---
title: "The Whale: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-whale/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-whale"
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 32
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Whale (2022): what the critics said

Critics' score 57 from 32 reviews: 11 positive, 9 mixed, 12 negative.

The critics split almost down the middle on The Whale, and the divide is sharp: the reviews run from raves to outright hostility, with the mixed verdicts barely outnumbered by either camp. What nearly everyone agrees on is Brendan Fraser. His performance as Charlie is called gentle, humane and heartbreaking by reviewers who otherwise cannot stand the film, and it is the reason several lukewarm notices still say it is worth seeing. Hong Chau, as Liz, is the other name that keeps recurring, credited with making the film feel human when the writing does not.

The reservations cluster around Darren Aronofsky’s handling of the material. Many find the film stage-bound, its dialogue theatrical and its score pushy. The deeper quarrel is over Charlie’s body: some critics read the film as compassionate, while Polygon and Slant argue that it treats fatness as a grotesque spectacle and calls it empathy. The warmest notices come from the trade papers at the festival; The Guardian is among the harshest.

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-whale-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-1235212102/)

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2023. 

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

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-whale-revew/)

## The Independent — Geoffrey Macnab

Rating 4/5. 3 February 2023. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-b2271424.html)

## Time Out — Dan Jolin

Rating 4/5. 11 October 2022. 

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

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-whale-2022)

## Total Film — Jane Crowther

Rating 4/5. 4 September 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-whale-review/)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2022/09/the-whale-is-a-perfect-comeback-role-for-brendan-fraser.html)

## IndieWire — Leila Latif

Rating B-. 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-1234758357/)

## Sight and Sound — BFI

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 October 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/whale-miraculous-brendan-fraser-narrowly-saves-this-dolorous-dirge)

## Empire — Sophie Butcher

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2023. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-whale/)

## RogerEbert.com

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page could not be accessed, so the critic's verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is available in the supplied page text.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-whale-movie-review-2022)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic’s verdict is unavailable because the page could not be accessed. The review’s specific praise or criticism is also unavailable.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/07/movies/the-whale-review.html)

## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/festivals/the-whale-venice-film-festival-review)

## Variety — Owen Gleiberman

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-1235359338/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 8 December 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-12-08/whale-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky)

## The i Paper — Christina Newland

Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2023. 

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.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-whale-review-questionable-2125573)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 2/5. 1 February 2023. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-whale-movie-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-fat-suit-samantha-morton-b1031657.html)

## Slant Magazine — Mark Hanson

Rating 1.5/4. 14 September 2022. 

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

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-whale-review-darren-aronofsky-brendan-fraser/)

## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-whale-venice-review/5174072.article)

## The AV Club — Murtada Elfadl

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 7 December 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/film-review-the-whale-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky-1849855211)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 2 December 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/12/brendan-frasers-soft-quizzicality-in-the-whale)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/04/the-whale-review-darren-aronofskys-latest-is-a-hectoring-invitation-to-blubber)

## HeyUGuys

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-whale-review/)

## The Playlist — Jack King

Rating A-. 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-sadie-sink-venice-film-festival-20220904/)

## Deadline — Damon Wise

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2022/09/the-whale-review-darren-aronofsky-brendan-fraser-venice-film-festival-1235107815/)

## /Film — Marshall Shaffer

Rating 6/10. 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/993405/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-shines-in-a-derivative-darren-aronofsky-film-venice/)

## Paste — Natalia Keogan

Rating 4.0. 10 December 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/darren-aronofsky/the-whale-review)

## Collider — Brian Formo

Rating D+. 5 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-sadie-sink-darren-aronofsky/)

## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2023. 

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.

[Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-whale-2022-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-whale-film-review-darren-aronofsky-brendan-fraser-sadie-sink-hong-chau/)

## NME

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-3326777)

## Consequence — Sarah Kurchak

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2022. Festival review. 

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.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2022/09/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser/)

## Polygon — Katie Rife

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2022. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23351261/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-whale.md