What happens in THE WHALE

An essay on the film from Darren Aronofsky

Photo by Michael Blum on Unsplash

When The Whale opens, it immediately apologizes for its aspect ratio, while at the same time letting the decision explain itself: what you are about to see will be a reduction of a life into a square box. A single black square bears the emblem, “Instructor,” among a sea of squares containing faces. The voice of Brendan Fraser combines with the…