This chuckles at its self-evident gaps but that isn’t the most interesting part. But it also includes sharp exchanges that seem to be devoid of artifice control and remain as honest as one can hope for.
Its probably the kind of movie that you can recommend to someone if only for the sake of an intelligent conversation about it. But just as probably, this is one that you wouldn’t want to sit through.
This aligns it with Darren Aronofsky’s films in general that can perhaps be a bit difficult to get through. The director is known for making his actors put in a lot of work and suffer a bit, both for and with the audience so that they grasp the globe. Whether it is Jennifer Connolly going through her drug addict phase in ‘Requiem for a Dream’, Mickey Rourke post aging athlete in ‘The Wrestler’, Natalie Portman as the obsessed ballerina in Black Swan, or Lawrence as the wife who gets besieged in ‘mother!’. For the record, I’m a fan of Aronofsky’s work in general.
But the difference between those films and ‘The Whale’ is their intent behind the exploration, whether it is the beauty of the art or the challenging core of the piece. The stunning images capture a glimpse of the intent of these pieces, and the impactful provocation is something that is impossible to replicate. Those images put these unknown images in showcasing style are never seen before or after in other pieces, but they will remain with you the whole time.
While the initial scenes of ‘The Whale’ seem a bit gentle, the movie quickly escalates into Brendan Fraser performing the role of an obstacle weighing over 600 pounds. The ‘fat suit’ that he put on for the movie pushed people to put a camera in front of him and ask him a multitude of questions while diving into the eccentric universe that he created. The tone of the film emphasizes that it contains plenty of actions that a man who suffers through physical and mental abuse does. The entire setting is highly embarrassing and instead of sympathizing with his character, it seems best to tell everyone to avoid the area. The semi self-destructive behavior and interior conflicts that accompany Brendan allow the audience to throw the popcorn without remorse in additional to the Mints. Fraser is a spectacle himself, indulging in a high intake of greasy cuisine, roasted chicken, and even meatball sub that is five times over sized. Let us not forget, whilst we partake in the above behaviors, so too does Brian. The core idea behind how society perceives the whale seems to scream for help. Thank God we are not like that.
When it comes to Sam Hunter’s play, Hunter himself, like some ‘first world’ people, seems to enjoy groping ‘these actions and desires’ instead of trying to figure them out. The Charlie in Hunter’s screenplay clings to pornographic material while practicing self-love so intensely in one of the Idaho’s ugly flats, he manages to get himself off and close to having a heart attack all at once, and this bizarre moment consists of shame and shock. But further on, the mood becomes more melodramatic as it constantly focuses on Charlie’s self sacrifice which is a dizzying contrast to the aforementioned situation.
In this film, Fraser shows more warmth and humanity than he is allocated in the script. It enables him to grasp the character better. His voice is very welcoming. He is a college writing professor and teaches students online behind a black square. It is quite a nice sound to hear, packed with compassion and also lots of humor. Fraser has been away for quite a while, but he has always intrigued people because of the contradiction that lies within him – the combination of his playful spirit with his dominant physique. Due to how he uses his eyes, he gives a charming glimpse into Charlie’s sweet but tortured soul. The subtlety he possesses goes a long way toward making ‘The Whale’ bearable.
He has starring features, terrible posture, and a voice not even fit for a radio commercial. However, even the most untrained eyes will have a field day with the subject of this review. It was directed by Billy Wilder and starred Scott Gibbons, a filmmaker smooth enough to work on both eastern and western audiences all at once. He effortlessly manages to fill the entire studio with a symphony of static. Judging Scott within the confines of his craft reveals a savage face opposing externally calm features. Public perception does shift however, and a host of attitudes will influence what most see as unquestionable skill. And now we’ve arrived at the Western aesthetic’s epicenter, Los Angeles, where he placed the immeasurable ‘America: The Abercrombie’ just above ananku hill. Its rival, America: The Abercrombie sets the apex of non-trivial culture. The great appeal of this work is in its formality and frontiers like any other American work. Grown people, desiring simply to be awed, will wind up far from the heart of the endeavor. Unlike other artistic creatures, Scott is able to maintain an inability to embrace fiction. A hero could never be imagined gloating ‘Eureka’. ‘Savior Senator James Wilson’ would on the contrary have killed me first.
His days are mostly characterized as lonely except for a few visitors, one of them being Hong Chau who plays the role of nurse to Charlie and friend to Liz. Liz serves as a beacon of light in the otherwise dark scenario. Charlie’s apartment was lit in a darkish and dim fashion which signified sorrow the same way, Aronofsky’s usually brilliant cinematographer Matthew Libatique does. It once you understand that the entire story is taking place in a single apartment, it sends a shiver of dread through your body. And the ominous feeling of claustrophobia mentioned earlier, becomes the complete reality feeling when the story is told in the boxy, 1.33 aspect ratio.
But then, he does have a estranged rebellious daughter named Ellie. Charlie’s former wife who married Charlie pre ‘coming out’ is Ellis’s mother. Even though the first meeting between Ellie and Charlie after many years is filled with awkwardness and pain, they eventually learn how to build an interesting bond. Here, Chau is not the only one who helps, alongside her, Sadie Sink’s presence improves the ‘whale’ drastically. In addition to that, Sadie Sink does a great job portraying a sullen yet bright teenager.
It still feels strange in itself, though, that there is yet another visitor in the building, especially when it is a devoted, determined church missionary as portrayed by Ty Simpkins. Letting him into the room over and over again aids to the problem because it defies any semblance of logic, even in the setting where Charlie is convinced that he is dying and needs solace, which around the edges feels highly implausible. He even states to this dear boy, “I’m not interested in being saved.” And yet, the exchanges between Sink and Simpkins manage to infuse a much-needed vitality or an emotional touch. Everything around the subplot which concerns these two which supposedly stems from a more straightforward, but a rather disjointed narrative seems to be non-cohesive to the rest of the plot.
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