Credit: The Whale
After months of hype, audiences have finally gotten the first trailer for Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale. The upcoming film stars Brendan Fraser as a reclusive English teacher who weighs 600 pounds. Based on the playwright of Samuel D. Hunter’s off-broadway play of the same name, Charlie (Fraser) has decided to eat himself to death following the unfortunate death of his gay lover. At the same time, he tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter for one last chance at redemption. The film also stars Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, and Ty Simpkins.
The film tackles numerous subjects such as grief, trauma, and the importance of human connection; Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to tackling themes that showcase the worst side of humanity, namely Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, or Black Swan. Aronofsky made sure to do his research on such a sensitive subject, as the topic of obesity is not an easy thing to talk about, “We spent a lot of time educating ourselves. There’s an organization called the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition), and they connected us with people who are living with obesity or for whom obesity has changed their lives in many different ways.
Credit: The Whale
“To be clear, there are many people who are large and who are very, very happy and have a very positive outlook on the world.” Aronofsky tells Fastcompany.com. “I think with this movie, it’s one story. For me, the greatest thing about film is that it’s an exercise in empathy. That feeling when you’re inside someone else’s head that is completely different from [yours]. I never danced ballet, and I never jumped off the top rope [in a wrestling ring], and I was never a drug dealer or user. So it’s about going on a journey with people and getting in their heads. That’s what brings us more together. ”
Thus far, The Whale has a decent rotten tomatoes score – currently sporting a 71% – but what’s really gaining the film’s attention is the return of Brendan Fraser. The actor has notably struggled in the past couple of years, mostly due to a fault that isn’t his own. However, Fraser has slowly been making a comeback in both films and television, and critics are giving The Mummy star high praise by calling his performance “transcendent” and “career-defining.” There’s even Oscar chatter about the actor receiving his first nomination.
Credit: The Whale
The actor has spoken about why he opted to take the role, with Fraser mainly known for his high-octane action/adventure pictures in the 90s and early 2000s, such as The Mummy, George of the Jungle, and Journey to the Center of the Earth, but Fraser explained that he wanted to reintroduce himself to Hollywood and that The Whale was the perfect film to do so, “He said he wanted an actor to reintroduce, And I wanted to be reintroduced.” Fraser told Cinemablend. Whether Fraser scores an Oscar nomination or not, this confirms that the actor is a strong performer with an incredible range that spans beyond action/adventure. Of course, no one would complain if Fraser was given the opportunity to slay one more mummy.
The Whale definitely dances in the realm of sadness, but it certainly seems like a compelling film that tackles a subject that isn’t discussed all too often. Given Aronofsky’s track record when it comes to films, the auteur director knows how to perfectly capture the difficult side of people in a thought-provoking yet striking matter. Aronofsky’s last film, Mother!, was an extremely divisive affair that didn’t get much awards attention, will that change with The Whale? We’ll surely find out as awards season draws near. The Whale is scheduled to be released next month on December 9, 2022.
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