It’s bound to be nice to see Brendan Fraser back in a starring role since the guy has been around, but it also feels as though he’s been neglected in a big way for a while now, since he hasn’t been the big star that he used to be during his days in The Mummy movies, and has been more or less just existing in show business without really having any huge parts. It’s ironic to say that since The Whale by Darren Aronofsky is going to be about a 600-lb. recluse that is eating himself to death and needs a change of pace in his life. There’s not much more about the movie that we know at this point, but that alone makes it sound like something that Aronofsky would be fond of filming since a lot of his movies tend to feature individuals that have some major issue that they’re trying to work through. Weighing that much would be a serious matter that would need to be worked through, to be honest, but one has to wonder just how far this movie is going to go and how deep into the issue of obesity Aronofsky will be traveling. Fraser taking on this role is likely something that many people are willing to take a look at in the spirit of seeing if he can accomplish the part, but in some ways, it almost feels as though it could be a movie that gains a great deal of attention as several of Aronofsky’s movies have in the past.
If nothing else, it does feel good to see Fraser stepping out into the spotlight again in order to show what he can do. But this kind of a role does feel like an odd way to go since at one point he was considered one of the hottest stars in Hollywood, and then suddenly he stopped taking on such great roles and almost disappeared. Since his younger years, Fraser has been great given that in School Ties he was fun to watch since he made the role come to life, and in George of the Jungle he was pretty amusing no matter that the movie was pretty corny. His role in Encino Man and his subsequent cameos in a few Pauly Shore movies made it evident that people just wanted to see him, but once The Mummy Returns came out things kind of felt like they were taking a serious nosedive into obscurity since he was being seen less and less as time went on. For someone that had been so prominent in the business up until then, this wasn’t unheard of since careers can rise and fall at an alarming speed, but it was still a bit surprising since he was one of those that a lot of people thought had a great deal of versatility and could have lasted. Maybe taking on this role is another way to show that he’s matured and the ability to create another character that people will find intriguing.
It’s easy enough to wonder if this is going to be Fraser’s way back in so that he can enjoy a solid career in Hollywood again, but if that’s the case then it does feel as though his career is being held hostage in a way since in order to get back in the good graces of more than one studio it would appear that he would have to appear in a role that’s bound to inspire some to mock and even deride him for such a role. That’s definitely a type of conspiracy theory that might not bear any fruit, but there is the idea that he might have to do something that will get him back into the swing of things and kickstart his career again. Of course, there’s always the idea that he’s just seeking a way to make a living and this was an offer he couldn’t pass up. Actors have to work and make a living too after all, and turning down too many roles does tend to make it sound as though someone is holding out for that one perfect role that they figure could possibly bring them back from the dead, metaphorically speaking. Right now it does feel as though Fraser’s career could use a serious boost, but whether that’s a reason for taking this role or not, it is nice to hear that he’s getting back into something that could elevate him a bit and get people to notice him once more.
The thing about Aronofsky’s movies is that they usually appear designed to garner a great deal of sympathy for the characters, and that’s likely what is going to happen here. How it will play out is anyone’s guess, but it does feel as though it could be something that will highlight Fraser in a very useful way.
Follow Us
