Hmmmmm.....Mel Gibson. What can you say that hasn't already been said in the many column inches over the past five years? Let's summarise: trainwreck. Will The Beaver be able to revive his career? It's really hard to say - he is quite brilliant in this movie, but I don't think that many people will see it and he has said/done some pretty horrendous things. What is also undeniable is the fact that the character of Walter Black is hardly a stretch for him at the moment - a definite case of art imitating life it would seem. So is it any good? It's pretty good. Should you go see it? Yes if you like touching family dramas, no if you're just going for the weirdness.
I must admit I went to a free preview screening of this because I thought I probably wouldn't pay to go see it given the plethora of other movies coming out around the same time that I could easily convince others to see. I also thought it was going to be quite weird and a bit "showy" but it wasn't really. The humour is very dark indeed but much more uplifting and positive than I initially thought.
There is quite a lot of plot. Walter Black is a depressed man who has inherited the management of the family's toy company which has declined in sales in recent years. His depression has worsened and he is sleepwalking through his life, essentially ignoring his wife (Jodie Foster who also directed) and two sons - Porter and Henry. Both Porter and Henry have retreated through lack of attention. Henry is only a small child but Porter is a teen in his final year at high school and his methods of coping are quite interesting (post it notes to remind him of his Dad's habits that he does not want to follow). When Meredith kicks Walter out, he hits rock bottom and attempts to commit suicide. It's not giving anything away to say that he fails, thanks to a hand puppet he found in a dumpster who saves his life. The Beaver. The Beaver gives Walter some very good advice, all delivered in a delightful British Cockney accent. As Walter starts taking The Beaver's advice, he starts to get his life and relationships back on track thanks to a ruse that the puppet is a radical therapy program by his counsellor. But how long can it last and how will it end? There is only so long you can talk through a hand puppet and nothing else and not be chucked in a mental institution. Porter is also not buying it at all, preoccupied with his exit strategy from his family life (making money to go on a trip to places that have changed the world) and trying to impress a girl he likes.
Quite a bit of time is spent following Porter and his interaction with classmate Norah, a seemingly perfect girl with a family secret of her own, and his lack of interaction with his Dad. At first I thought it strange to spend so much time away from the main character, particularly one as unusual as The Beaver, but looking back I think the movie is definitely making a comment on boy's relationships with their Dads and how it shapes their relationships with their sons, forward through time. So it makes sense to see things from both their points of view. Too much of The Beaver might also be too much, as funny as he is (not intentionally).
Mel Gibson obviously has the life experience to imbue Walter with a real sadness, a weariness with the world and the standard methods of helping people with depression or mental illness. His heart throb status is definitely waning, he looks quite worn and weary in the movie's many facial close ups. Perfect for the character. Anton Yelchin (who excellently played the young John Connor in Terminator 4) is a great contrast as Porter - young and fresh in a very non-typical teen male role for a Hollywood film. Jodie Foster is good in support but I thought she didn't really give herself much to do. Although the father-son focus does sideline the husband-wife possibilities anyway. Her reactions to Walter's behaviour are very authentic. And The Beaver? He gives a great performance, however it's really Mel. Apparently he really did all of his own puppeteering and I have to say there is a lot of it and apparently his hand cramped up a lot. But the miming of the puppet's mouth with his own words (and other things) is spot on and was a source of enjoyment for me and others in the audience.
This is not a movie that you you really "enjoy" (one of my fave words) but it was thoughtful, warm and touching. My lovely mother-in-law E was wiping away a little tear at the end and I could definitely see why. The ending is not probably what you would expect either upfront or halfway through, but it is tear worthy. It's a high quality film and something different from the norm if you're sick of blockbusters and raunchy comedies. Will it change the way you feel about Mel? Probably not.
* I know I've skipped movie # 14 (Hanna) but I am waiting until closer to the release date to put that one up.
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