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. By Gabriella Geisinger 27 Feb 2023 The Whale has received heaps of critical acclaim, but is not. The movie version of "The Whale" ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. How Darren Aronofsky Built His One-Room Set, Stream It Or Skip It: The Whale on VOD, Darren Aronofsky's Wildly Uncomfortable Oscar Bid for Brendan Fraser, How To Watch 'The Whale,' Now Available From On-Demand Retailers, Hoda Kotb's 'Today Show' Absence Finally Explained, but Her Return Is Still Unclear, ABC Staff Go "Zero Contact" With Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes, Encouraged to "Never Mention Their Names Again", 'Below Deck's Captain Sandy Hasn't Spoken to Captain Lee Since Public Feud: "I Tried To Call Him", What Time Does 'The Mandalorian' Come Out on Disney+? 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. "Ellie torments him, when she cases him out the fist time she sees him," Fraser observes, noting a specific piece of blocking. 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). Likewise, the off-Broadway version strategically lit the space so that it felt as if his room were hovering in this dark void, said director McCallum; the Chicago staging positioned the proscenium like an island in the sea, which was really effective because theyre all alone on their own islands in some ways, with all these barriers to connection, said director Schultz. For example, the 2014 Bay Area run raised the Marin Theatre Company stage by four feet and angled Charlies ceiling so that, from the audiences perspective, the character appeared to dominate the space in a way that intimidated the people who visited him, said director Jasson Minadakis. Ellie demands to know why Charlie failed her assignment and accuses him of purposefully screwing her over. Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. She also posts images of Charlie on Facebook. Its up to you to fill in the blank. the business society NAME As he reaches Ellie, he takes a final deep breath, looks up and everything fades to white as Charlie dies. The love and connection that Charlie gives Ellie is a gift, and hopefully she will remain true to her voice and herself in a way that he gave up on, said Hal Brooks, who directed the Denver premiere. To say The Whale is a difficult watch is the understatement of the century. 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Hunter, and Aronofsky's adaptation does a good job of reflecting the intimacy of a stage performance. What is she glad for? At that moment, a New Life missionary, Thomas comes knocking and Charlie begs him to read the essay for him. Have something to tell us about this article? Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Dont worry, Decider is here to help. Nope explained: Jean Jacket, Gordy's Home and more, Knives Out 3: Everything you need to know. 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. 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. China Choosing to stay or leave, both paths are complicated and tragic in their own ways, but ultimately, I think Charlie took the more hopeful route, and chose to look for the salvation one can find through human connection.. TOPCMB With a massive effort, Charlie walks toward Ellie. EMRG Charlie reveals he used the essay Ellie wrote when she was eight about Moby-Dick. In the chokehold of loss,. He had commended her honesty and feels angry at those who are fake like Dan. Liz returns and reconciles with Charlie, spending time with him as he nears his seemingly inevitable death. They spend a few days getting to know each other, though Ellie rarely pulls back on her anger toward him and even gives him Ambien to knock him out. So it felt like the work on stage would make an amazing experience for people to get to know Charlie.. The character is an amalgamation of Hunters past lives: as a closeted gay kid attending a fundamentalist Christian school in rural Idaho, a depressed adult who silently self-medicated with food, and an expository writing instructor for college freshmen (the pieces heartbreakingly honest line I think I need to accept that my life isnt going to be very exciting is an actual submission from one of Hunters students). In reality, he is ashamed of his appearance as an obese, 600-pound man. In his final webinar class, Charlie reveals he has been fired. Liz, however, is not pleased by Thomas' visits and dissuades him from returning by revealing that she and Alan were adopted by the Church leader, and it was Alan's inability to reconcile his sexuality with his faith that contributed to his death. You will receive a verification email shortly. In the meantime, Ellie says she hates Charlie and leaves with the essay he wrote for her. These deeply flawed characters actually care about each other so much, but there are so many obstacles for them to express that love or connect with one another in real ways, however desperately or destructively, said Joanie Schultz, who directed a 2013 production at Chicagos Victory Gardens Theater. Ellies mom sent the essay to Charlie, and Charlie believes its the best essay hes ever read. The bull whale pulls itself onto shore and strands itself there, waiting for its death. Depending on your belief system, spiritually or otherwise, we see that Charlie with a touch of magic realism finally does fly. Lyla Gill December 10, 2022. 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. ", "He's struggling this entire film to put a mirror up to his daughter to say, 'This is who you are,' and in those final moments, that mirror is this essay," Hunter explains. The film slowly builds to a key moment for the father-daughter pair, after Charlie spends most of the movie defending Ellie's sporadic outbursts and prickly, wounded disposition particularly to his longtime caregiver and friend, Liz (Hong Chau). She calls Ellie evil while Charlie just thinks she is honest. Technology Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ellie storms out too, telling her dad to just fucking die already. Charlie gives Ellie the essay she asked for before she leaves. Meet Storm Reid, A Monkey Peed in Chase Stokes's Eye While Filming 'Outer Banks', 'Outer Banks' Season 3: That Kiss Between Jonathan Daviss and Carlacia Grant Wasn't in the Original Script, 'Outer Banks' Stars Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey Break Down JJ and Kiaras "Overdue" Kiss: "I Love That Moment", 'Outer Banks' Stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline Break Down That Cheating Plot: "I Was Really, Really Nervous", '1923' Season 1 Finale Recap: "Nothing Left To Lose", Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? Later, Liz visits while Ellie is there and Charlie reveals that he has plenty of money saved, and he promised it all to Ellie if she'd just keep visiting. Reyna de Courcy and Shuler Hensley play daughter and father in The Whale at New Yorks Playwrights Horizons in 2012. 5,514, This story has been shared 4,515 times. 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. After Charlie calms down, Thomas asks why Charlie asked him to read it. The film takes place entirely. She finds out that he is not from New Life because they stopped doing door-to-door and she asks him about it. On the last day of his life, Liz returns to Charlie to take care of him. Major spoilers ahead. She's torturing him a little bit. 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. Liz informs Charlie that his blood pressure is at a dangerous level, and that he needs to go to the hospital, or he will very likely die of congestive heart failure by the end of the week. He keeps his camera off, telling his students that his webcam is broken. The Whale is based on a play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, and Aronofsky's adaptation does a good job of reflecting the intimacy of a stage performance. 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. The Ending Of The Whale Explained A24 By Tom Moore / Dec. 20, 2022 8:30 am EST Darren Aronofsky, the director of "Black Swan" and "Requiem for a Dream," returns with "The Whale," a new film. 5 Reasons Why Webex is the #1 Choice for Businesses ? Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. She had even declined his money when her truck broke down as she thought he was broke and would walk through the snow to get him food. Liz blames New Life for her brothers extreme unhappinessbecause he was told his sexuality went against the will of Godwhich eventually led to Alan jumping off a bridge and killing himself. Meanwhile, Dan the delivery guy who was always nice to Charlie, waits to see Charlies appearance at the next delivery by tricking him and is disgusted. Charlie refuses to go, citing the fact that he has no money and cant afford the hospital bills. Charlie shares a memory of going to the beach with Ellie and Mary and swimming in the ocean. Liz said at the beginning of the final scene that Charlie is dying. In the chokehold of loss, he began to binge eat and shut off, eventually having to enlist the help of a carer to look after him. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Theres this apotheosis that happens, and in the film, Charlie literally ascends off the ground.. Charlie must tie up all loose ends including reaching out to his estranged daughter who is not about to make things simple for him. Did she write that she was glad family, perhaps? She is angry at him for leaving her and cheating on her mother and for never staying in touch. In the film, Fraser plays an English teacher named Charlie who suffers from severe obesity and is told that if his unhealthy ways are left unchecked it could ultimately kill him. After Liz coaxes Charlie back to consciousness, she finds out that Charlie, despite his protests about hospital bills, does, in fact, have money. AMERICA He then finishes every food item in the house and pukes it out. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. While we never get to hear what it was that Ellie was glad for in her own life, its clear that this is the most impactful part of the essay for Charlie. The lights snap to black. Many theater makers say that breath could very well be his last inhale, after which he is finally freed from the pains of his body, his loneliness, his grief. TEC08 The movie version of "The Whale" ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. He asks her to read it, and she realises that it is the essay on Moby Dick she had written back in 8th grade. 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. Follow on Letterboxd (opens in new tab). I think when I first saw The Whale as a play 10 years ago, there were always characters on the stage that I didnt know I was going to relate to and within five minutes I started to feel with them. At that moment, Ellie barges in and is angry as she failed because of the essay that Charlie wrote for her. As he starts opening up to her, she secretly takes an audio recording of him. MLB Whats New with RingCentral? . Liz is furious that Charlie has refused to buy the medical care and equipment he needs, and storms out. The Whale Ending Explained#thewhale #thewhalea24 #a24Indiegogo Linkhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/minced-meatMake sure to like this video, subscribe to o. The play version of The Whale was first performed in 2012. TMT The movie version of The Whale ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. Jennifer Christopher as Ellie and Matthew Arkin as Charlie in The Whale at Costa Mesas South Coast Repertory in 2013. Thankfully, the young missionary Thomas (Simpkins) is there to help him, reading an essay on Moby Dick that manages to help Charlie gain his composure. The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. Meanwhile, her mother Mary shows Charlie the photos she takes, she puts them up on social media and adds insulting captions. She knows he can't look over his shoulder. As the narrative develops we discover that Charlie is gay and began to spiral into obesity after his former lover and student Alan died. At that moment, Thomas comes and tells Charlie the truth about himself. Choosing to stay or leave, both paths are complicated and tragic in their own ways, but ultimately, I think Charlie took the more hopeful route, and chose to look for the salvation one can find through human connection., Your email address will not be published. "In the play, the way I wrote it is that you hear a sound of waves and they slowly intensify through that scene, so, there's a way to read it both ways. Hunter doesnt shy away from any of the issues the characters are dealing with but doesnt bury you in [them] either, said Martin Benson, who directed a 2013 staging at South Coast Repertory. The love and connection that Charlie gives Ellie is a gift, and hopefully she will remain true to her voice and herself in a way that he gave up on, said Hal Brooks, who directed the Denver premiere. 6,491, This story has been shared 5,514 times. The following contains spoilers from the movie "The Whale," now playing in theaters. (Zoey Kang / A24) The Whale 2022 Ending Explainedthe whale,the whale 2022,the whale 2022 film,the whale trailer,brendan fraser the whale,the whale review,the whale 2022 traile. 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.. When Will 'Jesus Revolution' Movie Be Streaming? Ellie is the angry teen daughter of Charlie with his ex-wife Mary who makes her classmates cry, is sarcastic and is bad at school. Which university gives most scholarship in USA? While one could argue that The Whale ending is up for interpretation, my interpretation is that Charlies feet leaving the ground is a clear metaphor for Charlies body leaving this earth, aka, that he has died of heart failure. Its a really good essay.. 10 Feature Updates for Q3 2022 ? "Ellie torments him, when she cases him out the fist time. 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. The film, surprisingly to some, missed out on Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay; The Whale's source material is a 2012 play of the same name. She tells him to go to the hospital and he says the money is for Ellie. 1,025, This story has been shared 981 times. After she threatens Thomas into smoking marijuana and takes his photo, he is upset and locks himself in Alans room. This story has been shared 6,491 times. NEWS1 The essayist also feels for Ahab because he thinks his life will be better if he kills the whale, but it will never help him and Charlie relates to both characters. Though Hunter didnt write the beach scene that follows Charlies onscreen ascension, he called it marvelous and shared an interpretation of what it might mean: If its a flashback to the last time Charlie went swimming in the ocean, close to when the family fell apart, what I see in that shot is a man staring down the abyss of self-actualization, contemplating the decision he has to make about the different avenues he can take. Editor's Note: The following are spoilers for The Whale. Thomas visits one last time and shows Charlie a Bible passage highlighted in Alans old Bible. 2023 ArticulateToday. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. POL This includes eating more and more. When his friend and caretaker Liz (Chau) gets there, she tells him that his blood pressure is at a dangerous level and that if he does not go to the hospital he could die by the end of the week from heart failure. 1,712, This story has been shared 1,685 times. In a fit of rage, he took the petty cash of $2,400 from the church and left. Brendan plays an obese, reclusive professor named Charlie who is attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. 1,922, This story has been shared 1,712 times. If we really want to address these issues, weve got to get serious, says Farid. There are those people that love their car and then those that really, really love their car. middle East Brendan Fraser stars in the film adaptation of "The Whale.". The last visual shows the sun shining, the tide rising and falling, and a younger, slimmer version of the lead character, Charlie, staring out into the ocean as his daughter plays in the sand behind him. policy Charlie agrees. 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. The Whale centres on a man named Charlie (Fraser), an obese man who works as an English Literature professor, teaching courses online. He wanted to truly help people and thought personal interactions would be better. A24 YouTube The Whale ending explained. Are Perfect Match's Joey and Kariselle together? Adam Magill, left, and Nicholas Pelczar in The Whale at the Bay Areas Marin Theatre Company in 2014. News 10 Tuition Free Universities in the USA for International Students in 2022. companies Alan was Lizs brother and was part of a New Life church that his father ran. So when some of them finally do, its gorgeous and almost magical.. 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. 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. Even though she is angry, she loves him. Articulate Today is an Intelligent News Platform with an aim to expand the thinking and possibilities of a future world that we can collectively create. When Ellie first starts visiting, she randomly takes photos of Charlie and Thomas in unflattering scenarios. When we first see Charlie, he gets some kind of attack while he is jerking off to porn. Through the course of the film, he is visited by several recurring characters. The Whale wastes little time in showing just how poorly Charlie is doing wealth-wise. Heres how it works. The cutting patterns and shot choices of the two scenes are very similar. Maybe hes clinging to that essay because the final line, written by Ellie, confirms that he did. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Fraser gave his interpretation on the . This is the only way he feels will absolve him of his past mistakes. The message is clear: Charlie has died. The following contains spoilers from the movie The Whale, now playing in theaters. Liz seems to realize that she is saying goodbye to Charlie, and tells him shell wait downstairs. The lights snap to black. Many theater makers say that breath could very well be his last inhale, after which he is finally freed from the pains of his body, his loneliness, his grief. Hunter, who also adapted the screenplay for film, based the story on his own experience with obesity in college. 2,770, This story has been shared 1,922 times. Its a brilliant ending, because audience members have constantly told me they couldnt breathe afterwards. During one of her visits, Ellie drugs Charlie and while he's asleep Thomas arrives, and the two bond over a joint. He proceeds not with a moral point but through observation of the way his characters either defend their bunkered existences or attempt to reach beyond them or more commonly, some combination of the two.. And while he was lonely and tired, he did not want to come back home as his father had arranged his marriage to a girl he did not know. Turns out, the partner was none other than Charlie. But Thomas left because he didnt like how his church worked, simply handing out pamphlets. At long last, he's the only person who sees her, and she knows it.". The movie version of "The Whale" ends with a breath, a bright light and a beach. Mary had sent it to him and he apologizes for leaving Ellie and describes her and the essay as amazing. He started doing door-to-door preaching and when he told Jerry, the leader they got into an argument. ScienceDaily Though Hunter didnt write the beach scene that follows Charlies onscreen ascension, he called it marvelous and shared an interpretation of what it might mean: If its a flashback to the last time Charlie went swimming in the ocean, close to when the family fell apart, what I see in that shot is a man staring down the abyss of self-actualization, contemplating the decision he has to make about the different avenues he can take. says the actress. March 1, 2023, 12:58 p.m. Charlie tells Ellie he wanted to be part of her life, but that her mother forbade him from seeing her. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Brendan Fraser's emotional performance will move you to tears in new trailer for, Golden Globes nominate Brendan Fraser after, Brendan Fraser tears up discussing his kids and, Brendan Fraser reveals why he turned down Disney's. twitter But the twist is that they forgive him, are not mad about him stealing the money and want him to come back home. 1,059, This story has been shared 1,025 times. She goads him into taking to his feet, knowing well that he likely can't and that it would make him very uncomfortable to do that without even having the assistance of his walker but she takes it from him anyway and makes him prove himself, and he can't.". MTPIX Whether Charlie dies at the end of The Whale is up for debate. As Ellie completes the reading, Charlie starts to ascend to the heavens as he looks up towards a white light in the sky. "I think it's an apotheosis you can take it how you want it," he says. She cries as she wants him to go to the hospital when he cries in pain. Thomas, however, returns and finds Ellie instead and they begin a tense but curious friendship. 'Yellowstone' Return Date Info, When Does The Next New Episode of 'Yellowstone' Air on Paramount Network? She is understandably angry at him, but Charlie convinces her to stay saying that he will help her with her homework and pay her everything that he has, which is actually more than $100,000. Brendan Fraser stars in the film adaptation of The Whale.. When Charlie learns that Ellie is in danger of flunking out of high school, he offers to help her with her upcoming essay. They didnt know what to do, whether to applaud or get up or move because theyve become so connected to Charlie.. The next day, Liz confirms that Charlie's time is almost up.