Female Film Critics 24/375
It’s great seeing Michelle Williams’ versatility, and she continues to prove she can play any role. This particular role just isn’t very memorable. Director Kelly Reichardt’s intention was to show a “funny portrait of art and craft.” Sadly, there’s not much humor or plot to Showing Up. The art is there, and it’s quite unique. But, none of the movie’s minor redeeming qualities can make up for the underwhelming character’s or story’s lack of intrigue.
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The Whale is not what you think. Yes, The Whale is the tale of a morbidly obese man, but it is so much more. Significantly, The Whale is about words and writing, teaching and fathering, eating and essaying. The film is a tight and poignant homage to friendship and love with words ebbing like waves on the shore.
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Brendan Fraser delivers a remarkable performance in the title role of Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale, adapted from his play by Samuel D. Hunter. Before we even glimpse his gigantic, 600-pound frame, we hear his gentle voice, teaching an English literature class on-line. Encased in a latex suit with digital prosthetics, designed by Adrien Morot, Fraser’s portrayal is inevitably minimalist, a choice that exudes pathos, even when he’s gobbling greasy pizza or devouring a bucket of fried chicken.
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The Whale is exceptional, brilliant, and mind-blowing. The concept itself is gut-wrenching. Darren Aronofsky does what he knows best – capturing the portrait of a broken human being and presenting it in the most devastating way. For that, he just needed to find the right actor and, Brendan Fraser was the chosen one. Don’t be surprised when he begins to grab one award after another because no one can match his level of acting this year – that’s what we all must be certain of.
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Three people, hardened to some degree by life’s challenges and disappointments, learn to trust in others, accept the regrets of life as it was, and find ways to move forward with faith and hope. There isn’t a hard bone in this poetic film’s body, and it is encouraging to see Asian Americans at the center of it.
Read moreActresses showed impressive range in a variety of roles at this year’s TIFF. Sure, people were talking about the incredible
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