The Whale (2022)

Rooney finds the drama intensely affecting, grounded by its compassion and emotional honesty. He singles out Brendan Fraser’s deeply humane, heart-wrenching performance as its triumph.

The review describes the film as an eloquent, powerful story of redemption. It singles out Brendan Fraser’s barnstorming performance for praise.

The critic finds the film stagy and mawkish but ultimately effective, despite its heavy-handed emotional manipulation. Brendan Fraser’s sad-eyed performance and the film’s big-heartedness are singled out for appeal.

The review is strongly positive, calling the drama heartfelt. It singles out Brendan Fraser’s performance as the film’s defining strength.

Crowther finds the film emotionally powerful and unusually compassionate, despite some concerns about its simplifications and manipulative score. She singles out Brendan Fraser’s moving performance as the film’s great strength.

Ebiri finds the film tonally muddled at first but ultimately moving and honest. He especially praises Brendan Fraser’s compassionate, seemingly perfect fit for the lead role.

Latif finds the film uneven and overly cruel, but says Brendan Fraser’s performance makes it worthwhile. She particularly praises Fraser’s gentle charm and the supporting performances of Samantha Morton and Hong Chau.

The review finds the film ultimately redeemed by Brendan Fraser’s performance despite its theatricality and a disappointing ending. It especially praises Hong Chau for making Liz feel vividly real and emotionally complex.

Butcher finds the film moving as a stripped-back character study, despite its shortcomings in how it depicts fatness and its stage-bound feel. She singles out Brendan Fraser’s complex, humane performance as the film’s true triumph.

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Strong finds the film flawed but ultimately tender in its reflection on shame, guilt and care. She praises Brendan Fraser’s warm, emotionally generous performance, while faulting the film for not exploring Charlie’s eating disorder more deeply and for risking stigma toward fat people.

Gleiberman finds the film moving but ultimately weakened by contrivances and theatrical dialogue. He praises Brendan Fraser’s sly, haunting performance as Charlie, while noting that the story around him is less convincing.

Chang finds Fraser’s performance often touching but the film unevenly directed and caught between honesty and melodrama. He praises Hong Chau’s nuanced performance, while criticizing the film’s heavy-handed treatment of Charlie’s body and daughter.

Newland finds the film heartbreaking but ethically uncomfortable, questioning its portrayal of obesity as destructive and grotesque. She praises Brendan Fraser’s performance and the film’s serious ambitions, while noting its lingering discomfort.

O'Sullivan finds the melodrama clichéd and its characters paper thin, despite Brendan Fraser's effort. She singles out the weak dialogue and overblown performances as major flaws.

Hanson finds the film cold, calculated, and emotionally hollow. He criticizes its fatphobic gaze and schematic dialogue for undermining Fraser’s performance.

The verdict is critical of Aronofsky’s adaptation, despite its emotional warmth. Fraser’s big-hearted performance is singled out for praise.

Elfadl finds the film emotionally inconsistent and difficult to connect with, despite its heartfelt intentions. Brendan Fraser’s warmth and Hong Chau’s clear-eyed performance stand out, though the review singles out Chau as especially compelling.

Lane finds the film overearnest and melodramatic, but ultimately stirringly watchable. He credits Brendan Fraser’s sweetness and softly quizzical performance for holding it together.

Bradshaw finds the film a contrived, underpowered disappointment. He praises Brendan Fraser’s gentleness and Hong Chau’s fierce performance, while criticizing the clumsy plot and sentimental tone.

The critic finds the film emotionally powerful and unusually hopeful despite its grim, melodramatic moments. Fraser’s sincere, career-best performance is the standout, with Hong Chau’s supporting work also praised.

The review finds the film deeply compassionate and moving, while noting its theatrical dialogue and overdone score. It especially praises Brendan Fraser’s performance for bringing credibility to Charlie’s quieter moments.

Wise finds the film frank and moving, and sees Fraser’s performance as a major awards-season strength. He especially praises Fraser’s soulful portrayal, while noting that the scenes focused on Ellie are among the film’s weakest.

The review finds the film derivative and emotionally underpowered, though Brendan Fraser delivers a good performance. It praises his earnestness and gentleness beneath the prosthetics, while criticizing the bland visuals and monotonous supporting performances.

Keogan argues the film turns its attempt at empathy into callous, exploitative voyeurism. She singles out Hong Chau’s performance as Liz for bringing grace and gravity to the film.

Formo finds the film inorganic, manipulative, and emotionally unearned. He praises the scene between Fraser and Samantha Morton as the film’s least predictable and strongest moment.

Wilkinson finds the film’s execution unsubtle and its drama lumbering, ultimately overwhelmed by sentiment. She praises Brendan Fraser’s fragile central performance and the expertly realised prosthetics.

The critic finds the film weighed down by fatalism and heavy-handed style, despite Brendan Fraser’s compelling performance. Hong Chau’s vivid, sharply drawn portrayal is singled out as the most human element.

The critic finds the film clumsy and lacking in nuance, despite its ambitious themes. Brendan Fraser’s empathetic performance and Hong Chau’s presence are singled out as strengths.

Kurchak finds the film deeply flawed despite Fraser’s compelling, humane performance. She praises Hong Chau’s work but singles out the fat suit and the film’s handling of its protagonist’s weight as central problems.

The critic argues that the film’s treatment of fatness and suffering is cruel, patronizing, and ultimately self-serving. She praises Brendan Fraser’s thoughtful performance, but says the film fails to give Charlie a convincing inner life.