Brendan Fraser Earns Standing Ovation For The Whale At Venice Film Festival And Early Oscar Buzz
It has been years since audiences have seen Brendan Fraser on their screens but his latest role as an obese gay man in The Whale is being heralded in a “Brenaissance”. Fraser’s role in Darren Aronofsky’s tale of redemption earned him a standing ovation at Venice Film Festival with Oscar-buzz circulating among reviews, reports BBC News.
WELCOME BACK BRENDAN!
Brendan Fraser’s slow comeback has proven the power of the internet. The outcry of support for the actor online has been ringing notes of encouragement for the past few years, which has led him to this pivotal moment of redemption.
Fraser claims he was a victim of sexual harassment during the peak of his career, which turned his passion for acting sour. The 2010s were not a kind era for men speaking out about abuse and Fraser fell out of favour with Hollywood. That is why Aronofsky’s The Whale is the perfect project to launch the actor back into the limelight.
The Whale follows a narrative of suffering, self-reflection and redemption. Fraser plays Charlie, an overweight professor who has fallen into a deep depression after the suicide of his partner. Having gained so much weight from a binge-eating disorder, Charlie risks heart failure and serious health conditions if he continues as he is.
We aren’t loving the fat-suit component of this drama, but Aronofsky executes a quiet film that frames loss and pain using Fraser as the vehicle for that journey. After debuting at the Venice Film Festival, Fraser got a six-minute standing ovation which shows the touching moment where art imitates life and the actor had a mirror moment to that of his character, reports CNN.
The reviews for the film have been varied at best. Critics have called it out for being contrived, fatphobic and flat. Variety says, “The Whale, while it has a captivating character at its centre, turns out to be equal parts sincerity and hokum.” Reviews from The Guardian say, “The writing clunks; the narrative is contrived and unconvincing and the whole film has a strange pass-agg body language, as if it is handling its own painful subject matter with kid gloves and asking us to do the same.”
This is a testament to the love and affection people carry for Brendan Fraser. He is someone people are hoping to root for and are willing to hold a lot of space for. Those same reviews say this about Fraser:
“Fraser brings a definite gentleness and openness to the role of Charlie, and his performance is good.” – The Guardian.
“But most of The Whale simply isn’t as good as Brendan Fraser’s performance. For what he brings off, though, it deserves to be seen.” – Variety.
