Movie review
December 9, 2022 · 117 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The story centers on a gay English teacher whose life falls apart after he leaves his wife and daughter for his male lover, who kills himself because of fundamentalist Christian guilt and shaming over being gay. The narrative constantly returns to queer trauma, religious condemnation of homosexuality, and the protagonist’s self-destructive binge eating as a direct result. Dialogue features direct confrontations rejecting the missionary’s Bible-based attacks on gay people. The film portrays evangelical Christianity as the harmful force that destroys the gay partner and fuels the main character’s despair.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Whale.
Woke representation / casting
Gay protagonist with explicit LGBTQ scenes and relationship as core backstory element.
Woke political dialogue
Direct scenes confronting and rejecting religious condemnation of homosexuality.
Identity-driven story themes
Queer trauma from partner’s church-induced suicide drives the protagonist’s self-destruction and redemption arc.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Fundamentalist Christianity shown as cause of gay suicide, guilt, and family destruction.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Limited conservative notes on anti-Christian elements; main backlash is progressive fatphobia claims.
Creator track record context
Writer’s personal gay religious trauma experience directly informs content.
Production
