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Cinema Village

The Whale

(R) A24 - 117 min
  • DIRECTOR: Darren Aronofsky
  • STARRING: Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins

SHOWTIMES 03/28/2024 (change date):

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Synopsis:

A reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.

Information:

Reviews

Overall Rating Based on 1 Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
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Current Reviews
JOHN FRANCIS FOX
5 out of 5 stars

DEVASTATING PORTRAYAL OF WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR PEOPLE WITH WEIGHT ISSUES

March 29, 2023
THIS IS ONE FILM THAT EVERYONE SHOULD SEE (I SAW IT AT THE ANGELIKA, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO SEE IT AGAIN AT THE CINEMA VILLAGE) BECAUSE IGIVES SUCH A HEART-RENDING PORTRAYAL OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT PEOPLE W WEIGHT ISSUES FACE EVERY DAY. I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY WHEN SO-CALLED "COMEDIANS" LIKE ARSENIO HALL & THE LATE, UNLAMENTED JOAN RIVERS RIDICULED OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE BECAUSE RIDICULING THE OVERWEIGHT IS AS BAD AS MAKING RACIST, SEXIST, ANTI-SEMITIC, HOMOPHOBIC, & TRANSPHOBIC JOKES. I HAD SEEN THE PLAY TWICE (THE 1ST TIME WAS THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION WITH SHULER HENSLEY AT PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZON & THE 2ND TIME WAS AT NYU'S STELLA ADLER STUDIO WITH A BRILLIANT ACTOR-WRITER NAMED MIKE GRENHAM ), AND ALTHOUGH I LOVED BOTH PRODUCTIONS, I LOVED THE WAY THAT DIRECTOR DARREN ARONOFSKY WAS ABLE TO KEEP SO WELL-FOCUSED ON THE NARROW SPACE IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER LIVED BECAUSE YOU REALLY GOT THE SENSE OF HOW CONFINING & SUFFOCATING THAT EXISTENCE WAS FOR THE LEAD CHARACTER. AND, WHEN MR ARONOFSKY OPENED UP THE SPACE BRIEFLY TO SHOW THE PIZZA DELIVERY MAN (PLAYED BY ANOTHR NYU GRAD, SATYA SRIDIHAN, YOU REALLY GOT A SENSE OF THE HUMILIATION & DISCRIMINATION THAT OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE FACE. I THOUGHT THAT Mr. ARONOFKY'S "REQUIEM FOR A DREAM" & SOFIA COPPOLA'S "THE VIRGIN SUICIDES" WERE THE TWO BEST FILMS OF THE 2000'S, & THIS FILM WAS ABOUT AS IMPRESSIVE AS THOSE TWO. ALOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE SENSITIVE & COMPASSIONATE PERFORMANCE GIVEN BY MR. FRASER. WHEN HE DELIVER THE LINES ABOUT HOW HE WAS DECLINING TO SPEND MONEY ON HIS MEDICAL CARE IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FOR HIS DAUGHTER, YOU'RE LEFT WITH A POWERFUL IMPRESSION OF HOW DESPERATE HE IS TO MAKE UP FOR HIS PAST MISTAKES.