For #BrendanFraser, #TheWhale is a confident leap forward into the movie-star status that he rightfully deserves.⁠ ⁠ He gives a towering performance, in every sense of the word, as Charlie, a 600-pound man who teaches writing courses online and never leaves his apartment. Charlie has never recovered since the death of Alan, the “love of his life,” a few years prior and has spent the time since on his sofa, slowly eating himself to death.⁠ ⁠ #SadieSink, who plays Charlie's estranged daughter, unwisely keeps her performance at a 10 in every moment, which is cumulatively grating. #DarrenAronofsky’s direction is cautious but brings a cinematic flair, which plays into Charlie’s claustrophobic existence rather than just feeling burdened by the story’s origin on the stage (where it is confined to a single set).⁠ ⁠ Read our full review at the link in our bio.