Charlie, a self-destructive, morbidly obese English professor, has lost all connection with the outside world, as well as any desire for life.

He struggles to reconcile with his estranged daughter and with his own past. He longs for connection, acceptance, and support. He tries to break free not from physical immobility, but from dark thoughts and emotions.

The Whale conveys a message of humanity through characters who are neither good nor bad, who possess a rich and complex inner world. With their flaws, but also with the desire to love even when others fail to reciprocate.