‘Whalefall’ movie review: a claustrophobic, sentimental survival thriller anchored by a starmaking turn

Jay Gardiner, a trained diver grieving his father, is swallowed by a sperm whale while trying to recover his father’s body from the ocean floor. The film turns this high-concept predicament into a claustrophobic survival thriller, while tying Jay’s struggle to the unresolved tensions in their relationship.

Austin Abrams’s performance as Jay is the film’s anchor, bringing vulnerability and conviction to a story that sometimes takes implausible turns. Brian Duffield’s underwater imagery and selective flashbacks connect Jay’s survival decisions to what his father taught him; Josh Brolin gives a strong supporting performance as Mitt.