With the holidays in full swing, the movies want us to know that it’s not the happiest of times for some families, and for those who struggle to survive the entire rest of the year. And we’re not talking about Clark Grisswald or even George Bailey. And since it’s also awards season, the multiplex will have plenty of somber, serious cinema like this tale of truly “blue” people (aside from those on Pandora). Yes, addiction plays a major role alongside the actors in this drama. But this kind is rarely seen on screen, compared to booze, drugs, and even sex. This may stem from its being too complicated since the addicted can’t quit (pardon the phrase) “cold turkey”. And this leads to the nickname of this main character, who’s referred to (and sometimes called to his face) as THE WHALE.
It all starts with what has become a familiar situation, a virtual online class, similar to a zoom meeting. All the students are in squares on the laptop screen, except the center is black. We hear the teacher explain that his laptop camera is still busted. Then the view opens up to reveal the speaker, along with a possible reason for his “fib”. That “unseen” writing instructor is Charlie (Brendan Fraser), a man dealing with extreme obesity, tipping (or toppling) the scale at close to 600 pounds. At the conclusion of his class, he kills time waiting for his pizza delivery by going to an “adult” streaming video site. A knock on the door interrupts his “research”, but it’s not pie. It’s a young (early 20s) traveling missionary for the New Life Church, Thomas (Ty Simpkins). After an unsuccessful “pitch”, Charlie’s home care “nurse”, Liz (Hong Chau), stops by to check his vitals. She’s alarmed by the BP test, but Charlie refuses to be taken to a hospital, claiming poverty. This enrages Liz who is more “family” than an employee to him. Later, Charlie gets a surprise visit from his actual family, His estranged teenage daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink) pushes past her revulsion at his appearance to ask for a loan. Eager to reconnect with her Charlie promises her that she can have his savings (another fib) if she will visit him and allow him to help her pass her English course. Over the next few days, as Charlie’s condition continues to deteriorate, Thomas makes him his personal mission, while Liz clashes with him and Ellie, prompting another reunion, as Charlie’s angry ex Mary (Samantha Morton) finds out that Ellie has been dropping in. But can these new and old friends, along with his neglected family, inspire Charlie to get the medical and psychological help that could save his life?
Many media outlets have been filled with variations of “Welcome back Brendan”. To be honest, he never really left the “biz”, toiling in supporting roles, such as last year’s Soderbergh’s noir thriller NO SUDDEN MOVE. Rather this is his first leading role in over a dozen years, and he makes the most of it, delivering his best work since the underrated GODS AND MONSTERS. Much like Charlize Theron in MONSTER, Mr. Fraser made his mark in the glamour roles, building toward this superb character at the center of the story. Charlie is burying his broken heart with calories, but the pain hasn’t taken his often caustic wit (his Bible critique), nor his compassion for others (if only he left some for himself). He’s a prisoner of his body, stuck in a squalid second-floor apartment, who yearns for human connections and contact. We especially see and feel that in his warm relationship with Liz. Chau expertly conveys that she loves him like a brother, but is angry over the frustration at his refusal to stop his cycle of despair and self-loathing. But then Chau shows us her own guilt as she becomes the supplier of the edibles that spur the health spirals she must “slap a bandage on”. But her rage is a spark compared to Sink as the seething Ellie who has cocooned herself with anger to protect herself from his exit from her life, never to open up herself to new pain. But like Liz, her “tough love” will not be the “fix”. Neither will the platitudes of Thomas, who Simpkins plays as a twitchy innocent who needs to “sell Charlie” in order to make up for his past misdeeds. Plus he’s got to suppress his attraction to Ellie, who seems to enjoy toying with him, like a cat with a trapped mouse. And though she’s not seen until the last act, Morton’s compelling as Charlie’s former love who can’t accept that he still cares about her and their child, needing instead to punish him for their shared past.
Actually, this marks more of a feature film return for its director, Darren Aronofsky, than for Fraser. He’s been absent for five years after helming MOTHER. Unlike that trippy “fever dream”, this is a more character-driven drama (but it has a few laughs). And though it’s mainly set in Charlie’s home, it doesn’t feel claustrophobic or “stagey” even though its roots are in the play by Samuel D. Hunter, who adapted his work. Still, there are times when the setting feels like a prison, much like Charlie’s crushing girth. And much of the credit for that, along with the film’s realism and power, goes to the incredible work of the seven-person makeup team who transform Fraser into Charlie, allowing his performance to shine through the prosthetics. Everyone involved worked to make this more than a “carnival show”, avoiding any bit of cruelty or exploitation. Much as with the lead in LEAVING IN LAS VEGAS, we see Charlie as more than his disease and want to save him, even as he pushes everyone away. This makes the sequence of him on a food binge (more of a rampage) truly disturbing and horrific. Some may shun this film, saying it’s a “downer”, which would deprive them of the stellar ensemble cast and a story of love tossing a lifeline to a sweet soul drowning in regret and despair. Despite it title, THE WHALE is a haunting tale of compassion and forgiveness.
3.5 Out of 4
THE WHALE opens in select theatres on Wednesday, December 20.2022
