In the end, The Whale is a film that leaves a lasting impression – not just because of its powerful performances and beautiful cinematography, but because of its exploration of the human condition. It's a reminder that life is messy, love is messy, and sometimes, even the smallest things can leave the greatest impact.
He considered it the most honest piece of work he had ever read. Charlie implored his students to write something honest. The Whale may have had a metaphoric meaning, referring to Charlie's size, but this movie was not about his size; it was about honesty and being redeemed for mistakes.
The Whale tackles themes of redemption, being oneself, and dealing with grief. Brendan Fraser showcased that and ultimately won an Oscar for his performance as Charlie. The Whale ending brought the powerful and intense drama to a conclusion that requires some more analysis.
The Whale follows a reclusive online English instructor named Charlie (Brendan Fraser), who is extremely overweight and suffering from congestive heart failure after letting things “get out of control,” as he says, in the aftermath of his partner's death.
The Whale is a film that feels uncomfortable. The subject matter is uncomfortable; not only is it about a man struggling with obesity, but it is also about someone dying from congestive heart disease, someone who is estranged from their family, and the entire film takes place in one space.
The Tragic Beauty In The Final Scene Of THE WHALE | Breakdown & Ending Explained
What is the trigger warning in The Whale?
TRIGGER WARNING: The script for this film contains extensive fatphobia. Backstories involve homophobic abuse, particularly from religious organizations. The film's cynical take on religion may be upsetting to a churchgoing audience.
Charlie eats to sadly harm himself. He is the manifestation of trauma. That what he puts into his body for all that harm that he has endured all his life, he's been derided. It's manifest on who he is as a human being, that's a lot of pain for this man.
The Whale is not based on a true story. It is a work of fiction, even if the play was inspired by Hunter's life. Brendan Fraser's character, Charlie, is not a real person, nor are any of the characters in the film based on real people.
Having grown angry at the world due to him abandoning her and her mother for his late boyfriend Alan, she acts hostile and abusive to anyone she comes close to and wants absolutely nothing to do with Charlie, who makes efforts to try and reconnect with her.
"The way the play ends is, Ellie has the last line of the essay: 'It made me feel glad for my ...' And she's cut off by the stage direction — 'a sharp intake of breath'.
Liz – She is a nurse. Hodgins called her Charlie's "enabler" because she feeds him junk food despite his enormous weight and her own pleading with him to get better medical care. Ellie – Charlie and Mary's daughter.
But Fraser has his reasons; issues with his own health and his mothers who has since passed away, personal issues, and being the target of sexual harassment have been cited as reasons he left and stayed away. A journey from which, according to his last performance, he seems to have recovered successfully.
Despite Charlie and Liz distancing themselves from religion, the trauma keeps returning in the form of Thomas. It becomes most apparent in a scene where he's reading Charlie a highlighted verse from Alan's Bible: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
In the background of The Whale is a zealous missionary church of the kind that Hunter described as representing a "uniquely American" form of Christianity, one inextricably intertwined with westward expansion.
Emphasizing whole, nutrient-rich foods over processed options, Fraser's approach underscores the adage "you are what you eat." His diet focused on lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, facilitating not just weight loss but improved overall health.
Unquestionably, “The Whale” portrays many of Charlie's circumstances as overwhelmingly sad and unfortunate. It depicts the devastating impacts of the complex interplay between Charlie's relationship with his weight and depression on his self-worth and capacity to be involved in his daughter's life.
Charlie is dying at the very end and refuses to go to the hospital. As he bonds with Ellie, he attempts to stand. Between the effort of moving and his overall mental state, Charlie dies and ascends into an idealized version of heaven.
Why is The Whale being accused of fatphobia? Some of the film's critics believe it perpetuates tired tropes of fat people as suffering, chronically depressed and binge eating.
After Alan's death, Charlie's grief turned into depression and led him to develop a binge eating disorder. His unhealthy diet is a way for him to deal with negative emotions.
A man is shown masturbating (his hand is down his pants) and watching a pornographic video (one person kisses and thrusts behind another). The main character is also seen shirtless in the shower, and there's some strong sex-related dialogue.
The Whale is a wonderful surprise masterpiece! Brendan Fraser has proved he still has it. It's a beautiful performance that's long overdue for him. A film that will make you cry and love Brendan.
What to Know. Held together by a killer Brendan Fraser, The Whale sings a song of empathy that will leave most viewers blubbering. With a heartbreaking story brought powerfully to life by Brendan Fraser's starring performance, The Whale's as hard to watch as it is to look away from.
