The Whale is a heavy, single-room drama that feels more like a play than a movie. It’s a showcase for some of the best acting you’ll ever see, but it is relentlessly bleak. If you're looking for a 'feel-good' Friday night, this isn't it. This is a 'sit-in-silence-for-ten-minutes-after-the-credits' kind of film.

For parents, this is a tool for building empathy in older teens. It’s hard to watch, but it’s also hard to forget. It’s a movie about the messiness of being human, the weight of our mistakes, and the desperate hope that we can do one right thing before we’re gone.