Brendan Fraser portrays a guy who is limited to his little apartment due to severe obesity in Darren Aronofsky’s new film The Whale, which premiered at the recent Venice Film Festival and received a 6-minute standing ovation.
The movie received mostly positive reviews. Brendan Fraser’s performance, in particular, can earn him a nomination for the following Academy Awards.
However, a debate erupted online in response to specific Tweets from Katie Rife, a writer for well-known publications including Rolling Stone and Vulture. They discouraged obese people from attending the film.
I can’t recommend in good conscience that fat people watch The Whale. I can’t recommend that skinny people watch it either, since it reinforces the notion that fat people are objects of pity who have brought their suffering upon themselves through lack of coping skills. #TIFF22
— Katie Rife (@RifewithKatie) September 12, 2022
