Review: The Whale

Introduction

The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, is a deeply emotional drama that explores themes of grief, self-destruction, redemption, and human connection. Based on the play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter, the film tells the story of Charlie, a reclusive, morbidly obese English professor who attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter while grappling with his deteriorating health and unresolved trauma.

Fraser’s transformative performance, combined with Aronofsky’s intimate direction, makes The Whale a poignant and thought-provoking character study. With its heavy emotional themes and intense performances, the film leaves a lasting impact, challenging audiences to confront difficult questions about empathy, guilt, and the complexities of human relationships.

影評：《我的鯨魚老爸》

導言

《我的鯨魚老爸》由達倫·艾洛諾夫斯基 (Darren Aronofsky) 執導，並由布蘭登·費雪 (Brendan Fraser) 擔任主演，是一部深刻且充滿情感張力的劇情片。影片探討了悲傷、自我毀滅、救贖與人際連結等主題，帶領觀眾深入了解一個陷入痛苦與孤立的靈魂如何尋找人生最後的意義。

本片改編自山繆·D·杭特 (Samuel D. Hunter) 所創作的同名舞台劇，講述了一位與世隔絕的英語教授查理 (Charlie)，他因喪親之痛而暴飲暴食，最終身患病態性肥胖，健康狀況急劇惡化。在生命即將走到盡頭之際，他試圖與自己多年疏遠的女兒重新建立聯繫，同時也不得不面對未解的創傷與深埋心底的罪惡感。

布蘭登·費雪以令人驚艷的變身式演技，將查理這個角色詮釋得極為動人，而艾洛諾夫斯基細膩而緊密的敘事手法，使這部電影成為一部令人動容且發人深省的角色研究電影。影片透過沉重的情感主題與震撼的表演，讓觀眾在觀影後深思同理心、內疚，以及人際關係的複雜性，並留下難以磨滅的影響。

Plot Summary

The story takes place almost entirely within the confines of Charlie’s small, dimly lit apartment, enhancing the film’s claustrophobic and isolating atmosphere. Charlie (Brendan Fraser) is an online college professor who never turns on his webcam, preferring to remain unseen by his students. He is severely obese, a result of years of compulsive overeating triggered by the loss of his partner, Alan. Charlie’s health is rapidly declining, and his friend and caregiver, Liz (Hong Chau), constantly urges him to seek medical attention, though he refuses.

As his condition worsens, Charlie attempts to make amends with his estranged teenage daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink), whom he abandoned years ago. Ellie is bitter, rebellious, and angry at her father, but she agrees to spend time with him in exchange for financial assistance. Throughout the film, their interactions shift between moments of tenderness and harsh confrontations, revealing deep-seated pain and unresolved resentment.

Other key figures enter Charlie’s life: Thomas (Ty Simpkins), a young missionary who believes he has been sent to save Charlie’s soul, and Mary (Samantha Morton), Charlie’s ex-wife, who brings further emotional complexity to the narrative. As Charlie’s health deteriorates, his desperate attempts at redemption become more urgent, leading to a heartbreaking climax that forces both him and Ellie to confront their emotions in a final, devastating moment.

劇情概要

故事幾乎全程發生在查理 (Charlie) 狹小、昏暗的公寓內，這種封閉的空間進一步強化了影片的壓迫感與孤立氛圍。查理 (由布蘭登·費雪飾演) 是一名網絡大學的英語教授，他從不開啟攝影機，始終隱藏自己的真實樣貌。他患有極度的病態性肥胖，而這一切源於他在摯愛阿倫 (Alan) 過世後，長年藉由暴飲暴食來麻痺內心的痛苦。如今，他的健康狀況急劇惡化，而他唯一的朋友兼護理者莉茲 (Liz，由周洪飾演) 不斷懇求他尋求醫療協助，然而查理堅決拒絕治療。

隨著病情加重，查理決定試圖彌補自己與疏遠多年的女兒艾莉 (Ellie，由莎迪·辛克飾演) 之間的關係。多年前，他因選擇與阿倫在一起而離開了家庭，如今艾莉充滿怨恨、叛逆不羈，對父親懷有強烈的不滿。然而，在查理承諾提供經濟援助後，艾莉勉強答應與他相處。隨著父女倆的對話不斷深入，兩人之間的關係在脆弱的溫情與憤怒的衝突之間來回擺盪，逐漸揭露出長年累積的痛苦與未解的傷痕。

除此之外，還有幾個關鍵人物闖入查理的生活：年輕的傳教士湯瑪斯 (Thomas，由泰·辛普金斯飾演) 深信自己是受神指引來拯救查理靈魂的使者，而查理的前妻瑪麗 (Mary，由莎曼珊·莫頓飾演) 則為劇情帶來更多情感上的複雜性。在查理的身體每況愈下的同時，他對救贖的渴望愈發迫切，最終導向了一場令人心碎的高潮——在最後的關鍵時刻，查理與艾莉被迫直面彼此的情感，迎來撕心裂肺的結局。

Direction and Cinematography

Darren Aronofsky’s direction in The Whale is both restrained and deeply immersive. Unlike his more visually extravagant works (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan), Aronofsky employs a minimalistic approach here, allowing the performances and emotional weight of the story to take center stage. The film is shot almost entirely within Charlie’s apartment, reinforcing his physical and emotional confinement.

The cinematography by Matthew Libatique is intimate and haunting. The 4:3 aspect ratio emphasizes the claustrophobia of Charlie’s world, making the audience feel trapped alongside him. The dim lighting and muted color palette mirror Charlie’s depression and declining health, while close-up shots highlight the raw emotions on the actors’ faces, making the film feel painfully personal.

導演與攝影

戴倫·艾洛諾夫斯基 (Darren Aronofsky) 在 《我的鯨魚老爸》(The Whale) 中的導演手法克制而深具沉浸感。與他以往風格大膽、視覺張力十足的作品 (如 《噩夢輓歌》(Requiem for a Dream) 和 《黑天鵝》(Black Swan)) 相比，本片採用了極簡主義的敘事方式，讓表演和劇情的情感張力成為真正的焦點。影片幾乎全程發生在查理的公寓內，這種封閉的場景不僅凸顯了角色的身體局限，也加深了他內心的孤獨與困境。

馬修·李巴提克 (Matthew Libatique) 的攝影風格既親密又充滿壓迫感。電影使用 4:3 的畫面比例，使觀眾感受到查理世界的狹窄與壓抑，彷彿被困在這個無法逃脫的空間中。昏暗的燈光與低飽和的色調 進一步反映了查理的抑鬱與病態身體狀況，而大量的近景拍攝則將演員的細膩表情放大，讓每一次情感爆發都顯得赤裸而刺痛人心，使影片變得更加私人化且震撼人心。

Themes and Symbolism

Isolation and Loneliness

Charlie’s physical and emotional isolation is a key theme in The Whale. He has shut himself off from the world, using food as both a comfort and a punishment. His refusal to seek medical help reflects his self-destructive tendencies and his deep-seated guilt over past mistakes.

Redemption and Forgiveness

Charlie’s attempts to reconnect with Ellie serve as his final plea for redemption. He sees Ellie as his last chance to leave something meaningful behind. The film raises questions about whether true redemption is possible and whether forgiveness can be earned or must be freely given.

The Search for Meaning

Throughout the film, characters struggle to find meaning in suffering. Charlie clings to the idea that Ellie is inherently good, despite her anger and cruelty. Meanwhile, Thomas believes in religious salvation, though his own past is filled with failures. The film explores different perspectives on what makes life meaningful, leaving much open to interpretation.

Moby-Dick as a Metaphor

Charlie’s obsession with an essay about Moby-Dick serves as a metaphor for his own self-loathing. Just as Ahab relentlessly pursues the whale, Charlie is consumed by his own guilt and grief, ultimately leading to his downfall.

主題與象徵意義

孤立與孤獨

《我的鯨魚老爸》(The Whale) 的核心主題之一是查理的 身體與情感上的孤立。他將自己封閉在狹小的公寓裡，與外界幾乎完全隔絕，而食物成了他的慰藉，同時也是對自己的懲罰。他的暴飲暴食不只是生理上的需求，更是一種對內心痛苦的逃避。查理拒絕尋求醫療幫助，象徵著他深埋內心的 自毀傾向，以及因過去錯誤而產生的巨大罪惡感。

救贖與寬恕

查理試圖與女兒艾莉重建關係，是他 最後一次尋求救贖的嘗試。他視艾莉為自己生命中僅存的希望，試圖在死亡來臨前 留下有意義的痕跡。電影拋出了關鍵問題：真正的救贖是否可能？寬恕是可以透過彌補獲得，還是只能無條件地被賦予？ 這種模糊的道德界線，讓觀眾思考人性的複雜性與寬恕的真諦。

對生命意義的追尋

電影中的角色都在 掙扎於痛苦中尋找生命的意義。查理深信艾莉的內心仍然存有善良，即使她表現得憤怒、刻薄甚至冷漠。而傳教士湯瑪斯則認為宗教可以拯救查理，但他自己的過去卻充滿失敗與矛盾。電影透過這些不同的觀點，探討 生命的意義是否來自愛、信仰，或是個人的選擇，並讓這個問題留給觀眾自行解讀。

《白鯨記》作為隱喻

查理對一篇關於 《白鯨記》(Moby-Dick) 的作文產生執念，這象徵著他對自我厭惡的投射。在小說中，亞哈船長瘋狂地追逐白鯨，最終導致毀滅；而查理則被 罪惡感與悲傷吞噬，無法擺脫自我毀滅的命運。《白鯨記》的隱喻不僅反映查理的內心世界，也加深了電影對 人性弱點與命運無法違抗的悲劇性 的探討。

Performances

Brendan Fraser as Charlie

Fraser delivers a career-defining performance, embodying Charlie with heartbreaking sincerity. His portrayal is deeply human, capturing Charlie’s warmth, pain, and desperation with incredible nuance. The physical transformation—enhanced by prosthetics and makeup—never overshadows the emotional depth of his performance. Fraser’s work in The Whale is one of the most powerful and moving performances of the year.

Sadie Sink as Ellie

Sink brings raw intensity to the role of Ellie, portraying her as both cruel and deeply wounded. While her character often lashes out at Charlie, Sink ensures that Ellie’s pain and vulnerability remain evident beneath her harsh exterior.

Hong Chau as Liz

Chau delivers a standout performance as Liz, Charlie’s friend and caregiver. Her frustration, love, and helplessness in the face of Charlie’s self-destruction are palpable. She serves as the emotional bridge between Charlie and the outside world, adding layers of depth to the film.

Supporting Cast

Samantha Morton and Ty Simpkins also deliver strong performances, each adding complexity to Charlie’s story. Morton, in her brief but powerful scene as Charlie’s ex-wife, reveals the history of their broken family, while Simpkins’ portrayal of Thomas offers a contrasting view on salvation and purpose.

演員表現

布蘭登·費雪（Brendan Fraser）飾演查理

費雪在本片中展現了 職業生涯巔峰級的演出，他對查理的詮釋充滿了 真誠與心碎的力量。他的表演既溫暖又痛苦，將查理內心的絕望、愧疚以及對愛的渴望展現得淋漓盡致。儘管電影使用了 特殊化妝與義肢 來打造查理的體型，費雪的演技卻從未被這些外在條件掩蓋，他透過眼神、語氣和微小的動作，賦予角色極為細膩的層次感。他在 《我的鯨魚老爸》 中的演出無疑是 當年度最震撼人心的表現之一。

莎蒂·辛克（Sadie Sink）飾演艾莉

辛克在片中展現出 強烈的情感張力，將艾莉塑造成一個 既殘酷又深受創傷 的角色。她的憤怒與攻擊性讓人不忍直視，但辛克的表演同時也讓觀眾窺見艾莉內心的痛苦與脆弱，使這個角色並非單純的叛逆少女，而是 一個內心充滿矛盾與傷痕的孩子。她與費雪的對手戲充滿張力，為電影增添了許多戲劇性。

周洪（Hong Chau）飾演莉茲

周洪的表現極為 出色且令人動容，她飾演的莉茲是查理的 朋友、照顧者以及唯一關心他的人。她的角色充滿矛盾，既憤怒於查理的自我毀滅，又無法割捨對他的關愛。她的表演真實而富有層次，使莉茲成為電影中 情感的橋樑，連結了查理與外界世界，並讓觀眾更能理解查理的孤獨與自責。

配角表現

莎曼珊·莫頓（Samantha Morton）與泰·辛普金斯（Ty Simpkins） 也貢獻了精彩的表現，進一步豐富了查理的故事線。莫頓飾演查理的前妻 瑪麗（Mary），雖然戲份不多，但她在短短一場戲中，就將 這個支離破碎的家庭過去的傷痛與矛盾 精準地呈現出來，為角色增添了更深層次的背景。而辛普金斯飾演的傳教士 湯瑪斯（Thomas） 則帶來了一個 截然不同的觀點，他的角色代表了宗教救贖的概念，與查理對人性與愛的信仰形成鮮明對比，使得電影的哲學層面更為豐富。

Strengths

Brendan Fraser’s Unforgettable Performance – Fraser’s portrayal of Charlie is deeply moving and deserves every accolade it has received.

Emotional Depth – The film explores grief, redemption, and human connection with raw authenticity.

Intimate Direction – Aronofsky’s restrained approach enhances the film’s emotional impact, making it a deeply personal experience.

Compelling Supporting Performances – Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, and Samantha Morton all deliver powerful performances that elevate the story.

Effective Use of a Single Location – The confined setting adds to the film’s claustrophobic and immersive atmosphere.

優點

布蘭登·費雪令人難以忘懷的演出 – 費雪對查理的詮釋 極具感染力，他的表現令人動容，充分展現了角色的痛苦、渴望與人性，無愧於他所獲得的所有獎項與讚譽。

深刻的情感描寫 – 本片 以極為真摯的方式 探討 悲傷、救贖與人際連結，每一場戲都充滿了 強烈的情感張力，讓觀眾產生共鳴。

極具親密感的導演手法 – 達倫·艾洛諾夫斯基採取 克制而細膩的敘事方式，讓角色與劇情成為焦點，進一步 加深電影的情感衝擊力，使整體觀影體驗 更加私人且深刻。

出色的配角演出 – 莎蒂·辛克、周洪與莎曼珊·莫頓 的精彩表現 為電影增添豐富層次，每個角色都充滿個性，為故事帶來更深的情感共鳴。

單一場景的有效運用 – 電影幾乎全程發生在查理的 狹小公寓內，這種 封閉且壓迫的空間 營造出 強烈的窒息感與沉浸式氛圍，讓觀眾更能感受到查理內心的孤獨與困境。

Weaknesses

Overly Bleak Tone – The film’s heavy themes and unrelenting sadness may be overwhelming for some viewers.

Stage Play Origins Are Apparent – While the film remains engaging, the limited setting and dialogue-driven storytelling might feel too theatrical for some.

Ellie’s Character Can Feel One-Dimensional – While Sink’s performance is strong, Ellie’s relentless anger can make her character feel repetitive at times.

缺點

過於沉重的基調 – 本片的主題極為深刻，且整體情緒始終處於 壓抑與悲痛之中，對於部分觀眾而言，這種 毫無喘息空間的悲傷氛圍 可能會顯得過於沉重甚至難以承受。

劇場感較為明顯 – 由於電影改編自舞台劇，其 場景極為有限，且敘事主要依賴 角色之間的對話推動，對某些觀眾來說，這種 過於戲劇化的風格 可能會影響沉浸感，使其更像是一部 被攝影機捕捉的舞台劇。

艾莉的角色可能略顯單一 – 儘管 莎蒂·辛克的演技相當出色，但艾莉這個角色的塑造 過度依賴憤怒與攻擊性，她對查理的敵意雖然合理，但在敘事發展中 缺乏明顯的變化與成長，導致部分橋段可能顯得過於重複或單調。

Historical and Cultural Impact

The Whale has sparked discussions about body image, self-destruction, and the portrayal of obesity in media. Some critics have debated whether the film’s depiction of Charlie is empathetic or exploitative, particularly regarding the use of prosthetics for Fraser’s transformation.

Nonetheless, the film’s emotional power and Fraser’s triumphant return to Hollywood have cemented its place as one of the most talked-about films of the year. It challenges audiences to confront their own biases and preconceptions about weight, grief, and personal redemption.

歷史與文化影響

《The Whale》引發了廣泛討論，涉及 身體意象（body image）、自我毀滅（self-destruction），以及 媒體對肥胖的刻畫（the portrayal of obesity in media）。許多影評人和觀眾對於電影如何呈現查理的形象展開了激烈辯論——部分人認為電影對於主角的塑造 充滿同理心與人性關懷，但也有人批評其 帶有剝削意味（exploitative），特別是針對 使用特效化妝與義肢（prosthetics）來呈現布蘭登·費雪的身體變化，是否會讓肥胖的形象淪為某種「戲劇化效果」，而非真正的理解與關懷。

然而，無論爭議如何，電影的 強烈情感張力 以及 布蘭登·費雪重返好萊塢的精彩演出，都讓《The Whale》成為年度最受矚目的作品之一。它不僅是一部深刻探討 悲傷、救贖與人性掙扎 的電影，更挑戰了觀眾對於 體重、痛苦與個人救贖的固有偏見（biases and preconceptions about weight, grief, and personal redemption），促使人們對這些議題進行更深入的思考。

Conclusion

The Whale (2022) is an emotionally devastating yet profoundly moving film that showcases Brendan Fraser at his absolute best. Darren Aronofsky’s intimate direction, coupled with a deeply human story, makes this one of the most compelling dramas of the year. While its bleak tone and heavy subject matter may not be for everyone, those who connect with its themes will find it to be an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

結論

《我的鯨魚老爸》是一部 情感震撼、深刻動人 的電影，展現了 布蘭登·費雪（Brendan Fraser）生涯最精湛的演出。在 戴倫·阿羅諾夫斯基（Darren Aronofsky） 極具親密感的導演手法下，這部電影以 細膩而富有人性的故事，成為年度最具吸引力的劇情片之一。

然而，電影的 沉重基調（bleak tone） 和 壓抑的主題（heavy subject matter） 可能不適合所有觀眾。但對於能與其 核心情感產生共鳴 的人來說，這將會是一場 難以忘懷的電影體驗，帶來深刻的思考與情感衝擊。

整體評分：8.5/10