The Beaver
2011 Directed by Jodie Foster
Synopsis
He's here to save Walter's life.
Suffering from a severe case of depression, toy company CEO Walter Black (Mel Gibson) begins using a beaver hand puppet to help him open up to his family. With his father seemingly going insane, adolescent son Porter (Anton Yelchin) pushes for his parents to get a divorce. Jodie Foster directs and co-stars as Walter's wife in this dark comedy that also features Riley Thomas Stewart and Jennifer Lawrence.
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What can I say about this film? Well lets see. Director Jodie Foster does a good job of keeping it from being shit, but apparently that took up all of the resources because it never makes it into good territory. Post anit-semitic remark (for now) Mel Gibson does a decent job I guess. I mean he spends pretty much the entire movie talking with a British Accent through a beaver hand puppet so I guess it depends on what you make of that. Jodie Foster plays his concerned wife, there's a teenage son, (Anton Yelchin) and Jennifer Lawrence makes an appearance as a love interest for the son. It's really about mental illness I guess, but it just never gets very entertaining or interesting hence the 2 1/2 star average rating. It's a film I'd suggest giving a shot though because you may get more out of than I did.
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Ridiculous script. The performances are fine but the worst crime: wasting Jennifer Lawrence. Absolutely wasting her. Anton Yelchin's character is stupid. The head-banging on wall was a joke. Gibson had a few good moments, beaver and him getting close. Think of that what you may.
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A truly touching movie about mental illness, what it takes to escape mental illness and the cost on one's family of both the illness and the cure.
Mel Gibson is back in the acting saddle again, and better than ever. Honestly with such a stellar cast, this movie couldn't go wrong, and with Jodie Foster's capable, if not brilliant, hand at directing, this is a solid win.
Still, I wish that the film had more discussion about the family's rejection of Walter's chosen path out of his illness. Perhaps he is exchanging one mental illness for another... but he was generally successful with that second illness. What makes a mental illness? Making another person uncomfortable? Being abnormal in society? I…
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I never knew the big son-of-a-bitch could act.
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On its initial release every review of The Beaver focused on the imploding private life of its star, Mel Gibson. Even though he has been on a cinematic rehabilitation of late it is still impossible to separate his character here and his well documented personal meltdown, almost to the point that you don’t view the person on screen as a fictional character at all.
It is this fact that overshadows everything about the film. You are constantly being reminded about Gibson the man rather than the actor which takes away from some good work. Yelchin and Lawrence have a rather sweet subplot together which, whilst below both of their talents, still manages to shine. Foster’s direction is unspectacular but solid…
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¨This is what I believe right now: there is someone who is with you, someone who is willing to pick you up, dust you off, kiss you, forgive you, carry you, love you. So while everything may not be okay, one thing I know is true, you do not have to be alone.¨
This is Jodie Foster`s first directorial film in the last 15 years and what a risky project she decided to undertake. First of all the subject matter: a depressed man living with a puppet in his hand isn't exactly attractive for audiences; it`s a hard sell. And the second major risk she took was trusting Mel Gibson as the lead role after all the scandals that he…
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A truly touching movie about mental illness, what it takes to escape mental illness and the cost on one's family of both the illness and the cure.
Mel Gibson is back in the acting saddle again, and better than ever. Honestly with such a stellar cast, this movie couldn't go wrong, and with Jodie Foster's capable, if not brilliant, hand at directing, this is a solid win.
Still, I wish that the film had more discussion about the family's rejection of Walter's chosen path out of his illness. Perhaps he is exchanging one mental illness for another... but he was generally successful with that second illness. What makes a mental illness? Making another person uncomfortable? Being abnormal in society? I…
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The film is original, features a very good performance from Mel Gibson, good dialogue, well-crafted characters, and even if it is kind of slow, it has the most important thing for this type of movie: heart.
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¨This is what I believe right now: there is someone who is with you, someone who is willing to pick you up, dust you off, kiss you, forgive you, carry you, love you. So while everything may not be okay, one thing I know is true, you do not have to be alone.¨
This is Jodie Foster`s first directorial film in the last 15 years and what a risky project she decided to undertake. First of all the subject matter: a depressed man living with a puppet in his hand isn't exactly attractive for audiences; it`s a hard sell. And the second major risk she took was trusting Mel Gibson as the lead role after all the scandals that he…
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Mr. Gibson. Honestly?
The once superstar, with such movies as Mad Max, Lethal Weapon and What Women Want on his brass, has oficially entered the low point of his career in The Beaver... It's not a pretty sight.- Bjørn Ove
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As bizarre as the concept sounds... I do really think there is something here, and the script is brinking on the edge of something great. But perhaps with Gibson signed they decided not to push it in the right direction, and instead use it as a thin veil for his comeback? But regardless, its not bad and its an interesting concept. Gibson is suprisngly strong, and Foster's direction is solid. It just isn't as a funny as you'd hope, and the drama doesn't click and synch like it should.
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@Camdun_Roar: Unfortunate that Mel has such demons cause he's such a talent.The film felt like two different stories smashed together 7.75/10
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Enkele jaren geleden scheerde het scenario van 'The beaver' hoge toppen in de Black List, de jaarlijks gepubliceerde lijst van beste scenario's die hun ronde doen in Hollywood. Het scenario en de centrale pitch van 'The beaver' (man communiceert naar de buitenwereld bij monde van een handpop) is er inderdaad ééntje waar je alle kanten mee op kunt: ofwel wordt het een volbloed komedie (Jim Carrey en Steve Carrell werden aanvankelijk getipt als acteur en Jay Roach ('Meet the parents') als regisseur) ofwel wordt het een psychologisch portret van een man die alle houvast verliest. De versie waar regisseuse Jodie Foster voor kiest weet in elk geval niet goed van welk hout pijlen te snijden waardoor 'The beaver' een film…
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Well there was certainly something here, but boy did the script fumble it.
The concept (depression sometimes has crazy effects on people and manifests itself in different ways, there are no easy answers) is good. The four leads are all more than capable actors. Large sections of the movie actually work, but the moments that don't are so egregious it made me question how much I'd really been enjoying the movie.
I had expected that if I could get past the ridiculous concept of a psychologist prescribing a beaver puppet (and a Cockney accent) as therapy, I'd be in the clear. Instead, there are some insane leaps made, along with monologues that try to be deeper than they are. The Anton Yelchin / Jennifer Lawrence subplot has problems in other areas, mostly by being super predictable.
I still enjoyed the film, but that probably has more to do with my fondness for all-consuming depression than any coherence of the script.
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A very odd film. Totally worth watching but a little weird all the same.