Is the Oscar-nominated film The Whale fatphobic or a lifesaver?

When Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale premièred at the Venice Film Festival last September, it received a six-minute standing ovation — largely for Brendan Fraser’s performance as the 600-pound Charlie, a man so enormous that he’s confined to his apartment and can only stand with the aid of his walking frame.

Not everyone has applauded The Whale. The film, adapted from the play by Samuel D. Hunter, came under fire before production even began — particularly for casting the straight, comparatively standard-sized Brendan Fraser as a gay man suffering from severe obesity. Critics and commentators have since accused The Whale of being “fatphobic” and making a freak show-like spectacle of Charlie’s body.

There has been particular criticism for the film’s use of a 300-pound fat suit — the kind of thing that’s usually reserved for mocking roly-poly comedy characters, such as Monica in Friends or The Nutty Professor.

But The Whale has also found support from advocacy groups and medical professionals. And from the perspective of a man with lifelong weight issues — pushing 108 kg on a 5-foot-8 frame — The Whale struck me as both powerful and confrontational. So, why has The Whale been so divisive?