The Whale (2022)

[Flack]

The Whale tells the story of Charlie, a morbidly obese man whose small world is limited to his upstairs apartment. Other than daily visits from his caregiver, Liz, Charlie's only human interaction comes from the students of his English comp class, which he teaches remotely using Zoom/ Fearing what his students might think of his appearance, Charlie's webcam is perpetually "broken."

One morning, Charlie receives an unsolicited visit from Thomas, a young member of the New Life church who is spreading the gospel one door knock at a time. Through Thomas and Liz, Charlie's history is revealed. Once a married man with a young daughter, Charlie began having an affair with one of his male students, a man he eventually left his family for. As a result of his actions, Charlie was legally prevented from contacting his then 8YO daughter. Worse (?) is the fact that Charlie's partner ultimately took his own life, leaving Charlie where we find him today -- alone save for Liz, his online students, and a never-ending supply of food that is slowly killing him.

We do eventually meet Charlie's now 17YO daughter, Ellie, who is full of piss and vinegar about the way her dad abandoned their family. With so few characters in the film (five, not including the pizza delivery guy), the maximum amount of conflict out of every relationship. Liz, Charlie's caregiver, detests Thomas (she has a reason to dislike his church), has a relationship with Charlie's former lover, and has several interactions with Ellie. There's a subplot between Ellie and Thomas, and conflict between Thomas and Liz, but in the end everything comes back to Charlie's heart which is broken, both physically and figuratively.

The Whale is a good movie, but not a "feel good" movie. It's about depression, and regret, and self-loathing, and broken relationships, and broken people.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Whoa, he doesn't get interactions from delivery app drivers? Not taking any shots: I have probably had stretches of life where those were the only people I interacted with.

Does Liz bring the meals?

[Flack]

Every time the pizza delivery driver drops off a pizza Charlie says, "cash is in the mailbox," which makes absolutely no sense. This film takes place in 2016. When's the last time you paid cash for food being delivered to your house? Why would a guy with congestive heart failure who can't walk without assistance make a point of walking outside to leave cash there when he could just pay with a credit card?

[Jizaboz]

Every time the pizza delivery driver drops off a pizza Charlie says, "cash is in the mailbox," which makes absolutely no sense. This film takes place in 2016. When's the last time you paid cash for food being delivered to your house? Why would a guy with congestive heart failure who can't walk without assistance make a point of walking outside to leave cash there when he could just pay with a credit card?

arghhgmmm yeah stuff like that drives me crazy. When you are writing a script set in a futuristic setting this can be hit and miss.. but people know how these things work in modern times.

Not sure if I'll watch this one unless it comes on TV. I'm usually not one that enjoys movies that are "great, but hard to watch" though sometimes I find I enjoy a movie that others found "hard to watch" that I was howling in laughter at.

[Flack]

Requiem for a Dream, another film that frequently appears on "difficult to watch" films, was made by the same director (Darren Aronofsky).

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I am going to SUSPEND MY DISBELIEF then, and enjoy the movie on its own merits.

But seriously, pay with a card.

[AArdvark]

How did he get cash for pizza without leaving the house?

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Yeah!!?

[Flack]

How did he get cash for pizza without leaving the house?

This is the second biggest hole in the movie, with the biggest one being Charlie's mouf.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Oh Charlie!