The Whale and Brendan Fraser

 I'm not going to call this Brendan Fraser's comeback because he's been making movies after a brief hiatus (it's well documented that BF has had issues with the industry) but I am calling this his moment as this is a Fraser I don't think we've ever seen.

Darren Aronofsky's The Whale is a adaptation of a play in which Charlie (Fraser) is a morbidly obese recluse that's only contact with the outside world is through his zoom teaching lectures (where he refuses to show his face) and his deceased boyfriends sister Liz who in turn acts as his carer. After finding out he has heart disease, which will lead to his death he gets in contact with his estranged daughter who wants nothing to do with him but begrudgingly visits and is disgusted by her dad's physical appearance. A missionary called Thomas is introduced mainly as a catalyst to challenge Charlie's homosexuality but this is merely a sub plot in what is really a Father, daughter movie. Charlies relationship with Ellie never really does get truly fixed before the inevitable happens and Charlie passes away from heart failure after a junk food binge but he leaves this world being completely honest with everyone around him which is what he wanted. 

The movie is so-so. DA shoots in a 4:3 ratio which crams Charlie into every frame meaning the audience can't ignore his size and the colouring is very pastel and pasty because he doesn't leave his house for the whole films he doesn't get sunlight or experience any vibrant colours. The choice to never leave Charlies house is bold, it's suffocating and stuffy which is exactly who Charlies room/prison would feel like. If a camera could sweat, this would.

Fraser carries this movie, and that's a lot of weight to carry. This role is career defining for a actor that was already great but one that which has truly unlocked something that he's not really shown us much before. Absolute raw emotion, pity, worthlessness and humility. 

C grade movie A* for Fraser...