Part 4/10:
One of the most notable opposing voices came from Rolling Stone film critic Katie Rife. After attending the film's premiere, she took to Twitter with a series of comments warning audiences, especially those with personal experiences related to body image or eating disorders, against viewing the movie.
Her criticism argued that The Whale reinforces harmful stereotypes — suggesting that obese individuals are objects of pity and that their suffering is self-inflicted due to lack of coping skills. Rife contended that the film portrays Charlie enduring verbal abuse and contemplating suicide by overeating, which she described as potentially triggering, especially for viewers with bulimia or binge-eating histories.