Say whatever you want about Darren Aronofsky, and people definitely have, the polarizing filmmaker knows how to get the best from his actors, especially those we may have forgotten about or underestimated. Mickey Rourke gave the performance of his career with The Wrestler, and now the same praise is being heaped upon Brendan Fraser for his role in The Whale.
The Fraser renaissance is in full swing and he’s being viewed as an Oscar frontrunner for Best Actor. In The Whale, he plays a 600lb. English teacher and gay man who is struggling to reconnect with his estranged daughter before health problems catch up to him.
Fraser is getting all of the rave reviews but he gets a lot of help from a great supporting cast that includes Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, and Ty Simpkins. The film is based on the play by Samuel D. Hunter, and adapted by him, as well.
We were a bit lukewarm on it when we saw it at Middleburg, but there’s no denying Fraser gives all of himself and he deserves the accolades that will be heaped upon him.
The Whale opens in theaters on December 9th.
