Based on the play of the same name by the film’s screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter, Darren Aronofsky’s latest drama is a gut-wrenching and emotional film that will leave you speechless. Brendan Fraser delivers a phenomenal performance as Charlie, a man who gains 600 pounds following the death of his boyfriend and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter before he dies. Fraser is physically and mentally unrecognizable in a performance that is the best of his career and one of the best comeback performances in recent years. Despite the film featuring a tremendous supporting cast consisting of Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton, the film demonstrates from start to finish that this is the Brendan Fraser show. “The Whale” is an excellent film about family and the struggles one goes through after a traumatic experience that may damage their health and mental state. It should also be worth mentioning that Brendan Fraser’s comeback performance in this movie is similar to when Mickey Rourke made his comeback with 2008’s “The Wrestler,” and interestingly, both films were directed by Darren Aronofsky. Thanks to Darren Aronofsky’s incredible direction, Samuel D. Hunter’s emotional screenplay, and a phenomenal performance by Brendan Fraser.
