The Whale (REVIEW) | Projector @ LFF | I correctly predicted Brendan Fraser would win an Oscar

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Brendan Fraser makes a triumphant return in Darren Aronofsky's much talked about drama, but Film Brain is exceptionally conflicted on his thoughts on the movie itself.
#thewhale #brendanfraser #sadiesink #samanthamorton #hongchau #tysimpkins #darrenaronofsky #samueldhunter #whale #whalefilm #whale2022 #lff #londonfilmfestival

[@FilmBrain]

First video edited with Vegas 18, which I upgraded to recently. The biggest test case here is extensive use of slow motion generated in-program - previously, I'd been exporting short clips into a separate program, and re-importing those back into Vegas. There's a few of those clips in there too, as I started this video before I upgraded.

[@Proditae]

I love you

[@mrflipperinvader7922]

I'm curious Brain Has the best and worst been "retired"?

[@FilmBrain]

No, I plan to do one, but as a more traditional list video.

[@mrflipperinvader7922]

@@FilmBrain understood

[@BrandonCroker]

Makes me very happy to see Fraser back. After hearing all the things he’s been through throughout his life, it’s great to see him back seemingly at his very best.

[@Commanderziff]

"Does David Aronofsky deserve Brenan Frazer?" is not a question I ever expected to hear. Good for Frazer.

[@trinaq]

I've been hearing lukewarm reviews about this film, though Brendan's performance is being universally praised. Shame that it's not part of a better movie, and I hope that he'll be nominated for plenty of awards!

[@heymistercarter.]

Come to think of it, it sort of reminds me of Still Alice, the movie Julianne Moore won the Oscar for playing a woman with early-onset Alzheimer's. Most of the reviews I read said that her performance was excellent and she deserved to win the Oscar for it, but that the writing itself was kinda soso. Like it almost felt like one of those movies made almost exclusively to get that particular actor an Oscar, especially if they're overdue for one. And with Moore, let's just say there were other movies she's done which she probably deserved an Oscar for more than this one.

[@alienboy1322]

I'm still looking forward to this.

[@Volvagia1927]

​@@heymistercarter. And that "there were movies she'd done she deserved it for more" factor is why Fraser...is losing. WHO he'll lose to is unclear, but this year is a Colin Farrell vs. Austin Butler knockdown.

[@heymistercarter.]

@@Volvagia1927 the difference is, Julianne had quite a few roles in her past that helped build a reputation as someone who could’ve been nominated for or won for stuff besides what she won for. Brendan was never really a critical darling or used to be in many movies that people would see for his acting talents first. You don’t see stuff like Encino Man for his deep acting range, let’s put it like that. He had been in more dramatic roles from time to time (as FB pointed out), but he hadn’t gotten much notice for roles like those until now. The big question is: what’s he going to do now that he is back in the public spotlight? Like is he going to sort of pick up where he left off and do more stuff like he did in his prime, Will he do more Oscar-type roles like this, or something in between? I guess time will tell.

[@vijant1395]

Make your own mind up…..don’t take in the reviews….they are just other people’s opinions….trust yourself to feel what u want to feel about it based on your experience of the movie not the experience of others

[@jacobniehaus]

Fantastic film and fantastic role. Adored everything about this one.

[@sper2557]

Makes me happy to see you and Brendan back! Been a while since I watched a review of yours. Like years.

[@bunsw2070]

I just discovered this channel a few days ago. Bloody excellent reviews. Knowing this I probably won't bother watching this movie but I will watch parts of Blackbird. Lol

[@Morbos1000]

Knowing Aronofsky's style I was wondering "how will it be weird or offputting?" The second half of your review seems to clarify I was right to think that and what his distinct choices were. You've helped me decide that I do want to see it but I'll wait until it comes out on streaming rather than pay money to see it in the cinema.

[@cutzymccall7675]

I was so disappointed when Frasier left the film scene. It’s exciting to have him back. Don’t leave us again, Brendan! More than ever, we need your sensitive presence. Congrats on your Oscar. I was rooting for you. This is a great review!

[@fat1fared]

So glad BF is getting recognition at last. An amazing actor and person. Same for Hong Chao. As for the film, as someone who had to overcome weight issues I took it a little differently. Characters yelling at Charlie is meant to show the polarising and extreme way we approach weight. Helping people with weight issues is not about enabling or demoralising them but rather about helping them. The first scene I took to about making repulsed at their repulsion. We are meant to ask ourselves would we judge Charlie the same way if he were played by BF in his youth. Though I might have misunderstood as this director doesn’t like to make their message clear to a fault! Or to excuse the real faults of the film,

[@kazaloolovesgames]

Nice review. Not surprised to hear that Brendan Fraser did a great job but I'm not exactly a fan of Darren Aronofsky as a filmmaker. I feel like the films of his that I've seen always have a strong element of "gawking at the freak."

[@thesapphireone]

I agree, but what do you mean by “gawking at the freak”? Would you care to elaborate?

[@samwill7259]

He gets a beloved fandom role with his work on Doom Patrol that will keep his name circulating from now until the end of time and an award bait movie that will give him the recognition he deserves We did not treat him right the first time around. One can only pray we do it this time.

[@JoeChillton]

Finally FINALLY got a chance to see this after fearing it'd never come. There's 4 theaters around her and a few normally get A24, and i was lucky to get one just hours ago and it was well worth the wait, Fraser is a pillar of acting greatness here and points again go to Aronofsky for pulling incredible performances again. A24 is the brightest studio right now.

[@e.treacy7724]

That onanism scene reminds of How Not to Write a Novel. One tip is that you don't introduce the main character pounding his parson or being extremely horndog. Then regardless of what character development he undergoes, he'll always be remembered as the Bishop Basher.

[@arklestudios]

I wish the author of Brimstone's Knight had learned that lesson. The fact that that character was a villain who died 3 or 4 chapters later (seriously, that book goes through antagonists like tic tacs) does not help. And then there's the mood whiplash of that scene coming right after a poetic prophecy written for dragons.

[@basquat76]

The shape of water does the same thing. Although i don't think it has quite the same effect on people as this does.

[@darkdemonqueen]

It’s nice to see Brendan get the recognition he deserves. And getting blackballed in hollyweird for speaking up about the harassment he endured must’ve been embarrassing, demoralizing, and heartbreaking. And this was all before #metoo so no one listened to him. I’m glad he’s back and happy. I grew up with his movies. He’s a very talented guy.

[@KennyFrierson]

I think the first time I saw Fraser in a serious roll was an episode of Scrubs. Didn't know he was talented in that way

[@FilmBrain]

I meant to mention that! He's heartbreaking in that.

[@MercurialJester]

Check out With Honors It's a comedy-drama, but Fraser's performance even back then is stellar.

[@madz2013]

As an overweight person with a history of severe binge eating disorder, along with my own religious trauma, I think I'll be skipping this one. So glad Fraser back but I just can't bring myself to support a story like this being told in this way

[@christiangortler9403]

Nailed it. Really appreciate this level headed take. It had a ton of heart but I was making a confused face most of the movie at the tone/writing

[@heymistercarter.]

To me, there’s two performances that Brendan here draws comparisons to. One is Mickey Rourke in one of Aronofsky’s previous films, The Wrestler. One thing I think people don’t always notice is that Aronofsky has a talent of taking former big names and putting some shine back on their names, such as with Ellen Burstyn, Barbara Hershey, and Michelle Pfeiffer. One of the biggest names he’s done that with is Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, and it got him an Oscar nomination. The other is Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems. Both films took (mostly comedic) actors who were big in the ‘90’s and early 2000’s, but have gone through rough patches in the last few years, and showed they could, like, ACT act. Not just deliver lines and play characters in stuff, but that they could be taken seriously in more dramatic roles. Both had done dramatic stuff before, but THIS was the one that showed what they were REALLY capable of. The fact that A24 was behind both films is hardly coincidence either.

[@ericdraven_9481]

I think you’re correct but it was the Safdie brothers who did Uncut Gems. It wasn’t Aronofsky.

[@heymistercarter.]

@@ericdraven_9481 I know that. It’s the same studio though.

[@ericdraven_9481]

@@heymistercarter. Yeah I do think it’s interesting that you bring that up too considering Fraser and Sandler did an interview together recently for Variety.

[@keturahspencer]

When other characters are yelling at Charlie, I think we're supposed to empathize with him. Who hasn't messed up and been met with little to know empathy. Also, Ellie's character seems to have Emotional Behavioral Disorder with conduct disorder. I liked the way this movie was handled. As someone who has dealt the grief of losing a partner, I do think the strength of emotion and presentation is appropriate. Subtlety would be frankly insulting to such an experience.

[@Tom_TheDutchguy]

I Went to see it today, I was expecting myself to cry at this movie. But I didn't, I'm not in a exact situation as Charlie. But I do recognize certain trades in the character that I myself have as well. Mainly the depression, being alone allot and especially the line 'look at me, who would want me in their live' is something that really hit close to home for me. It's not a perfect film and I have my issues with some of the things the characters around Charlie do and/or say. But I do recommend it simply for Brendan Fraser's performance, he carries this film and every single nomination/win he has gotten is well deserved.

[@PacoFox]

The masturbation thing is not gratuitous: besides telling you early on he is gay visually and not verbally in a very verbose film, a masturbation is an act of solitude. Of loneliness. It's also considered gross (although ALL OF US MASTURBATE), so it's like the character: he is seen as gross, but it's just a very superficial evaluation. Also, you can play with that assumption that masturbating is 'bad' (it's not) and guilty (which socially is) because guilt is a main theme in the film.

[@Vivrant__Thang]

He also was trying to kill himself. And, you realize that as the film progresses.

[@alfje5492]

Loved Gods and Monsters and looking forward to this movie!

[@TheAdam1995]

I personally loved the movie and felt it was Aronofsky's best effort since Black Swan. I felt it earned the emotions and intended reactions in spades.

[@mrs.wontkins9294]

Glad to hear your take on it. I will have to check out the film.

[@fatimagic1365]

i think people are missing the point around the casting controversy in this movie. it's fantastic that brendan fraser has made a comeback. but the thing is, fat actors, queer actors, or really any marginalized performers often don't even get the chance to get in the room to audition for roles like this. fat actors especially are often relegated to "comic relief sidekick" roles and are very rarely given starring role opportunities. instead, a thin actor puts on a fat suit the same way an abled actor will play disabled, and they're universally praised for it. the issue isn't just "x people can't play x-type of people", it's "casting famous, un-marginalized actors in marginalized roles takes a role away from an actor who wouldn't otherwise get the same opportunity." it's less about "letting actors act", and more about giving diverse performers a chance to be something other than a stereotype of their lived experience. sad to hear how fatphobic is movie is.

[@maddavid2159]

I understand why you are thinking that and fat actors shouldn’t be comic relief’s all the time, but Aronofsky chose Fraser, because he thought he fitted the most. Not because he is fat-phobic

[@virus1244]

Needing exact representation is narcissistic and stupid, art transcends reality and acting is the art of empathy. Focusing on identity is a cancer thats rotting society and destroying everything good. Fat-phobia is a made-up problem about something thats actually a problem, being unhealthy and fat.

[@maddavid2159]

@@virus1244 You are speaking facts

[@mrflipperinvader7922]

I'm worried Austin Butler may get the Oscar instead because of the "easy win playing a real life person" rule

[@UndeadGirlCyber]

After your review i checked out the good nurse and i liked it. I think this one will be a hard skip for me, though. It reminds me too much of my big problem with "me before you".

[@CoffinFullOfBees]

The podcast Unsolicited: Fatties Talk Back has a great episode on the whale, both the play and the movie. They explain how and why it's fatphobic in ways people who arent fat can't see.

[@sammyauroraloves]

Glad to see Brendan Fraser making a comeback but I really wish it was with a different film. Even if it's a well-made film (which I'm hearing it is), I don't think this is a story that needed to be told, especially not in this way and by these people.

[@pacldawson]

Why do you feel this way? Honestly curious about your thoughts.

[@Vivrant__Thang]

You can’t have an opinion such as this without seeing the film. It is a story that needed to be told. This movie is about grief and how it manifests. Until you see it, you can’t critique it.

[@evandaymon8303]

This film need to be told. It fits with stuff going on nowadays with people treating not just those who are overweight as freaks but everyone who isn’t this perfect ideal image. Seeing this film reminds me lot of friends i knew that were in similar rot who are trying there best to fit in but cant because everyone around them treated them like shit. To say this story shouldn’t be told is like saying people who have similar issues like main character shouldn’t have open discussion about there problems and how we could change as a society and treat them with dignity and respect and help them out if they want our help. Not everyone would want that help which is a hard thing to get through with people. Basically just be good people to those who society and people around them treating them like shit is what i got from this film

[@Dubstepconcept]

I would check it out, it rally is a fantastic film.

[@heymistercarter.]

Having seen the movie last night, as well as parts of the play on KZbin, I realized a big problem with this movie, especially as a play-to-film adaptation. The play is more of a dramedy, with the comedy leaning towards pitch-black humor. And the play is often able to balance the dark comedy with the drama aspect of it. Aronofsky, though, has never made a comedy, or even had much real humor in any of his films, so he just leans all in on the drama aspect of it. And because this is almost a verbatim adaptation of the play, lines that I’m pretty sure were meant to be funny in the play are played straight in the film. There were a few times I laughed in the film because the line itself was funny, but the film seemed to play it seriously, so no one else was laughing. But going by that, I agree that, as much as I love this director and his work, Darren Aronofsky was probably not the right director for this film. This needed someone like Martin McDonagh, who can blend humor (especially VERY dark humor) with heartfelt drama. McDonagh himself did that this year with The Banshees of Inisherin! And given his background as a playwright, he’s someone who could’ve made this adaptation work for the screen.

[@heymistercarter.]

Like to give an example of what I mean: the scene where Hong Chau takes Brendan's blood pressure, and it's 238/134. In the play, that scene is sort of meant to emphasize the seriousness of the character's condition, but it's played in a way to where it's both funny and serious at the same time. He's downplaying his condition , then the blood pressure and his surprised "...oh..." is meant to be like a punch line. And then the nurse is practically the straight-man character in the routine. Yet that same scene in the movie is played pretty much completely straight, and any sense of there being any humor to be found in it is entirely lost in the translation.

[@mrs.bulldog3579]

@@heymistercarter. Afaik the writer of the play wrote also the script for this movie. Guess Daren followed the script. 🤔

[@noneednoneed5752]

interesting movie, I will watch it, what is movie pallete :) Nice to see you again film brain, I remember the SIMBOLISM time Note: I will open the link, I just find the name funny and smart,

[@HBarnill]

Brendan Fraser's winning the Oscar for this.

[@carsonpeterson758]

No he is not Austin butler is

[@HBarnill]

@@carsonpeterson758 Butler is in no way winning.

[@dcastillo2008]

I can see why it got a lot of mixed reviews. Sadie Sinks character kept throwing me off...shes just not a quite good enough actress for me yet. I think it can be a hard movie to relate too unless you have experienced serious levels of self harm and addiction. The absolute emptiness and pain you feel slowly killing yourself on a daily basis is horrible. Or if you have ever experienced watching someone else do it. I think this movie could have been executed a bit better but overall one of the better movies I have seen this year.

[@joshuabennett1756]

me and my grandma are going go see this tomorrow!!! I'm excited.

[@MrGA555]

They weren’t trying to make him sympathetic. It’s suppose to make him grotesque, disgusting

[@lemonsuckingandroid2971]

Agree so much. The writing is so flawed. Aronofsky's direction is not good either.

[@Rafman316]

Better than Michael Flatley being a machine gun wielding action hero.

[@SwiftNimblefoot]

Huh, did not know this was Aronowsky's movie. I can't say I like his work (especially that terrible The Fountain), so I am unsure if I wanna watch this, I was more interested in Brendan Fraser.

[@MrGMovieReviews]

Did people really want an actual 600 plus pound Actor for that role lmfao

[@heymistercarter.]

Some people have commented not just on the weight thing, but also in casting a straight actor like Brendan to play a gay man in a movie like this. Like some plus-sized gay actors have spoken out asking why they weren’t cast in that role.

[@MrGMovieReviews]

@@heymistercarter. I don’t think it should matter because it’s acting. ACTING. Make believe.

[@CoffinFullOfBees]

There are 600 pound people who can act, but they didn't get an audition. We don't like when gay roles go to straight actors because we understand that queer people are marginalized and deserve the opportunity to act in roles they're innately more qualified to undertake. Fat people are also a maginalized group, which this movie seems to agree with, but no 600lb actors were auditioned. They always knew they were going to use a fat suit, they knew they wanted an actor who couldn't understand what it's like to be that big and not someone who is representative of very fat people. I'm sure the excuse is that they couldn't accommodate someone like that because of health risks, but they will accommodate thin actors who have complicated health conditions because people care about sick thin people and would recognize their exclusion as discrimination, but not the exclusion of fat people because people who arent fat hate fat people so much they've deliberately convinced some fat people to hate themselves.

[@CynnamonSpyder]

@@MrGMovieReviews Say you support white washing without saying it.

[@CynnamonSpyder]

@@CoffinFullOfBees Of course they wouldn't hire a legit bigger person. Not only would they have to spend money for accommodations, they'd have to confront their own biases or come across as hypocrites.

[@carsonpeterson758]

Not a fan of Fraser

[@Rafman316]

You keep saying how good Fraser is but if the script sucks it doesn’t matter how good the acting is

[@Rafman316]

Aranofsky is a one hit wonder, The Wrestler was his only good one