REVIEW: ‘The Whale’ portrays a distressing but ultimately uplifting story enhanced by fantastic performances

Despite being a fantastic film, “The Whale” leaves the audience with no desire to watch it again anytime soon. It’s smartly written, fully utilizing a small and nuanced cast of characters. Yet it is also not afraid to make the viewer uncomfortable, with a building sense of dread created by the film’s soundtrack and dark subject matter. Although it will certainly not be as controversial as director Darren Aronofsky’s previous film, “Mother!,” the slow pacing and oppressive atmosphere of “The Whale” make the movie less approachable than the average popcorn flick.