Brendan Fraser was a household name back in the day. The actor of The Mummy fame has acted in a host of well-known movies, including the likes of The George of Jungle and Journey to the Center of the Earth. The millennia changed but his fate didn’t, as he kept on giving blockbuster movies one after the other. But soon came a break, and a big one at that. Brendan Fraser was on an acting hiatus for well over a decade. But the actor has returned to the big screen with The Whale, and the project seems to be as magnanimously beautiful as its name.

Brendan Fraser’s career revitalized following his performance in The Whale

Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser impressed in The Whale

The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky, was released in early September this year. It was pegged to be the movie that would make the resurgence of Fraser’s derailed movie career. And it, without a doubt, did exactly that.

The movie was critically acclaimed by various critics. Fraser, who had to wear a fat suit to play the part of a 600-pound man for the role, won a lot of plaudits for it in particular. It earned a tearful standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere. The same unfolded at Toronto Film Festival, where he also won the TIFF Tribute Award.

Also Read: Brendan Fraser Is Reportedly Being Eyed For The Mummy 4

Katie Rife tears into Brendan Fraser’s movie

Katie Rife, the critic at the heart of the recent controversy
Katie Rife criticized The Whale

But there was one person in particular who wasn’t delighted with his work. Film critic, Katie Rife, advised everyone, ranging from one of the thin frames to plus-size viewers to abstain from watching the movie. The reason is the treatment meted out to a fat person in the film.

She tweeted,

“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.”

She even went on to caution people with an eating disorder. She continued in the thread:

“Massive red flags for EDs and fatphobia; the main character endures over an hour of the cruelest verbal abuse imaginable, and later tries to commit suicide by food. I have dealt with bulimia and binge eating disorder on and off for years, and found it incredibly triggering.”

Also Read: Why Disney is Making Encino Man Sequel – Movie That Gave Us the Legend Brendan Fraser

Katie Rife says The Whale was ignorant of sensitive issues

Brendan Fraser in The Whale
The Whale was insensitive to fat people, according to a critic

Katie Rife also claimed that there was no involvement of any fat person in this film. She recounted a scene from the film where the “protagonist is dying but refuses to go to the hospital even though he has money to pay the bills.”

She blasted the movie for the ignorance it promoted. She tweeted,

“The movie treats this as a combination of selflessness and suicidality, never considering the very obvious reason why a 650lb person would avoid doctors: IT’S CALLED MEDICAL FATPHOBIA YOU ABSOLUTE PR – – KS,”

She did note that Brendan Fraser was a class act in the movie. But that wasn’t enough to absolve the filmmakers for being ignorant of fat people.

And people have not taken the criticism well, who think Brendan Fraser has killed it with this role. They are not ready to hear anything.

What can’t be ignored is that Brendan Fraser has won a lot of acclaim for his role in The Whale. His career has got the rejuvenation it needed. Whereas, Katie Rife seems to be just one of those people who delve unnecessarily into a discourse to exploit it for clout.

Also Read: Brendan Fraser Looks Freaking Unrecognizable as Insane Transformation Sees Him Put On an Insane 600 Pounds for Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale

Source: New York Post 

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