Whale Talk (2021) provides us with a peek into an insomniac couple's unsuccessful efforts to fall asleep. After what has clearly been a long night, Travis suggests a friend's tip - listening to whale noises. As these haunting notes fill the room, Robert Murphy becomes uncomfortable, wondering what they might be talking about.
Alternatingly hilarious and thought-provoking, Travis and Robert-Murphy effortlessly weave through this conversation. With few words, Travis paints a full picture of the loving, if a bit exasperated, boyfriend working to solve their affliction. Robert-Murphy fully fleshes out her own character, showing every side of this dramatically empathetic woman. Their chemistry is evident, their words flowing with an intimate ease.
And most interesting is the film's meta conversation with its audience. "Well what if there was a microphone in here recording everything we were talking about?" Robert-Murphy asks at one point, her distress plain. She means it to criticize the recording of the whales, who didn't consent to their voices being broadcast to help them sleep. But it poses an uncomfortable question to the film's viewers, who are in fact watching this couple's banter, their every word caught by a microphone. Robert-Murphy's practically cheeky tone winks back at us, waiting for us to get the joke. Even if we don't, the film is a success, packing a memorable relationship, funny lines and a relatable conflict into its less than two minute run time. But once we do, it reveals itself a compelling commentary on our shamelessly voyeuristic viewership.
