General

PolyPinoyPuppy:
Quite a scathing review of the movie. Things like this make me wonder if we'll ever see fat celebrated or even just accepted in our culture.

www.polygon.com/reviews/23351261/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser

Reflection Of Perfection:
I can answer that. No, and it never will be accepted.

Fat people in Hollywood are supposed to be the comic relief. Jackie Gleason, Kevin Smith and Chris Farley are supposed to fall down and fart. Dale The Whale from Monk and Aunt Marge from Harry Potter are supposed to be laughed at. Roseanne, Pam Ferris and Dawn French are supposed to get stuck in chairs and have their shirt buttons fly off and knock people out with them. I've already ranted in the past about how sitcom fat guys are married to smoking hot wives but you never see the fat lead actress married to Chris Momoa or Chris Evans.

The only movie that ever came close to acceptance was The Heat. Why? Melissa McCarthy's weight was never mentioned once, that's about as good as its gonna get. Otherwise show me a movie or TV show where Chrissy Metz is making out with Bill Skaarsgard....you can't because it ain't happening. So when it comes to Brendan Frasier in a fat suit as "Whale" I totally expected the "ew fat ppl" motif from reviewers.

I'll review it myself for my own site. At least I'll judge it for the story, not the size of Frasier's character.

PolyPinoyPuppy:
Quite a scathing review of the movie. Things like this make me wonder if we'll ever see fat celebrated or even just accepted in our culture.

www.polygon.com/reviews/23351261/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser

Munchies:
This isn't even a good review. The whole thing is "movie bad because fat people are gross and stupid". That's it. There's nothing of substance at all.

In The Whale, Aronofsky posits his sadism as an intellectual experiment, challenging viewers to find the humanity buried under Charlie’s thick layers of fat. That’s not as benevolent of a premise as he seems to think it is. It proceeds from the assumption that a 600-pound man is inherently unlovable. It’s like walking up to a stranger on the street and saying, “You’re an abomination, but I love you anyway,” in keeping with the strong strain of self-satisfied Christianity that the film purports to critique. Audience members get to walk away proud of themselves that they shed a few tears for this disgusting whale, while gaining no new insight into what it’s actually like to be that whale. That’s not empathy. That’s pity, buried under a thick, smothering layer of contempt.

For a movie that, in the most generous reading possible, encourages viewers to consider that maybe there’s a painful backstory behind bodies they consider “disgusting” (the movie’s word), The Whale seems to have little interest in the point of view of its protagonist, Charlie (Brendan Fraser.

PolyPinoyPuppy:
The reviewer came across as nothing but critical of the movie's reinforcement of the status quo perception of fat people as less than human--as whales.

PolyPinoyPuppy:
Quite a scathing review of the movie. Things like this make me wonder if we'll ever see fat celebrated or even just accepted in our culture.

www.polygon.com/reviews/23351261/the-whale-review-brendan-fraser

EDIT: To clarify, the review is critical of the movie because the movie is fatphobic.

Andromeda:
I watched the movie at the theater. Ironically, I wasn't able to see the first showing for which I had a ticket, because I was too large for the seat. I was comfortable physically when I tried again in a super modern theater.

In addition to all the commentary in the article as well as the commentary here, I found the depiction of Charlie as an individual living in a smelly, run down apartment offensive, even if it is true to the source material. Unsanitary conditions can accompany obesity, but they are not the byproduct of obesity. Often, self neglect is the result of depression or other mental health conditions. I felt that the movie suggested Charlie's environment was a product of his obesity, thus contributing to the stereotype of big people as slovenly. I am a big girl. I'm too big to comfortably drive far, and I'm even too heavy for some scooters to work properly without stalling. Clothing is difficult for me, because I am short and very round. Everything has to be ordered. That said, I also take a great deal of pride in my home. I roll around on a bariatric chair that has wheels and clean everyday, and I have a cleaning service in every couple of weeks. My home is well decorated, and I take pride in my appearance too. I WANT to be fat because I believe it is attractive. And I have never once had anyone gasp at me and complete revulsion and run away as though they had seen a hideous beast.

All that said, I am glad Brendan Fraser is seeing a career revival, and I harbor no ill will toward him for taking the role.