Believe the Hype About Brendan Fraser's Oscar Chances for "The Whale"
In Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale," Brendan Fraser gives a powerful performance as Charlie. The A-list celebrity who gave us "The Mummy" and "Encino Guy" goes above the call of an actor by displaying the frailty of a broken, 600-pound man. Fraser gives one of the best performances of the year, similar to how Aronofsky revived Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (2008). He'll almost certainly be nominated for best actor at the Oscars for “The Whale.”
The drama's script, written by Samuel D. Hunter, who adapted his play of the same name, is a stark, somber investigation of regret and addiction. The A24 film "The Whale," about an obese gay man who reunites with his estranged 17-year-old daughter Ellie (played by Sadie Sink) after abandoning her and her mother for his younger male partner, portrays Charlie's story.
As influential as his widespread fandom is Fraser's personality and admiration. The actor sobbed after receiving an ecstatic six-minute standing ovation at the Venice premiere of the movie, as seen in a popular Variety video. The actor, 53, has secured his spot in the best actor Oscar sweepstakes by having the movie make its North American premiere in Toronto. He will compete against Hugh Jackman from "The Son" and Colin Farrell from “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
Will he, however, be the lone candidate from the movie?
For the average moviegoer, Aronofsky, a past finalist for his work on "Black Swan," usually produces somber dramas. Even though some of his actresses have become well-known (like Ellen Burstyn from "Requiem for a Dream"), the director's grim world-building is sometimes painful to witness. "The Whale" features some of his most compassionate direction. He never humiliates Charlie. If the Academy director's branch acknowledged his accomplishments, we'd be very lucky.
Sadie Sink proved she's more than a one-trick pony by elevating every aspect of "Stranger Things" on Netflix's fourth season. She might have trouble competing for the title of best supporting actress since she might split votes with Hong Chau. The Vietnamese actress, who plays Liz, Charlie's caregiver, is just another illustration of the rise of AAPI talent in Hollywood. She portrays a wonderfully carved woman, traumatized by her background, and tenacious in insuring Charlie's survival. She was the best part of the independent feature "Driveways" (2019), after missing the cut for "Downsizing" (2017) and excelling in it.
Before the film's start, Aronofsky introduced his cast, introducing Fraser in particular, to a long, enthusiastic round of applause. "The Whale" did well at TIFF. As he got a career appreciation award in Toronto, I watched him choke up and on Sunday night, he gave a profoundly affecting speech. One cannot but but support him. The Academy probably will as well.
