Mark Kermode reviews The Whale - Kermode and Mayo's Take

#MarkKermode #SimonMayo #FilmReviews

[jonminton]

This is a really good example of expert critics politely disagreeing. Great to see.

[profondorostock]

Kermode and Robbie Collin doing a Siskel and Ebert? I love it!! Bring on more of this team.

[LJScott]

Really enjoyed this co-host. Hope we see him more in the future.

[bazztown]

We need much more of Robbie on the podcast .. he is so informed and well read .. great to see !

[DarrenBates]

Can we have Robbie Collin on with Kermode every week? Absolutely incredible.

[flynnlong]

I personally found The Whale to be a very true to experience of depression. As someone with depression, I found alot of myself in the character and did not feel the film to be a freak show of disgust, rather more a dramatic and emotional retelling of pain and conscious self destruction.

Will agree that the ending was rather "oh come on" for me aswell however.

Additionall, y having Robbie and Mark giving two articulate reviews of the film is fantastic. More of this please.

[tombillington]

Listening to Mark and Robbie talking about film is very nice. I never really take sides, I just listen to 2 people passionate about film and I think that presence would be something id like to see more of once in a while. I'll always love Kermode and Mayos married couple esque bickering aswell. That will never get old

[ryanandrews]

great discussion In the cinema I watched the Whale in everyone surrounding me, and it was a full house were in tears. People totally consumed with emotion, myself included. I thought the film was beautiful and well acted. So very different experience to Mark. It put a microscope on the self destructive nature of humans and showed the complexities of us as humans. We hurt ourselves and others, but at the same time can love so very hard. I'm going to put The Whale and Tar at the top of my list for 2023 so far.

[MrPhbahia]

this movie floored me, found it beautiful and moving, can’t believe he found it “grotesque”

[wendellarmbrusterjr]

This is just fantastic criticism. Please, more of this. Best film criticism on Youtube bar none. Well done.

[anthonymullinder]

The joy on Mark's face after the "Noah and The Whale" gag is worth this alone.

[MontecristotoValjean]

Please keep this format - it's a pleasure to hear these 2 guys debating

[thepepperpig]

Darren Aronofsky’s five greatest loves in life.

1) The Bible
2) The Bible
3) The Bible
4) Perfect Blue
5) The Bible

[humanrays]

In the end I had more sympathy for the nurse than anyone else in the film. Seemed like her help was wasted on someone more interested in making a "noble" sacrifice than actually being around to see his daughter grow up.

[EppyGibbon]

I saw 'The Whale' just over a week ago and was completely underwhelmed by it. And I say that as an Aronofsky fan and someone who likes Fraser very much as an actor. I thought Mark's review was spot-on and highlighted pretty much all my issues with the film, particularly how 'stagey' it feels. It will also be a shame if Colin Farrell doesn't win best actor awards if they go to Fraser instead. I think it's great to see Fraser back and he gives a good performance in 'The Whale', but personally I feel that it just doesn't compare with Farrell's work in 'Banshees...'.

[danmann]

It is a film more so about depression than it is a grotesque sideshow of a man binge eat himself to death. I was taken with the raw honesty of it. It doesn't shy away from depicting both the good and bad of Charlie. For as frustrating as it was at times, I found it to be rather human and sympathetic towards him. I appreciated that it didn't shy away from pointing out the worst aspects of Charlie, but it also humanized him as being someone who is terribly flawed. I found the film to be oddly compelling. To me, it's actually a good companion piece to Aronofsky's The Wrestler in as much as it explores the fractured father-daughter relationship.

I think taking such a likeable and charismatic actor as Fraser and putting him in this role of, dare I say, grotesque beauty is what makes it. Throughout the film, he is constantly asking "do you find me repulsive?" The film is asking audiences to empathize with a man that most would write off at a glance as nothing more than a sideshow freak while forgetting that there is a human being inside that shell. I think that's the genius of casting Fraser in such a role. It's challenging the audience to feel empathy for someone they may not feel empathy for.

As for the whole fat suit issue. I don't have a problem with it. Acting is all about dressing up and playing characters. How is this any different? We don't cast actual Royalty in the role of King Arthur so is it so grossly offensive for an actor to wear a fat suit and depict a morbidly obese character? I would argue it would be more problematic to actually have a 600 pound man in the role, not to mention it would truly become exploitative of their disease.

This nonsense is just that, nonsense. Not everything needs to be about representation. I say this as a man who has gone from 225kg to 190kg (and counting) in 6 months of working out and lifestyle changing. I'm not offended by an actor wearing a fat suit. I never have been, I never will be. Because that's exactly what acting is.

[Roofe]

I think Mark not even acknowledging anything about Frasers performance is very harsh.

[DCI-Frank-Burnside]

I don't mind having my heartstrings shamelessly plucked. Love a good weepy.

[redballoonluke]

Amazing duo. It would be great to bring Robbie in and have Simon as the host/referee with Mark and Robbie doing their thing. That would be the perfect trio.

[rhal]

Didn't expect Mark to dislike both the film & the performance. He makes some good points here. But I think the director did a good job & I loved it.