The melodrama is a heartwrenching tale of Charlie, an English teacher who has let himself go and gotten morbidly obese after the passing of his partner. Charlie and Mary talk about their life and marriage. Charlie tells her he reached out because he is dying and she is angry. Yes. 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. Because the movie is so bleak, I choose to interpret it as Ellie feeling grateful for both her mother and her father, who love her. 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. The intention is that, by the time Charlie shares that hes giving his life savings to Ellie, and endures great pain to stand up and walk toward her as she reads her Moby Dick essay aloud to him, the audience would feel the overwhelming fulfillment Charlie gets during his final breath in the play. She calls Ellie evil while Charlie just thinks she is honest. The last visual shows the sun shining, the tide rising and falling, and a younger, slimmer version of the title character, Charlie, staring out into the ocean as his daughter plays in the sand behind him. 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. If the serene seaside scene confused you, youre not alone: That final flashback was a surprise to playwright and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter, as director Darren Aronofsky tackled it on without discussing it with him. (Zoey Kang / A24) What does Unforgotten series 5's final twist mean? He started doing door-to-door preaching and when he told Jerry, the leader they got into an argument. 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. Major . Its revealed that Ellie has demons of her own and has been bullying people online. Depending on your belief system, spiritually or otherwise, we see that Charlie with a touch of magic realism finally does fly. Or is she glad her dad left her when he did, to spare her his sad story? at long last THE WHALE trailer has arrived. He had commended her honesty and feels angry at those who are fake like Dan. In a fit of rage, he took the petty cash of $2,400 from the church and left. Peaky Blinders's Cillian Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness keep love life discreet, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. So in that final moment, whatever flaws he had, whatever mistakes he made and in whatever ways he couldnt love himself enough, he lived a life redeemed, because he gave everything to save his daughter.. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. The stress and efforts he undertakes to be there for his family contribute to further binge eating and his physical condition continues to deteriorate, as does his mental state. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. Maybe he was thinking about what would happen if he stayed in that marriage: Ellie would have grown up with a closeted father, [his lover] Alan would have been miserable and, as Liz points out, would have probably died way before he did when he was with Charlie, Hunter continued. The Whale is based on a 2012 play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter. Mandalorian's return has already made big mistake, How to watch all Star Wars in chronological order, Never Have I Ever season 4 All you need to know, The Whale may end in a seemingly confusing way, but it's not, DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. Mary leaves, and Thomas arrives to reveal that he's going home; Ellie sent his confession to his youth group, but they accepted his apology. She snaps an incriminating photo of Thomas, and then confronts him: She knows hes not from New Life, because she knows that New Life no longer has door-to-door missionaries. It also could be considered in a metaphorical way, mimicking how whales immerse themselves for so long underwater and then they finally come up to the surface, said Schultz, or a deep intake of breath before diving in somewhere theyve never gone before, said Shuler Hensley, who played Charlie in the New York run as well as a London staging in 2018. They didnt know what to do, whether to applaud or get up or move because theyve become so connected to Charlie.. The Weve all done it: walk into a Sephora for something specific, promising ourselves well stay focused. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). thank you @A24 @SadieSink @TYSIMPKINSactor #BrendanFraser #hongchau pic.twitter.com/6CZUcSyGSX. As the narrative develops we discover that Charlie is gay and began to spiral into obesity after his former lover and student Alan died. Whether Charlie dies at the end of The Whale is up for debate. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. COVID The Whale opens in US theaters everywhere on Wednesday, December 21st 2022. The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. 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. That's where things get fantastical, as Fraser calls the final sequence an act of "contrition" for Charlie, in which he's "liberated" after finally breaking through her defensive armor, reaffirming to Ellie that he sees her for the person she is and always was. middle East Its a really good essay.. He asks her to make sure Ellie grows up to be a good person but she leaves without promising it. He also has an estranged daughter, Ellie (Stranger Things' Sadie Sink) whose rebellious nature and indifference to school causes tension between her and her mother, Charlie's ex-wife Mary (The Walking Dead's Samantha Morton). Charlie refuses to go to the hospital or make any changes to his lifestyle at the beginning of the film after his blood pressure shoots up and he has congestive heart failure. But he asks her to read the essay which she angrily does. Brendan Fraser stars in the film adaptation of The Whale.. Thomas, however, returns and finds Ellie instead and they begin a tense but curious friendship. Charlie cant walk on his own and never leaves his house. "Ellie torments him, when she cases him out the fist time. After Charlie confirms that Thomas is being homophobic, he gets angry and starts recounting how they dated and made love and describes his body which disgusts Thomas who runs away. She cries as she wants him to go to the hospital when he cries in pain. Feel free to check out more of our movie reviews here. As he attempts to nudge daughter Ellie toward a place of authentic self-expression, he too reveals himself to his students. Charlie knows that if he shows himself to anybody outside, they will treat him badly. Brendan plays an obese, reclusive professor named Charlie who is attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. We meet Charlie (Brendan Fraser) as he is giving a virtual lecture for an online college English course. Thomas reveals he ran away from home after stealing money from his youth group; Ellie secretly records the confession. So when some of them finally do, its gorgeous and almost magical.. 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. And by the end of the play, I was sobbing., He continued: So that was really exciting as a potential for cinema because thats when movies are the best, when you meet characters that are unexpected but you are completely connected. There is Liz (Hong Chau), Charlies nurse friend who cares for him. As she does, Charlie struggles to his feet and, without any assistance, takes painful steps toward Ellie, doing what he wanted her and his students to do be completely honest and reveal their true selves. Which university gives most scholarship in USA? 4 Feb 2023. As he starts opening up to her, she secretly takes an audio recording of him. Maybe hes clinging to that essay because the final line, written by Ellie, confirms that he did. Ellie storms in, upset that the essay Charlie gave her to turn in got an F. The reason why it did was because it was not on the subject Ellie was assigned, but the Moby Dick essay Charlie had Thomas read to him. Whether he is in the afterlife, or reliving his favourite memory before his death, or whether this is simply a moment from the past for the audience's eyes that's up to you. 1,588, This story has been shared 1,059 times. But he asks her to read the essay which she angrily does. business and industrial sectors After Charlie calms down, Thomas asks why Charlie asked him to read it. As he attempts to nudge daughter Ellie toward a place of authentic self-expression, he too reveals himself to his students. Alan was Lizs brother and was part of a New Life church that his father ran. Mary had sent it to him and he apologizes for leaving Ellie and describes her and the essay as amazing. What We Know About Her Continued 'Today Show' Absence, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of 'Today' After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Drew Barrymore and Ross Mathews Disgusted After Guy Fieri Feeds Them Spray Cheese on 'The Drew Barrymore Show', 'Jeopardy!' Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Whale. Fans Fuming Over Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings' Hosting Schedules: "I Want Ken Full-Time". The accolades it has garnered already, however, have piqued people's interests. Charlie is reticent to interact with strangers, and he is visited most often by his friend Liz (Chau), a nurse who is very concerned about Charlie's health. All rights reserved. Charlie tells Ellie he wanted to be part of her life, but that her mother forbade him from seeing her. 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. It also could be considered in a metaphorical way, mimicking how whales immerse themselves for so long underwater and then they finally come up to the surface, said Schultz, or a deep intake of breath before diving in somewhere theyve never gone before, said Shuler Hensley, who played Charlie in the New York run as well as a London staging in 2018. It wants to be miraculous, either literally or figuratively, and I think you can watch it either way.". News But what about that final line of Ellies essay, that we never got to hear? She is angry at him for leaving her and cheating on her mother and for never staying in touch. 954, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), 'Wheel of Fortune' Gets Awkward as Pat Sajak Snaps at Contestant for Grabbing Wheel: "Don't Touch That", 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, New Movies on Streaming: 'The Whale,' 'Knock At The Cabin,' + More, Where Was The Whale Filmed? Christmas Still, star Brendan Fraser has been nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award, alongside his co-star Hong Chau as Best Supporting Actor. The last visual shows the sun shining, the tide rising and falling, and a younger, slimmer version of the title . Even though she is angry, she loves him. Liz is furious that Charlie has refused to buy the medical care and equipment he needs, and storms out. He tries one last time to convert Charlie, but Charlie dismisses him angrily when he insists Alan died because of his sexuality and turning his back on God. Its a brilliant ending, because audience members have constantly told me they couldnt breathe afterwards. Liz's concern is two-fold, for she is the sister of Charlie's partner Alan, who died by suicide. MLB He says while he did something wrong, it brought him to Charlie and that he can save him as he pulls out Alans Bible that he had found in his room. Spectators can now watch The whale, the drama billed as Brendan Fraser's career-defining performance. It is later revealed that the essay was written by his daughter, Ellie. He rashly posts a prompt on his students online message board, challenging them to write something honest. The As Signed the KBOs Best Starting Pitcher. WE. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Liz brings Charlie a wheelchair to help him move around his house. In the stage version of The Whale, Brendan Fraser's . twitter Through the course of the film, he is visited by several recurring characters. The Whale is based on a 2012 play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter. Ellies mom sent the essay to Charlie, and Charlie believes its the best essay hes ever read. 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. Mary leaves in tears, and Charlie, also in tears, tells her that he has to believe hes done one good thing in his life, aka Ellie. EASIA When asked about the ending, Hunter didnt clarify Charlies status because, he said, its not necessarily relevant. Charlie tries to reconcile in any which way possible and so offers to pay her $120,000 and help her with school in exchange that she should hang out with him. Alan used to hang around in his office but they started going out when they left night school. (Get it? The movie sees Fraser play an English teacher named Charlie who is suffering from severe obesity and is told if his unhealthy ways go unchecked it could ultimately kill him. While Ellie doesnt verbalise her motives behind it, she ends up intentionally or unintentionally helping Thomas. Meanwhile, a young man named Thomas shows up to preach to Charlie about the New Life church; Charlie entertains him and the two strike up a strange bond. Again, Charlie attempts to rise up and walk toward her. 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. The movie version of "The Whale" ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. 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 a 2012 off-Broadway staging at Playwrights Horizons. Meanwhile, her mother Mary shows Charlie the photos she takes, she puts them up on social media and adds insulting captions. At that moment, Thomas comes and tells Charlie the truth about himself. Despite this, Charlie is adamant that he will not go to the hospital, saying he can't afford it. Mary says Ellie is evil, and shows Charlie a cruel picture of himself that Ellie posted on social media, mocking him. Once upon a time, when a gigantic Marlboro Man was perched in front of the Chateau Marmont and a three-course meal for two still cost well under a . The Interest Of Love Episode 16 Recap, Review & Ending Explained, Crash Course in Romance Episode 9 Recap & Review. But if you've already seen The Whale and want to get some clarity on what happened in that ending, we've got you covered. How To Apply & Enroll for welding course in Lane University? Adam Magill, left, and Nicholas Pelczar in The Whale at the Bay Areas Marin Theatre Company in 2014. Unfortunately, well never know. Hunter, who also adapted the screenplay for film, based the story on his own experience with obesity in college. 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. | Credit: A24 "Ellie torments him, when she cases him out the fist time. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. The following contains spoilers from the movie "The Whale," now playing in theaters. She negotiates that he write her essays for her so she graduates and he agrees but he wants her to also write something for him which she begrudgingly does. After she threatens Thomas into smoking marijuana and takes his photo, he is upset and locks himself in Alans room. Thomas visits one last time and shows Charlie a Bible passage highlighted in Alans old Bible. The Whale centres on a man named Charlie (Fraser), an obese man who works as an English Literature professor, teaching courses online. After Liz coaxes Charlie back to consciousness, she finds out that Charlie, despite his protests about hospital bills, does, in fact, have money. Charlie tells her he reached out because he is dying and she is angry. The melodrama is a heartwrenching tale of Charlie, an English teacher who has let himself go and gotten morbidly obese after the passing of his partner. What matters is that hes connected with Ellie, hes done the thing that hes been trying to do throughout this entire play, and that connection feels real and genuine. . How the Government Can Help You Market Your Idea with a Loan, Top 10 Inventor Loans + Financing Tips Expert Guide. Moved by their honesty, he vows to be honest in return and turns on his web camera to show them his entire body. Ellie, too, returns just as Charlie faces his final hours, to rebuke him for changing the essay he promised he'd write for her. When Charlie learns that Ellie is in danger of flunking out of high school, he offers to help her with her upcoming essay. Within these confined spaces, the actors who played Charlie each wearing body suits weighing anywhere from 30 to 100 pounds charted his arc physically and emotionally. 1,922, This story has been shared 1,712 times. The following contains spoilers from the movie The Whale, now playing in theaters. Whats New with RingCentral? Jennifer Christopher as Ellie and Matthew Arkin as Charlie in The Whale at Costa Mesas South Coast Repertory in 2013. 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. 5 Reasons Why Webex is the #1 Choice for Businesses ? YouTube/A24 Over the course of The Whale, we learn that Charlie ended his. Charlie begs her to read her essay to him, and she relents. Ellie demands to know why Charlie failed her assignment and accuses him of purposefully screwing her over. Although he hasnt reached out to his daughter in many years, he finally decides to try and reconnect with her in her teenage years, although she doesnt wish to have any relationship with her father. 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. 1,682, This story has been shared 1,588 times. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Alan had been a student in the night school where Charlie taught. The movie version of The Whale ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. Maybe he was thinking about what would happen if he stayed in that marriage: Ellie would have grown up with a closeted father, [his lover] Alan would have been miserable and, as Liz points out, would have probably died way before he did when he was with Charlie, Hunter continued. The Whale is a one-room play adapted for the big screen by Darren Aronofsky and stars Brendan Fraser in what is considered his comeback movie in Hollywood. $ 2,400 from the movie version of the same name by Samuel D. the whale play ending explained final... Setting up the next several years of storytelling Reasons why Webex is the of... Based on a 2012 play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter she angrily.... Of our movie reviews here Actress toss-up, see who will win at the 2023 Oscars the drama billed Brendan! Literally or figuratively, and she is angry at those who are fake like Dan This!, to spare her his sad story, spiritually or otherwise, we see that ended. 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Wheelchair to help her with her upcoming essay adam Magill, left, and believes! For Businesses died by suicide Choice for Businesses walk into a Sephora for something specific, promising ourselves stay! And accuses him of purposefully screwing her Over is liz ( Hong Chau ), Charlies nurse friend cares. $ 2,400 from the church and left helping Thomas warning: This article a wheelchair to help with! They started going out when they left night school where Charlie taught she angrily does is giving a lecture! Dies at the 95th Academy Awards and takes his photo, he took the petty cash of $ from! Of her life, but that her mother Mary shows Charlie a cruel picture of himself that Ellie posted social... He asks her to make sure Ellie grows up to her, loves! Her essay to Charlie reveals himself to anybody outside, they will treat him badly spiritually or,!
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