Particularly the ending was so pointless. I was at least kind of hoping that fade to white would come back as "the whole" was taken to the hospital. Very depressing pointless movie to highlight fatsuit special effects.
shareNihilistic films and TV shows seem to be kinda trendy in Hollywood now days. Everyone's a victim, and life has no meaning is somewhat of a common theme today. I think we're going through a nihilism era in films and art right now. That's not to say we didn't see this year's ago with movies like The Elephant Man and Whats Eating Gilbert Grape and a few others but it seems to be more common today.
It's almost as if writers are just trying to create stories that appeal to losers or to the average person that has never accomplished anything in life.
That said, I do think this was a good film. Sad stories do say a lot. I mean, I like freakshows, and this movie falls into that category. TW reminds me of the films I listed above. Its very similar to TEM and Gilbert Grape but with a gay subplot.
I think it does have a pretty strong message about people that suffer from out of control obesity. I'm not crazy about the nihiltistic vibe it gives off but a solid story nonetheless.
Nihilism was more in the 90s with David Fincher, Lars Von Trier , Todd Solondz, and other downbeat director.
This was more just a routine family melodrama with a somewhat hopeful ending.
Yeah. But his life really had no meaning. Unless you consider quitting meaningful.
Plus, in reality, he was a jerk. Not referring to his sexual proclivities, more towards he really didn't care about his daughter until time was almost up.
Hopeful ending? Eehh, maybe. Showed he at least had the will to get out of his chair.
jacotod,
His life was coming to a close, but I do think he still had an interest in making up for some of the things he somewhat regrets doing. Perhaps he did this to give his life some meaning at the end. It's what you might call; fight or flight response.
Then the ending fulfills his desire to give his meaningless existence some glimpse of meaning. I thought it was a hopeful ending.
Yeah I can see that. IN this, the last week of his life, all he really cares about is establishing something, anything with Ellie.
SO it does make sense he would gather up every last ounce of strength to try to please her by walking over to her.
If I remember correctly, she makes fun of him earlier in the film because he can't get out of his chair. Or he tries to and fails, not quite sure how it went.
Anyway, it would have been meaningful that he did , in fact, stand up for his daughter as he was about to pack it in.
So, yes some meaning there - agreed with you.
Yes, his daughter challenged him to get up and walk to her earlier in the film and he falls down and then she just walks out all huffy and puffy. Such a brat but I can understand her feelings about never seeing her father, although, according to Charlie, he tried to contact her but her mother wouldn't allow it. Girls are usually closer to their fathers than they are their mothers. Needless to say, she probably has daddy issues and this was her way of "getting revenge". lol...
Oddly enough, I kind of view her as "the whale". She was just innocent and unaware of what the adults were doing in her life and it caught up to her and made her an emotional wreck like it would have done to the whale in Moby Dick.
"Yes, his daughter challenged him to get up and walk to her earlier in the film and he falls down and then she just walks out all huffy and puffy."
Yeah, sounds about right, thank you for clarifying.
"Such a brat but I can understand her feelings about never seeing her father,"
Agreed
"according to Charlie, he tried to contact her but her mother wouldn't allow it."
I don't think he tried all that hard. This guy, he clearly demonstrated what really mattered to him - and it wasn't Ellie - it was his boyfriend (forgot his name).
"Needless to say, she probably has daddy issues and this was her way of "getting revenge"."
Yeah, but Charlie doesn't help his own cause with Ellie. He hasn't seen her for years (as I recall). If she walks in and sees a strong, healthy, tall, fit masculine, successful man - she may have taken notice. What she sees a 500 pound oaf that can't even stand up. There is no way he is going to get thru to her. In fact, if it was me and I was him, I'd have just called her on the phone - I wouldn't want her to remember me in such a pathetic state. Anyway - he doesn't garner enough respect for her to change her ways. And indeed she is awful.
"Oddly enough, I kind of view her as "the whale". She was just innocent and unaware of what the adults were doing in her life and it caught up to her and made her an emotional wreck like it would have done to the whale in Moby Dick."
Right, emotional wreck, but evil, too. IMO totally understandable. Look at her role models, I've already mentioned Charlie, and I believe it was established her Mother was a drunk (and Ellie knew it).
I see your point, CHarlie is only the whale cuz he looks like a whale. YOu could make the contention the true whale is Ellie.
Anthony,
I suppose that is true but it does seem like a lot of movies now days are very "dreary" in nature. Take for example, The Banshees Of Inisherin (2022, same year as TW). Dreadful theme in this one, but I did think the movie should have won the oscar for best picture. Not sure if you've seen it but it's dark and gloomy kind of like TW.
I saw that and know what you mean about being dreary. Compared to In Bruges from 2008, which had an irreverent sense of fun and charm despite the dark subject matter, Banshees felt dismally sorry for itself.
shareI have a suspicion that the author wanted to tell us something. Probably that he only wrote this shit to distract from his own miserable life or something.
Anyway it didnt work as a movie.
I wanted him to actually become a whale at the end. Like a straight up on screen metamorphosis (Whether its full CGI, Stop Motion, or animated).
shareI agree with that ending. Had I known how this ended, I would've never watched it. More and more films seem to end with no clarity. Either they're confused on the best way to end these films and decide to leave it up to us, or they think they're being clever and inviting debate so people will discuss the movie. Either way, it sucks. `
shareI don't see that there was any debate.
He died. Everything was leading up to that moment. It was clearly stated, several times, he was just about done.
If I remember correctly, his daughter read him her essay which is exactly what he wanted to hear while passing.
As one last ditch show of love to her, he stands up and walks towards her. It makes perfect sense this would have drained every last ounce of life out of him.
The lift up, which he obviously couldn't have done on his own, the white light, the memory - some people think this is what happens when you die. The memory, that part of it actually is biologically sound. Your brain will be flashing all kinds of stuff in your mind when you pass, due to it fighting for survival.
But anyway, that aside, the ending of "The Whale" made perfect sense to me.
I agree. The ending was him passing on, but being happy for the first time in years.
share