, (including myself) were weeping and sobbing when the movie ended. Even when i was driving back home, with my girlfriend right beside me, we couldn't contain our tears and we hugged, telling each other how much we loved and fortunate enough of being together, safe and sound. This is not only a movie, is the definition of humanity itself. I'm looking forward to rewatch it again but I'm not ready, at least not for now. This films holds an incredible power, no one is safe from breaking down after visualizing Brendan Fraser's role. Specially the last 15 minutes, i was crying like a newborn child

This movie hits all the right notes. It's meant to break you. It will make you face your own judgments and stereotypes. It's a movie about grief, shame, love, self destruction... About life. One of my favorite movies from now on.

I think Charlie and Liz’s relationship in particular was so unique and lovely compared to a lot of the cliched and surface level character pairings we had this year. It was really something I hadn’t seen and I was really moved by their complex love for each other.

people calling this movie fatphobic is ridiculous. As an overweight person myself, I have had to struggle with many of the problems Charlie has, and I felt a resounding connection of my life with his. Being that big should not be " body positive ". We are killing ourselves , and this movie has honestly pushed me to finally make that change, and save my own life

After reading a bunch of comments, I think I finally understand why there's such a split opinion on this movie. From my perspective, as someone who hasn't talked to my dad in more than 2 years because of his neglect, this movie really spoke to me and I cried throughout it and personally loved it to bits. At the same time though, I can understand how it's harder to enjoy this movie if you can't relate to it, meaning you never really went though any of the things that were portrayed in the film, so it's hard to truly understand what Charlie and the other characters went through. Despite this, I still think even if I didn't have a personal way to relate to the film, it still deserves a 10/10 because of the flawless acting and just the fact that the whole movie took place in a single room with only 4 people, and yet was still able to portray a life's worth of sadness and suffering.

It's a tough one. You see a character that is a good person trapped by emotional pain, loss, mistakes of the past, addiction, and a matryr complex (he keeps thinking about others in particular his daugther vs. getting himself to a hospital and hopefully some kind of treatment program). I would have like to see him overcame it, get better, but speaking as a former alchoholic I know not everyone can get out of it.

As somebody who will be "recovering" from obesity from my entire life (very healthy now but it's a constant battle), the scenes of binge eating and other "fat" depictions were scarily accurate. I think the film is slightly more complicated because Charlie is fat because he has given up on life, not because he is fighting an addiction (and it's kind of implied he might be terminally ill anyway), but it was really welcome for me to see obesity and its associated problems on screen for the first time ever in a heartfelt way. Personally I really connected with the film and am just saddened that Charlie did not find a way back to life from his grief.

Being a huge Elvis fan I thought Austin Butler was amazing in Elvis and should of won best actor this year. But after seeing the whale and the emotion and acting skills Brenden had in this movie i think he should take the award. I wanted to see this movie since I seen he was making a comeback, and I'm glad I did. What a great performance and a great story.

I like what you had to say about Sadie and the actress portraying her mother. I think they all rehearsed the show for 3 weeks before filming... maybe sticking to the play as much as possible before getting any cameras involved. It was an interesting movie, and I think Brenden deserves an Oscar for his performance.

I loved it. It feels real. Anyone who says this movie is fatphobic doesn't have a morbidly obese loved one. I do and he is like this. This is the reality for many people. I also loved how they didn't swing one way or the other when it comes down to if he's a (good or bad) guy. In reality no one is perfect. We all have good and evil about us. And I think the director and his performance worked together to create a realistic and honest character. Of course some people don't like it. They don't want to see this side of life. Standing up and saying this is ridiculing obese people is not only incorrect. It does them a disservice. There are real Charlie's in the world. And that world is never pretty.

What a few people don’t understand is the raw truth of life not always being beautiful. I’ve seen this man. I’ve been this man. Addiction, depression, and the feeling of being sorry is a truth to so many. This movie captures the raw emotion so many hide deep in a closet buried behind a fake smile.

Masterpiece, absolute Masterpiece. Finally someone with balls came along and made an actual film. Darren Aronofsky strikes again with a dark, grab you by the guts, emotional Rollercoaster of a movie. If they're mad about it.... He did something right.

Brendan knows what it's like to struggle with his weight and his emotions. He understands the feeling of being scrutinized and abandoned. He put every part of his soul into this. He should be proud.

This movie along with a couple more that I have seen in my 73 years, will remain the most unforgettable film in my life!.., It brought out EVERY emotion that my body and soul has gone throughout my life..., It left me drained and battered and drained of tears!.., To me it "WILL" always remain the most tragically beautiful movie I have ever seen, I am thankful I watched it!

If the movies at a 93% for audience scores then it’s definitely doing something right. People are FEELING something when they watch it, and it compels them to contribute to a positive score.

I struggle with binge eating disorder and was over 300lbs for a long time… I eventually lost the weight and got help, but this movie resonates with me in a really deep way. I get it.

Call me a simpleton, but this movie hit me hard. I saw myself in Charlie and how much he struggled. I saw and understood the choices he made because I've been there. In that dark abyss where it seems like there is no way out. Some days I'm still in that dark place. Some days I'm not. Him not having the will to even pick up a dropped key, a man who was at one point so capable that anything was possible. Made me realize a few things about myself that I don't like and need to change. It's not easy, and never will be easy for some. But, the best things in life aren't easy.

I went into this movie not knowing what to except. I ugly cried right in the theater, it gave me all the feels. I will say that I felt pretty sad the rest of the day.

I watched it twice, and I am still marveling at the artistry in this film. I was taken on a journey & was immersed in the character development so much so I didn’t even realize that it was all being performed in the apartment.
Truly felt I was underwater, with sharks passing by his windows throughout his last days .. his performance was captivating and perfect. We all rooted for him to go at peace and he managed to write his ending! I loved it !! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I lost my mom to addiction. She was deeply hurt by what happened to her and the circumstances in her life. Watched the film yesterday and couldn't sleep afterwards. Too much resemblance, also with the fucked up family situation. If you haven't been through it, you truly don't know how it feels.

I saw The Whale two nights ago and even though I thought the performances were all excellent, the subject matter is definitely very difficult to truly understand. I myself am an obese person and the struggles are very real. I mean, I'm not as big as the main character in this movie, but trauma can really change your life in the worst ways. I know a lot of people have heard stories of individuals who suffered terribly and eventually recovered. But not everyone who experiences trauma recovers, and eventually the consequences of addiction will kill them.

I saw this movie sometime last month and I got to say it's probably one of the only movies I've seen in recent years that left something even remotely memorable after seeing it. It's probably because I've suffered from some pretty severe ideations in the past and the ending makes me feel that may have been where I'd have ended up if I hadn't tried to turn it around at one point. I do think the daughter was one point of actual criticism or annoyance for me, but maybe that's the point of her character emphasizing someone combating or motivating him to try to better or redeem himself. Her behavior and how she conducted herself in general was distracting, but maybe that's how they decided to depict her working through processing her resentment of feeling abandoned and trying to reconnect.

The Whale mentally ordered me to go for a walk, then lift my dusty weights. Also, I absolutely love this movie.

I think that it's a wonderful representation of not working through grief in a healthy manner in the same way that alcoholics or drug addicts use their preferred substances to cope with or numb emotional or physical pain. Charlie uses food to fill a void that can never be filled. It's sad but not in a grotesque or humiliating way but in a very real and very human way. Charlie's weight and the issues that come with it are very real. As an individual who was once obese, I can honestly say that I was well aware I was fat and I felt disgusted with myself and how unhealthy I was and didn't need anyone to remind me of the fact. Being fat alone took a mental toll on me and an even greater one when it was met with harsh judgement. Occasionally people think that telling a fat person they're gross or unhealthy or that telling an alcoholic that they're a lazy drunkard will cause a revelation and a change in behavior but in reality it might cause the problem to get much worse. Addicts of any kind be it food, alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling and so on, need a healthy dose of kindness and compassion but more so than ever truth, honesty and firm boundaries and there is a way to be honest and truthful without passing judgement and a way to set boundaries without keeping people out. Those things in my personal opinion are the difference between recovery and relapse.

Charlie is such a good character and he’s written beautifully: he’s complicated, good natured, soft spoken, kind and so hopeful, but he’s also a little bit manipulative and unfair to the closest people to him. But he’s not ill intentioned, he’s just exhausted. And who can’t relate to that? Listening to him admit to his daughter he made a mistake by leaving her because he was in love was one of the absolute most gut wrenching moments of the film. It was so human. A mistake so many people have made. The scenes of him binge eating were a tough watch, not because I found him “disgusting”, but because I cared about him and I could tell he was in pain and his best way to cope was hurting himself more; his binge eating was both to give himself comfort and to punish himself, to bring himself closer to “the end”. I know people like Charlie, except they don’t suffer from obesity. Their ailments are different but the psychological aspects are so similar so it was easy to empathize with him and everyone around him. The stubbornness, the regret, the self-flagellation, etc. That’s why it shouldn’t take you knowing people like him to care about him, because his obesity is not even the most substantial thing about him as a person; it’s both about his loss of control and paradoxically the only thing he still has control over. He left everything, including his daughter, for a chance at happiness with his partner and then that was gone and he was left with nothing. How tragic is that. And to be clear: I’m referring to the experiences of Charlie as a character in the film, I’m not referring to other people who might be categorized or identify as obese. Their own lives will of course be different and Charlie’s struggles might of course not be their struggles any more than his virtues might not be their virtues. That’s why I wish people could step out of their own experiences and ideas for a few hours and try to see things from a different perspective; labeling this film as lacking, saying it’s just “fat phobic” is so reductive. There’s a lot more to the film that the portrayal of someone suffering with obesity, the same way there’s so much more to Charlie as a character than being obese. If that’s not your personal experience with food and your body, that’s perfectly fine. But not everyone is meant to feel/think/act the way you do. This is his story, it is Charlie’s experience, and it’s equally worthy.

The Whale isn't made for everybody. That's why I don't think there was strong advertising for it. But being someone who relates to Ellie (though not as extreme as portrayed in the movie), it was the small things in the movie that broke me. The way Charlie moved on the couch, never truly being able to look behind him, the wheezing and coughing fits that would go on just enough to make others worry if it may progress into something more, and the way how you would feel so small compared to them that there's an extreme limit to how much you can help them. People who claim this movie is fatphobic aren't truly recognizing the movie's message. What's so tragic about The Whale is how we know how it's going to end, and we can only watch as this man continues to harm himself to the end. Even with so many people around him who love and care for them (each with their own limits, but very much expressing concern for him in some way), he accepts what will happen, and that's the worst thing that can happen to someone you love. No matter how much you love them, and they still take their own life, it seems like your love wasn't enough.

I haven't seen it yet but I'm a huge fan of Fraser and I truly hope he gets the Oscar.

"The latest film from cult favorite filmmaker Darren Aronofsky."
Say no more. That tells me everything I need to know about this film. If I ever feel too happy, this is the movie I'm going to go watch.

This is the first review I've seen talking about the overuse of the music, and I agree 100%. There were many moments when it just seemed a little too on the nose for me. 10/10 performances from Fraser and Chau, 6/10 movie overall.

No idea how people can see this film as fatphobic. It really shines an objective light on what it would be like to be this big in quite a humane but realistic way. I found so much sympathy whilst watching this film and definitely fell into the first camp you mentioned. Its actually the first Aronofsky film I've seen so looking forward to going back through his old films and watching some more.

I went to see it last night and was utterly blown away. Having been trying to stay off whiskey for a few months now, and having known many people with EDs (albeit not binge EDs), I think the Whale works a lot better from either a perspective about addiction or a case study of the homophobic and downright lonely Midwest. To me, though, it's a film about brutal honesty, with yourself and with the world at large. (this comment has spoilers)
Each of the six characters that actually speak all _seem_ to see Charlie in different ways (i.e. a deadbeat dad, the one who walked out, the only remainder of one's brother, someone to guide spiritually, the recluse who orders pizza a lot), but ultimately, it boils down to all of them finding him varying levels of disgusting, and they all somewhat hate _themselves,_ as well, especially once those who _don't know_ finally see what's become of him.
I think what really tied it together for me was the symbolism. I know a lot of it was very unsubtle, but I still loved it - I even saw the aspect ratio as a way to make his apartment feel more cramped than it already was. There were also the numerous comparisons to Moby Dick, in the literal form of one's juvenile interpretation and in the not-so-subtle costuming and portrayals (i.e. Charlie is a great white whale, Mary is his Captain Ahab, Thomas is his Ishmael, etc...) and I thought the music was phenomenal as well, despite its volume. It really does resemble whalesong in some moments, specifically in the opening, and I think it works fantastically. The last thing I realized, though, is the fact that it is _always raining._
There are almost no scenes where the weather is clear - the only times being when Charlie is drugged, or at the very end. His emotional intensity corresponds to how loud the storm is outside, and the weather is always awful.
The Whale is a film that made me deeply, viscerally uncomfortable - and goddamn it, I loved every second.

Darren Aronofsky is brilliant at visibly portraying addiction, grief, desperation really showing humanity at their lowest point and humanizing them. I haven’t seen the whale yet but I have seen requiem for a dream and been a lifelong fan. I was a heroin addict for 10 years and used fentanyl in the end and I can tell you he portrayed addiction perfectly. I am excited to see what he has to show with the whale

I don’t find the movie to be “fatphobic”. A part of it is real life experience of people who are in such a position. And as a member of the audience, many of us look at his character and feel sad as well as a measure of cringe for the character because he has reached such a unhealthy lifestyle and weight. And no that’s not fatphobic to say that. It’s our inner compassion that feels “I wish Charlie was more mentally and physically healthier, I feel terrible for him and his current position.” To say that we should accept Charlie at his current weight is NOT compassionate. Because we leave him to die at his own expense instead of accepting the fact that he will die in part of his mental and physical state.

"I just want to know that I've done one thing right in my life"
Everyone can relate to that and ask themselves the very same thing, whether it be about family, a career, friends, etc etc. Such a powerful line in a powerful film that does make you think. That's what I took away from it. Have I done 1 thing right with my life. I thought about it after the film and I found it very very powerful. I loved the movie. xx

I think this was the Best performance in his entire acting career. Of course not everyone might feel this way and it's all good. That's simply my humble opinion:)

Completely agree with you. I felt numb the entire time even though I could plainly see that the film wanted me to feel strong emotions. It just doesn't work.

I absolutely agree! I kept thinking, "wow, this would do so much better as a stageplay!", and when the end credits rolled and I found out that it was, it all made so much sense lol. The caracters felt so theatrical, not realistic enough for a movie in my opinion, and how they all kept crashing into his house.. I also wish there was more subtlety, in the dialogue, and in the characters themselves. It was very on the nose for me, and in many of the scenes it just lost me. Otherwise, it is a really touching and beautiful story, I just wish it was written better!

I appreciated that all the side characters quietly indulge in their own destructive vices throughout the movie, but only the damage of Charlie's vice is visible at all times. His caretaker smokes, his ex-wife is an alcoholic, etc.

I truly hope he wins an Oscar for his performance. I am rooting for this to be his massive comeback! ❤

I mean this movie had tears rolling down my face multiple times and Ive never delt with any of these hardships.

This was one of the best movies I have ever seen. I actually teared up at the ending. Brendan Fraser really does deserve all the accolades he is receiving for this performance. And on a totally different topic, Sadie Sink is so sexy 😍

Ahh well I'm just enjoying my childhood favorite returning back after a really rough time and winning Best Actor! Wow. So happy for Brendan Fraser❤

Darren Aronofsky films have always impacted me in some way. This film is no different. It's not one of my tops but the film did what I thought it would. I'm not where near Charlie's weight but boy am I having health problems because of my weight. When it comes to confidence, I have always had that even being overweight. But this movie broke that. I walked out of the theater not depressed but my confidence was shattered. I sat in the car with my wife for a good 15 minutes and I just told her I don't want to end up like Charlie. Knowing that this week is my last week with the ones I love. Due to my lack of discipline or my health problems. Sure, enough since I've seen the movie, I've lost a couple of pounds and started watching my food intake more than I was before and started to just exercise despite my current health problems that make it difficult as it is. The way I've explained this movie to friends and coworkers is that the movie is very grounded to earth unlike many of Aronofsky other more visually appealing films. It also really tackles one week of the characters life at the end of his journey. It reminded me a lot of the ending of requiem of a dream. Where the characters are having to deal with their addiction till the end. Wish some characters were flushed out a bit more. But the setting is a week in a man's life who's been like this for more than 8 years. I also don't see this movie fatphobic since this is the reality of being 600 pounds overweight. I recently had a family friend pass away and he was as big if not bigger than Charlie. He died due to power going out in his house and his breathing AID turning off. Watching Charlie at the end struggle with breathing made me really start to understand what my friend lived with. And what I might if I don't start improving my health. Like I said this movie had an impact on my life like many of Aronofsky's films have had. Very few directors can actually do that to me and that is why Aronofsky is still my favorite director and when he releases something like this. I know Its going to hit home.

What broke me is seeing the whale as an international student, away from my mother who struggles with obesity. It is a serious illness, and I have tried and failed to set the scale right because it hurts her whole body. The movie is painful on so many levels as you see a man chased around by different people without him being able to make a life for himself. It comes to a point where gore and horror of cinema is useless and pure agony is what makes you stop watching. That agony is what makes me so sad about my mother's state, and makes me train every day to escape the painful life that it brings. There are always underlying symptoms, but help is needed on all fronts.

i’ve been battling an eating disorder for a long time now. though i don’t have the exact diagnosis as charlie, has not changed anything for me. this dependency that is put on food and fixation about the food itself… it’s not a film about judging charlie’s character. it shows how much food can be a comfort and curse when battling such dark thoughts. i found myself crying watching him binge and puke-something i’m really familiar with. to end the show with this freedom and defiance at fate has given me so much faith in finding more beyond my suicidal thoughts. this film is absolutely one of my favourites and i think about it every day. i’m normally a horror fan but this film has got to be the top of my list out of everything

I have not been more excited about a movie in a long time, because this movie is about something that is relatable to so many people and something people can connect to. You might not like certain things about, but it's still something that is very real and i find that amazing that someone is willing to show case that in this day and age where there are so many people who will try and ruin everything...just look at the people trying to label this as body shaming. Being overweight is a reality, but displaying the person behind the weight and the struggles, the mentality and how that person is brings so much more to the table than what the person looks like. I think people will link to this movie and hopefully see the hidden messages that are in the movie

The Whale hit home in so many ways. I related to Sadie Sink’s character, Ellie. I was an angry, disappointed, and hurt child. My father is a gay man and left his family to live with his partner. But most importantly, to live his identity. I went through a lot of emotional and physical hardship to understand this and why it happened. I blamed my mom, brother, and sisters for the reason he left. I hated everyone, including myself. I ran away with my father when I was five years old. I left with him because I felt no one loved him, and I felt alone (authorities call it kidnapped & he did go to prison). I didn’t hear the truth about his sexuality until I was a teenager, and my father explained it himself. He always loved my mother and asked about her (even when she remarried and had other children). Did it break our family? It sure did, and the effects are everlasting even through forgiveness (triggers, PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, addiction). The movie broke me in the scene when Charlie explains to his daughter how much he admires and loves her, “You are an amazing person, Ellie, and I couldn’t ask for a more incredible daughter.” He didn't want her to grow up with hatred in her heart, and I felt that my father wanted the same for me.

I would have to disagree with the score, I think the direction and Brendan's Performance are both amazing, there's a lot of symbolism with the film, even choosing 4:3 instead of 16:9 aspect ratio is part of it, the colors, the wardrobe, they all have a reason for being. Charlie is self destructing and he has made a lot of mistakes but yet there's what he thinks its his last shot at redemption and his obsesed, and I think particulary the ending scene is amazing, as Charlie has done nothing to improve himself but managing to find the strength to stand up as his last attempt to show his daughter he acomplished something as she reads the essay out loud. I might have to rewatch it soon, but the music never felt to me like it overshadowed the dialogue.

Great video, I was in a beautiful marriage before my now ex wife left me,i still love her and most times i cant stop thinking about her, i am doing my very best to get rid of the thought of her, but i just cant, i love her so much, i dont know why i am bring this here for, i cant stop thinking about her..

I absolutely loved this movie it broke me as well while I dont have the weight issue part I related to Charlie allot on the level of depression and loosing a loved one my wife left me 6 months ago she didnt die but how she left was terrible so I related to him on that. I also related on the level of anxiety that is portrayed. This is one absolutely beautiful movie although it is a hard watch especially for people who have similar issues

I’ve been living with someone for twenty years whose active and horrific addiction destroyed his own life, almost brought down my children and me, and is now disabled and waiting to die. The Whale hit hard. It allowed a glimmer of compassion to enter my heart which has grown so helpless regarding the individual in my house. I truly see this as a brilliant film.

I'm a big fan of Brendan Fraser and admirer of Darren's and will wait for the movie to be available on streaming services to watch it before making up my mind. What little clips I have seen have blown me away so far. And I so want Brendan to win big.

As a former binge eater, the binge eating scene in this movie broke me.
I agree with you that the movie is intense AF, but man, Fraser deserves all the awards for this performance.

One of the most moving films I've ever seen. Bravo Brendan Fraser.

His addiction to Binge eating is quite accurate. None moreso than when the climax of the movie happens when all seemed lost and he just goes on a grotesque earing of all sorts of combinations. It is very real for those that aren't even obese. For a lot of people, when they become stressed the fuck out, or hit a depression mood, their eating habits for the next hour(s)/days changes dramatically. They hate doing it but won't stop no matter what they are telling themselves (stop! Fuck it, just eat. Stop! It's fine. Eat. Stop!) Only when the eating at that moment completely stops that they start to wallow in pity and shame, among other actions that before were able to keep in check.
It's a sad depressing movie that capsules a genuine intense like human emotion we all can relate to in some way. The relationship between Charlie and his daughter hits hard in the end.

I had a similar take. While I loved the performances of Fraser and Chau, the movie as a whole left me exhausted from the overuse of dramatic misery to get a reaction from the audience. One of the best scenes to me was when the delivery driver sees Charlie for the first time. Powerful scene that wasn't overdone. This is an incredibly amazing movie, but I will probably never watch it again.

After watching this film I immediately went over to the scale to see how much I've let myself go. I've been consistently going to the gym for a month now because this film pushed to get my shit straight. I could see my future self in this character.

I just watched this tonight. This was a powerful, intense, and deeply sad story that I enjoyed. It was moving. Fraser played this role to perfection. I wanted to reach into the screen and shake some sense into Charlie. People were weeping in the theatre. Moving stuff.

I just saw this movie with my Dad and we both loved it. It's a movie whereby you're still trying to puzzle everything out hours after. I've looked at certain reviews whereby they called brendan and his daughter one dimensional and I honestly couldn't think this is further from the case. We see a key aspect of the film is honesty. That's what Brendan seeks from others and what his daughter tries to present to the world through her random posts on her facebook page of others when they least expect (or want it) presented. You could also say at this point it's a skewed honesty, a cynical one, showing her obese father and Thomas' smoking, of course as the angsty daughter who "hates everyone" (in her own words) it makes perfect sense. Then for Brendan, who asks honesty of both his daughter and his students, but of course only presents that honesty (by turning on his camera) in his final moments. He remains optimistic throughout the movie and it might seem questinoable, but for him life is still beautiful, just not his. He wishes to wallow in his self-loathing alone, he sees it as an issue unto himself and blames himself for it. Hence why he doesn't resent the world. I don't see this as a movie where it demands you have great sympathy for him through cheapt means, it's a movie that demands you accept him for who he is, the good and the bad. You accept that the eating disorder truly is disgusting and damaging in the worst way possible but you also see that he tries in his little ways to help others. He chooses not to get treatment and pretends the reason is because he wants more money for his daughter, though the reality is really that a "helpful" by-product of withholding treatment is that he no longer has to continue suffering in this life. It indicates the selfishness of his actions but simultaneously his desire to give to his daughter. One could make the case that the really caring thing for his daughter would've been to get the treatment he needed and make the changes in his life, much before it got to his point so that he could be in his daughter's life. Because really the money is irrelevant in the grands scheme. What matters is a Father showing love for his daughter. And that's why the final moments shine. Because for once in the last 9 years of his life he got up and "fought" in his own way for his daughter. He showed how much he cared and that that gift (showing he cares) will be much more beneficial than the windfall she will receive upon his death. There's so much to unpack in this movie. For example, he feeds the birds. And your initial impression of this is that he is a kind person who still cares for life in his own way. You later ssee, after his daughter notices this, and so does he, that the plate where the birds eat from has been broken. My interpretation is that the daughter broke it. And if you work from the assumption that she isn't really a bad person (she does things that may be an affront though still have a moral or impetus behind them) then you wonder why she did it. I believe the bird feeding is a metaphor, for feeding others unhealthy habits. It iss not good for a bird to rely on food from humans to survive, but of course it appears to be a nice thing to do in many cases upon shallow inspection. You could draw parallels to brendan and the nurse and whether it is a similar relationship, I'm not convinced that that relationship was so damaging however, it is true that in 9 years of the "help" his situation only deteriorated. The case could be made either way. And I love that about this movie. I truly don't think any of these characters are shallow at all. I found the Whale so incredibly captivating despite the movie confined physically to a single apartment I found that it gave the meaning behind the movie that much more room to flourish.

Everything you said is correct and valid only for me it worked. I like big brash operatic on the nose no subtlety movies.
The characters psychological striving for honesty as reflected by his insistence that his students be honest, that his daughter is redeemable (due to her honesty) hit me. also, the depiction of food addiction and how that emotionally plays out was real and raw.
one thing i do agree with you about is overuse of the score. didnt need it so often

Just back from the theater and I was deeply moved, all around. So many resonant themes (I'm fifty, divorced, kids). Just the alienation, the grief, the despair...or maybe not even despair. Something beyond despair (despair I guess still implies investment). Fatalism, I suppose is the word.
And the redemptions.
I don't know, I guess I can see how you'd find it heavy-handed but I found it affecting. Riveting, even. I was pretty much on the edge of my seat, just soaking up every last emotional beat. Also, I found the film so incredibly taut. Not one wasted word or beat.

I thought it was meh, but Brandon Fraser should win the Oscar. Our king gave the best performance of a lifetime.

Just watched it and every character is full and well thought out (and convincing). I have to say that despite it being a sort of 1 set play adaptation, the whole film grips and repels but is never sickly or bland. There's not really a moment of flat dialogue but mystery and tension. Best Aaronofsky movie for me since Pi.

This movie got me holding my tears back, fearing my eating disorder will get out of hand one day, fearing for future relationships, and almost, ALMOST getting to me completely, i was about brake but the f****** part were he is lifted into his heaven stopped me from crying in front of everyone. Maybe it was just me kinda frustrated, hoping for something different idk. I loved this movie, it's a "if you know you know "type of movie i think and there some things i picked up on and some of you might have too, that hit my soul and resinated but ya, it's got me thinking different about my life 4.9/5 for me. amazing movie.

Having suffered / still suffering with binge eating I completely relate and sympathise with Charlie. I was holding back tears for half the movie. But I don’t think I can watch it again. Not for a long time. I believe this movie is here for people like myself, suffering in silence with disorders, depression and such, however strongly advise that if that is something you can connect with to watch the film while in a good head space. It is truly worth the watch but not while you are feeling bad already. I left the cinema numb and looking back on the way I was living with shame, but also motivated to change little by little. I rate the movie 4 stars out of 5 personally but I can completely understand your review.