Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Drama exploits reality of living with binge eating disorder.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Whale
What's the Story?
THE WHALE follows Charlie (Brendan Fraser), an online college professor who suffers from a binge eating disorder. At 600 pounds, Charlie is told by his friend/nurse, Liz (Hong Chau), that he faces death if he doesn't go to the hospital. With the small window of time left available to him, Charlie decides to reconnect with his daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), who's angry at Charlie for abandoning her years ago.
Is It Any Good?
Writer Samuel D. Hunter's salacious story was inspired by his own experiences self-medicating with food during a time in his life when he felt conflicted about his sexuality and religion. But The Whale might have been stronger if it focused exclusively on Hunter's real story instead of exaggerating it by adding a 600-pound man suffering from binge eating disorder. Because we have no clear idea of whether these additional components were ever based on truth, Charlie ends up feeling broadly sketched, stereotypical, and overgeneralized.
Despite the issues in how Charlie is portrayed—not to mention how fat suits have historically been used to make heavier people the butts of jokes in films—The Whale allows Fraser to deliver as meaningful a performance as he can. His and Chau's performances are the most compelling parts of the movie (whereas Sink's portrayal of Ellie leaves much to be desired). Perhaps it was the script, or Darren Aronofsky's direction, that led Sink to portray Ellie with histrionics, but the character comes off as flat and grating. Even the young missionary Thomas (Ty Simpkins), who has fewer lines, is more complex than Ellie. But overall, The Whale is a mixed bag of performances and messages that might leave audiences feeling frustrated.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Whale portrays trauma. What are some of the ways the characters experience and try to cope with trauma?
How does the film portray fatness? Is it sensationalized? How might movies like The Whale send harmful messages about fat people in real life?
How is Charlie's food addiction portrayed? Does the film show compassion to Charlie?
Why does Charlie feel betrayed by the church? How does this feed into his self-loathing and subsequent eating disorder?
Do you consider any of the characters role models? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 9, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : February 21, 2023
- Cast : Brendan Fraser , Hong Chau , Sadie Sink
- Director : Darren Aronofsky
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 117 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, some drug use and sexual content
- Awards : Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Nominee
- Last updated : November 18, 2024
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