The Whale (2022)

Written by Peter McGinn on April 25, 2023

At least partly because this movie was based on a play, most of the action takes place in one room. Of course, the nature of the character’s health issues makes it hard for him to move around, but I think the limited setting worked against the film. Maybe it is just my eyes getting older, but the cinematography of The Whale seems to follow the current trend of being dark, dark, dark. Are they desperate to show the mood through lighting, were they trying to simulate the inside of a whale’s stomach, or is it less expensive to film in the gloomy interiors, or what? Would it kill them to turn on a light now and again?

Anyway, the movie tugs at the appropriate heartstrings and throws a curve here and there, and is an excellent work of drama noir.