Unni Krishnan H

Whale: A Story to Heaven. Films start with an essay class where in the instructor is explaining about how to write an essay. The instructor’s camera doesn’t work as he hides behind the webcam. The character, Charlie, hides himself from his students as he finds himself disgusting. Charlie had a partner for whom he leaves his eight year old daughter which impacts Ellie’s view of the world largely. She finds the world disgusting and against her as her own father left her for his love. Can we actually justify Ellie’s claim for her father? As we say the world is built on love, let Charlie be with his love. We can’t find an answer! If you do, you have come to a conclusion about the theme portrayed here. I found it difficult to be on any one side. On expanding, the film goes on to show the problems Charlie faces as an obese lone person. He calls her daughter as he knows it’s his last day. He wants to spend time with his daughter who still carries the hate for her dad. We also see Charlie clinging to an essay on the famous story of Moby Dick which calms him down at points of near-death experiences. At the end of the movie, it is revealed that the essay was written by Ellie. Throughout the film, Ellie is rebellious and hateful towards her dad, but at the end of the movie, she acknowledges his love by mentioning him for the first time as “Daddy”. Charlie at his last moment requests Ellie to read the essay. As she reads the essay, Charlie gets up, walks towards Ellie with tearful eyes, and meets his end gracefully. Charlie knows he made mistakes in his life which he tries to undo during his last days reminding us of the deeds that we have done in life. Let’s just keep it at that. Let me know what you all think of the movie!!!