Mel Gibson bares his demons in The Beaver, the dark family drama about Walter Black’s unusual route to redemption from depression. Gibson’s friend Jodie Foster directs and co-stars as his wife Meredith.
Gibson’s alcoholism has been marked by bigoted rants and assaults on a former girlfriend. The film’s release was delayed to allow public outrage to cool. But there’s another Gibson: the actor who delivered raw, poignant performances in The Man Without a Face and Conspiracy Theory, and the gifted director of the much darker Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
Gibson’s contrition is tangible as self-conscious, shambling Walter finds a ratty hand puppet in a dumpster. The use of The Beaver is bizarre and clever. Walter dubs him a “prescription puppet” who speaks to and for him in a cockney accent while the man comes to life. “I’m The Beaver, Walter, and I’m here to save your goddamned life.” Walter’s inner child is the only one who can save him.
Walter is a husband, father and toy company CEO who has checked out. Plagued by alcoholism and suicidal depression, his illness is generational. Gibson runs the gamut as Walter – vulnerable, withdrawn, submissive loser; effective CEO and sexual tiger; and raw, violent masochist. Like John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Walter exorcises his illness in his own way. He seems to battle his father’s demon too, hoping to spare his own sons a living hell.
The Beaver marks a return to the profound dramas (The Accused; Little Man Tate; Nell) that Oscar winner and director Foster is known for. She conveys grim dignity here, a muted, nervous mom unlike her espresso-driven characters in Panic Room and The Brave One.
Following her success in Taxi Driver, the legendary Foster won Best Actress for both The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs. She also received a Saturn Award for the sci-fi drama Contact. Foster, who has two sons, directed Little Man Tate and Home for the Holidays, recently starring in Nim’s Island.
“I make personal films,” the director said in a recent interview with indieWIRE. “When you know that you’re going to be on something for two years and it’s going to be the story of your life and you have to wake up at three in the morning and have ideas…it’s an obsession. In order to be obsessed with something, it has to be something that speaks from an incredibly primal place.”
It was brave to make a film so sunk in everyday darkness and despair. Walter eschews self-help books, therapy and drugs. He stopped seeing his shrink a year ago. Only his youngest son Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart) shares a pure, open connection with his Dad. It’s he who gives Walter a toy brain.
Anton Yelchin (Pavel Chekov in the 2009 Star Trek, and a repentant serial killer in Criminal Minds) plays cynical Porter Black who openly loathes his father. Porter sells term papers with great empathy. “I’m much better on paper,” he tells his friend Norah (Jennifer Lawrence). Oscar-nominated Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) plays a sensual cheerleader and 4.0 student who needs Porter to ghost her valedictorian’s speech.
Norah has a secret passion – tagging. “I like to do it big and fast,” she says of her graffiti art. Like so many artists, she paints from a cloud of tragedy and loss. Vulnerable and honest, both teens embrace grief. “Crazy is pretending to be happy,” says Porter.
The Beaver tackles big issues – mental illness; life meaning, and honoring our weirdness to become who we truly are. Walter is even willing to leave his family in the quest for self-love. When The Beaver is no longer needed, Walter must realize that he is not alone.
Gibson was "the first person I thought of" to play Walter Black, Foster told The New York Times. His turmoils gave him great insight into the character. Gibson "has a very, very rare quality to have lightness, to maintain charm but still go to a darker place.”
Foster just completed her part in Roman Polanski’s Carnage, and is about to start work on Elysium, a sci-fi thriller where she stars with Matt Damon.
First-time screenwriter Kyle Killen develops his fresh idea and approach while challenging audiences to grow. Spot-on editing and beautiful production values make an enduring film that embraces the dark monsters we work so hard to flee.
If you like The Beaver, you might enjoy: Win Win; City Island; In a Better World.
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The Beaver 2011 / PG-13 / 1 hour, 39 min
Cast Overview: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, Cherry Jones, Riley Thomas Stewart
Director: Jodie Foster
Genre: Drama
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