But in an interview with editor Andrew Weisblum for the films press notes, it seems clear that the filmmakers intended this scene to indicate the end of Charlies life, and that it mirror the first scene that Charlie has with Ellie. (Zoey Kang / A24) She is angry at him for leaving her and cheating on her mother and for never staying in touch. The Whale is not based on a true story. She goads him into taking to his feet, knowing well that he likely can't and that it would make him very uncomfortable to do that without even having the assistance of his walker but she takes it from him anyway and makes him prove himself, and he can't.". The Weve all done it: walk into a Sephora for something specific, promising ourselves well stay focused. Throughout The Whale, Charlie is visited by his estranged and troubled daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), and his frustrated ex-wife, Mary (Samantha Morton), both of whom Charlie abandoned when he ended his marriage and came out as gay; Liz (Hong Chau), a conflicted caregiver who is also the sibling of Charlies late lover; and Thomas (Ty Simpkins), a fundamentalist missionary who is far from home. 1,025, This story has been shared 981 times. Charlie doesnt think much of it but then he sees Ellies post about him being fat that Mary had left open on his laptop. Ellie secretly records his confession. Liz's concern is two-fold, for she is the sister of Charlie's partner Alan, who died by suicide. But the endings overall effect echoes the final moment of its source material, which actors and directors whove staged the popular play consider to be a release that, when performed, feels communal and generally satisfying for the audience in the room. The following contains spoilers from the movie The Whale, now playing in theaters. Meanwhile, Dan the delivery guy who was always nice to Charlie, waits to see Charlies appearance at the next delivery by tricking him and is disgusted. As he attempts to nudge daughter Ellie toward a place of authentic self-expression, he too reveals himself to his students. As Ellie reads about the whale in Moby Dick, Charlie stands to his full height, entirely on his own. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. The Mummy actor has certainly been missed on screens over the years and this leading role has been championed as his greatest to date, soon to be followed by a part in Martin Scorseses Killers Of The Flower Moon. Their unified assault on the King of Spades has . The Whale ending explained As the narrative develops we discover that Charlie is gay and began to spiral into obesity after his former lover and student Alan died. MLB By Gabriella Geisinger 27 Feb 2023 The Whale has received heaps of critical acclaim, but is not. Travel Though Hunter didnt write the beach scene that follows Charlies onscreen ascension, he called it marvelous and shared an interpretation of what it might mean: If its a flashback to the last time Charlie went swimming in the ocean, close to when the family fell apart, what I see in that shot is a man staring down the abyss of self-actualization, contemplating the decision he has to make about the different avenues he can take. The Whale is based on a play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, and Aronofsky's adaptation does a good job of reflecting the intimacy of a stage performance. figure, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II - Xbox cross-gen bundle (EU & UK), Anker PowerCore Essential 20,000 PD Power Bank, WWE WrestleMania 39 Match card and predictions, WWE Champions: Complete list of every title holder, Complete WWE and NXT pay-per-view schedule. These deeply flawed characters actually care about each other so much, but there are so many obstacles for them to express that love or connect with one another in real ways, however desperately or destructively, said Joanie Schultz, who directed a 2013 production at Chicagos Victory Gardens Theater. As written in Hunters script, the stage directions of that breath simply read, A sharp intake of breath. The Whale may end in a seemingly confusing way, but it's not It's not that obtuse, really. While Ellie doesnt verbalise her motives behind it, she ends up intentionally or unintentionally helping Thomas. On the last day of his life, Liz returns to Charlie to take care of him. Unfortunately, well never know. Required fields are marked *. It cuts to the flashback at the beach with Ellie which was peaceful memory for Charlie hinting that it is the last memory he saw before he died. The Whale trailer cr. When it comes to the most anticipated movies of 2022, theres simply no way audiences can ignore The Whale. Both the play and the movie The Whale center on Charlie (Brendan Fraser), a reclusive, morbidly obese instructor of online writing classes who has been eating himself to death since the passing of his lover, a casualty of religious homophobia. During one of her visits, Ellie drugs Charlie and while he's asleep Thomas arrives, and the two bond over a joint. The Whale ending explained: On the last day of his life, Liz returns to Charlie to take care of him. His goal is self-destructive, but you want the audience to understand what has driven him to do this, and that his redemption is in the relationship he tries to forge with his daughter. Charlie and Ellie smile at each other. The character is an amalgamation of Hunters past lives: as a closeted gay kid attending a fundamentalist Christian school in rural Idaho, a depressed adult who silently self-medicated with food, and an expository writing instructor for college freshmen (the pieces heartbreakingly honest line I think I need to accept that my life isnt going to be very exciting is an actual submission from one of Hunters students). Brendan Fraser stars in the film adaptation of "The Whale.". ScienceDaily He asks her to make sure Ellie grows up to be a good person but she leaves without promising it. Brendan Fraser gives a highly-praised performance as Charlie, a 600-pound man who. The Whale writer Samuel D Hunter has opened up about how he had no idea that the film's ending had changed from the play. You want that last second to be a combination of incredible pain and incredible triumph because, however briefly it is that they connect, its still an achievement for him., Ellie says terrible, devastating things to Charlie throughout the whole thing, but he loves her so much that it doesnt even hurt him, said Matthew Arkin, who played Charlie at South Coast Repertory. Despite how cruel Ellie is to Charlie, he insists she is an amazing person. In the end, Charlie goes downhill when the delivery man, Dan, who always asks Charlie how he's doing when he leaves his food at the door, sees his obese self. Instead of being welcoming, his students are repulsed, leading him to throw his laptop against the fridge. As written in Hunters script, the stage directions of that breath simply read, A sharp intake of breath. Hunter, who also adapted the screenplay for film, based the story on his own experience with obesity in college. I know many people who are big, happy, and healthy, but I wasnt, Hunter said in an interview for the films press notes. 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The last visual shows the sun shining, the tide rising and falling, and a younger, slimmer version of the lead character, Charlie, staring out into the ocean as his daughter plays in the sand behind him. 2023 TheReviewGeek. Lyla Gill December 10, 2022. He reads some of his students responses to his prompt to be honest. Liz seems to realize that she is saying goodbye to Charlie, and tells him shell wait downstairs. AMERICA He proceeds not with a moral point but through observation of the way his characters either defend their bunkered existences or attempt to reach beyond them or more commonly, some combination of the two.. The film takes place entirely. He reveals that he was a missionary but in Waterloo. Why an Aviation Management Degree is Important? But the endings overall effect echoes the final moment of its source material, which actors and directors whove staged the popular play consider to be a release that, when performed, feels communal and generally satisfying for the audience in the room. She's cross, she's angry for the sadness she feels, and that's how this 17-year-old brilliant kid comports herself. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. Darren was recently interviewed by the AV Club and was asked what conversations he wishes to start with The Whale: I guess its all about connecting with people you wouldnt normally connect with. Ellie demands to know why Charlie failed her assignment and accuses him of purposefully screwing her over. In the film, Fraser plays an English teacher named Charlie who suffers from severe obesity and is told that if his unhealthy ways are left unchecked it could ultimately kill him. society Alan used to hang around in his office but they started going out when they left night school. But before that can happen, Charlie is determined to reconnect with his estranged daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink). "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" As Ellie completes the reading, Charlie starts to ascend to the heavens as he looks up towards a white light in the sky. As she does, he starts to get up on his own and walks towards her. Living Paintings, Refik Anadols first major solo exhibition The Whale ending explained by the plays writer, actors, Uniswap Labs COO will judge pitches at the CCC Web3 Demo Day TechCrunch, How to create, release and share generative AI responsibly, Tesla is the latest American manufacturer to invest in Mexico, A Circus Tent-Inspired Vacation Home for a Car Lover in Japan, Tune Into The Dior Womens Autumn/Winter 2023-2024 Show Live Now, The 21 Best Affordable Sephora Products Under $25, Juxtapoz Magazine Refik Anadol: Living Paintings, The Tissot PRX Is Going Viral for All the Right Reasons, 27 Mindfulness Activities For High School Students. For example, the 2014 Bay Area run raised the Marin Theatre Company stage by four feet and angled Charlies ceiling so that, from the audiences perspective, the character appeared to dominate the space in a way that intimidated the people who visited him, said director Jasson Minadakis. As he starts opening up to her, she secretly takes an audio recording of him. EEAAO star gives tearful speech after historic win, The best Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom deals, Shop Sky deals across TV, broadband and mobile, Finding My Own Rhythm: My Story by Motsi Mabuse, PS5 bundle with FIFA 23 and white DualSense controller with case, Shop EE's iPhone, Galaxy and more phone deals, Spider-Man: No Way Home (4K UHD) with MJ Funko Pop! The way its structured, this play is designed to slowly and repeatedly turn up the pressure until it almost cant be tolerated, said Davis McCallum, who directed an 2012 off-Broadway staging at Playwrights Horizons. Directed by Darren Aronofsky from a screenplay by Samuel D. Hunter, The Whale ends on a somber yet hopeful note. 1,588, This story has been shared 1,059 times. 'Mandalorian' Season 3 Release Time, 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' Star Drew Sidora Is Finally Getting Divorced From Ralph Pittman, 'RHOBH' Star Garcelle Beauvais Pledges That She and Erika Jayne Are "Trying to Be Open" in Season 13 After Nasty Feud, 'Sanditon' Season 3 Trailer Delivers All The Heybourne Feels, Meghan McCain Calls Out Former 'View' Coworker Joy Behar for Her "Evil" East Palestine Comments, Where Is Hoda Kotb? The final moments of this play and this movie abandon realism a little bit, and its no longer about this guy in this apartment, he explained. The finale kicks off with a bittersweet triumph for Arisu and the gang. When Ellie first starts visiting, she randomly takes photos of Charlie and Thomas in unflattering scenarios. The Whale ending explained: On the last day of his life, Liz returns to Charlie to take care of him. Fraser explains his interpretation of what the last exchange between Charlie and Ellie (Sadie Sink) means for both characters: "He's liberated.". TEC08 Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, While Charlie is dying, he has an epiphany and claims that Ellie was not trying to hurt Thomas but help him as people are inherently good. He needed to know he did one good thing with his life, he said. With that, the movie ends. Season 5 Return Date Info, Love 'Yellowstone'? Charlie maintains that Ellie, like most people, has an innate capacity for empathy, and regularly heralds one of her blunt, years-old school essays criticizing the classic novel Moby Dick. Brendan Fraser stars in the film adaptation of The Whale.. When we first see Charlie, he gets some kind of attack while he is jerking off to porn. Thats a magic movie. Articulate Today is an Intelligent News Platform with an aim to expand the thinking and possibilities of a future world that we can collectively create. Liz returns and reconciles with Charlie, spending time with him as he nears his seemingly inevitable death. Moved by their honesty, he vows to be honest in return and turns on his web camera to show them his entire body. The lights snap to black. Many theater makers say that breath could very well be his last inhale, after which he is finally freed from the pains of his body, his loneliness, his grief. The last visual shows the sun . Charlie is also visited by his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he hasnt seen since she was 8 years old. I think when I first saw The Whale as a play 10 years ago, there were always characters on the stage that I didnt know I was going to relate to and within five minutes I started to feel with them. Charlie tells Ellie he wanted to be part of her life, but that her mother forbade him from seeing her. She's torturing him a little bit. Read on for an analysis of The Whale plot summary and ending explained, including what happens at the end of The Whale, and whether Charlie dies. If you manage to make it to the end of the film, youll be met with a moving but ambiguous conclusion. All rights reserved. 1,685, This story has been shared 1,682 times. I thought I was going to die, and I wanted to hear it one last time, Charlie says. Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. The true story of Luna, a young, wild killer whale who tries to befriend people on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island. See Fraser explain the movie's ending in the video above. Liz informs Charlie that his blood pressure is at a dangerous level, and that he needs to go to the hospital, or he will very likely die of congestive heart failure by the end of the week. the business Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The film slowly builds to a key moment for the father-daughter pair, after Charlie spends most of the movie defending Ellie's sporadic outbursts and prickly, wounded disposition particularly to his longtime caregiver and friend, Liz (Hong Chau). Every night, it was a journey, and it wasnt easy to watch or to perform, recalled Tom Alan Robbins, who starred at the 2012 world premiere in Denver. Numerous stagings of The Whale accentuate the pressure-cooker effect by designing Charlies living room, where the entirety of the play unfolds, with an extra sense of claustrophobia or isolation. She begins to read the next line of the essay, This book made me think about my own life, and then it made me glad for my but she cuts off. When Ellie reads Charlies favorite line in the essayAnd I felt saddest of all when I read the boring chapters, that were just descriptions of whales, because I knew the author was trying to save us from his own sad story, just for a little while,Charlie imagines stepping into the ocean, all those years ago when he wasnt so obese. So it felt like the work on stage would make an amazing experience for people to get to know Charlie.. As Thomas reads it, Charlie calms down and says he wanted to hear it one last time as he thought he was dying. Ellie says to call an ambulance, but Charlie replies, No. Ellie asks to speak to Charlie alone, and although Liz doesnt want to leave Charlie, she agrees. When Liz visits him at the end of the week, his skin is pale and he continuously sweats. "When she looks at it, she can't deny turning it in and getting a D, but then, here's her father, all these years later, being like, 'This is the best essay I've ever read.' Charlie must tie up all loose ends including reaching out to his estranged daughter who is not about to make things simple for him. Thomas informs Charlie that Ellie sent his recorded confession to his church and parents, and that both parties forgave him, meaning he can finally go home. When Liz arrives and sees this (with Ellie's mom), she learns that Charlie convinced Ellie to spend time with him by offering the money. Are Perfect Match's Joey and Kariselle together? We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. However, hes almost out of money and he cant go back because he will be disowned. And then it has this really cathartic release at the end of the piece a blackout, a sound effect, and a moment where the audience just lived in that silent darkness together.. Whale ending explained: on the last day of his life, Liz returns to Charlie to take care him! 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