A reclusive English teacher reaches out to his estranged daughter who he abandoned, along with her mother, when she was young. In poor health and with little connection to the outside world, he attempts to make amends for the mistakes of his past before it’s too late. Brendan Fraser gives a career-defining performance in Darren Aronofsky’s arrestingly intimate and empathetic drama adapted from Samuel D. Hunter’s stage play. Nominated for two Oscars, including Best Actor (Brendan Fraser).

Reviews

‘A piercing, compassionate parable about grace and reconciliation, told with truly Biblical force.’
★★★★★
Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

‘What “The Whale” boasts in abundance — in this riveting study of a deeply broken man, suffocated by nine years of self-immolation — is a rare and deep compassion, elevated by Brendan Fraser’s transformative turn.’
★★★★
Jack King, The Playlist