The Whale (Darren Aronofsky, December 9, 2022) Movie • Page 6

The scene where he binges after getting caught by the delivery driver is out of control. How did no one on the set say no?

 

Was there even a point in setting the film in 2016? If anything, it made the Zoom class feel really anachronistic. I was taking online classes as far back as 2010 but video chat came with the pandemic.

 

Fraser lived up to the hype. His portrayal of optimism and empathy in the face of mortality and regret was really powerful. It’s overall worth it for him.

Unfortunately, the movie around him doesn’t share those qualities. There are weird horror vibes sprinkled throughout that don’t mesh with the overall themes. It could have used more of the tender moments like when Hong Chau is watching tv with him on the couch or the ex-wife and him embrace while reminiscing about the beach trip.

The sound design to make Fraser sound like a T-Rex every time he takes a step was in poor taste. The gorging scene also felt more like more tonally in line with Dewey Cox breaking sinks than a depressed man acting out against his own body.

 

Sink’s character was very poorly written. It was a huge stretch to believe anyone could think she sent the photos and audio to the missionary kid’s parents as a good deed. I’m also pretty sure that missionary kid’s parents were tricking him into coming home. That storyline didn’t work at all.

 

More I sit on this, I realize Aronofsky basically treats him like he’s Fat Bastard

 

The only thing that pointed to this being 2016 was the election coverage playing on the TV in one scene. If it wasn't for your post I wouldn't have even thought about that scene or realized it wasn't present day.

 

And it had absolutely no commentary on the 2016 election, Trump, or anything that would make sense to set it 6 years prior. The play is from 2012 so it doesn't even have that reason.

 

Damn, yeah, this was buns. Fraser was good but I have no idea what Aronofsky was talking about when he said he was "proud of how empathetic" this was. I know there's a subtext about the relationship between honesty and cruelty, but this was like... needlessly cruel. And so on the nose. Just a really unpleasant experience. I should have seen M3GAN

 

Having him eat himself to death because his partner starved himself to death is so idiotic that I can't imagine any adult writing it. That isn't how any of this works.

 

The only thing this movie did for me was validate my fear of dying while jacking off surrounded by Diet Pepsi bottles

 

I am now having second thoughts about going to see this today!

 

Haven’t seen this, but does anyone know anything about the play it’s based on? Obviously Aronofsky is responsible for his own creative vision, I’m just curious if he is screwing up good source material, or if the play also sucks.

 

I’ve bought and refunded tickets for this 3 times. I’ll probably just wait til it’s streaming at this rate.

 

I think experiencing something in an off broadway theater with a couple hundred seats is just different from seeing it in a movie which would explain why the reviews of the play seem to be kinder

 

Just read that originally this was going to star James Corden with Tom Ford directing. It could have been worse!

 

Would’ve been good for Corden’s Razziesaince

 

I don't know if that would be worse. Sympathy for Brendan Fraser is carrying this a lot further than it should go.

 

Anything with Corden would be worse

 

Also Tom Ford is a worse filmmaker than Aronofsky. And I don’t even like Aronofsky

 

I've never seen a Ton Ford film, but Corden would have made this unwatchable (Fraser keeps it from being that here)

 

Corden would have made this fucking unforgettable hahaha. Could you imagine?? I am so sad we didn’t get that disaster

 

For people that like Aronofsky stuff. Still bad?

 

aronofsky is hit or miss with me, but this stunk save for fraser and chau. it’s at least a marked improvement over noah

 

yes

 

I'm just making sure. I've genuinely enjoyed most of Aronofskys stuff. I'm don't think I outright hated any of them so it's disappointing to hear this bomb for so many here. Reviews seems fairly decent?

Like I know tetra hates Aronofsky so his review is kinda irrelevant to me