It was time to rent a movie again. Since the Oscars were a few weeks ago and I hadn't watch it, we rented The Whale. It's definitely not the most joyful movie, but Brendan Fraser shows he's an excellent actor.
An online professor (in 2016, judging by the electoral news) is confined to his apartment somewhere in Idaho. Morbidly obese, his health is in rapid decline (the movie starts with him being diagnosed with congestive heart failure by a nurse who visits him daily). One day, his estranged daughter pops up (he had left her and her mother 9 years ago for another man. It's the same actress who plays Maxine in Stranger Things). He wants to reconnect but she only wants to use him to help her pass high school with her essay.
While I haven't watched most of the nominated movies, I can't compare Fraser's performance. But it IS worth praise. Despite the (Twitter) controversy of his wearing a fat suit (that, honestly, doesn't look so good when he's naked), he's quite convincing. Since his partner's death (by suicide?), he's been killing himself by food - we see him binge, and it was hard for me to watch.
But despite his state, he refuses to go to the hospital so all him money can go to his daughter who loathes him with all her being. Her mother is right: she's evil. She posts humiliating pictures of him online, and tries to frame a young missionary who confesses to stealing his community's petty cash.
So if you're not in a depressed mood, give The Whale a watch. Brendan Fraser offers an excellent performance, the social commentaries aren't too moralizing (although the ones on religion get tedious) and the supporting cast isn't merely there to make the main actor look good.
Final rating: 4.3/5