Brendan Fraser, in a triumphant return to the screen, plays an obese and reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter. Directed by Darren Aronofsky with a script by Samuel D. Hunter from his Drama Desk Award-winning play, The Whale is an honest, moving character study with more than a little optimism at its core. When it debuted at the Venice Film Festival, the film and its star received a six-minute standing ovation that brought Fraser to tears. Subsequent audiences, including those at FilmColumbia 2022, where it also screened, have been similarly touched by the actor’s heartbreaking performance. Fraser, who is likely to receive an Oscar nomination, recently won a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor.
“Brendan Fraser is on the march to Oscar. That’s how astonishing he is… [and why] this is essential viewing.” — Peter Travers, ABC News
“Brendan Fraser’s relentless display of craft and courage is a must see.” — Rex Reed, The Observer
Darren Aronofsky
Samuel D. Hunter
Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins
United States