Unfortunately for Mel Gibson the recent storm in his private life has over-shadowed his acting. Once the darling of Hollywood with mega-hits galore it seems these days he is persona non-grata. Luckily for him there are still those like Jodie Foster wanting to utilise his skills. The Beaver affords him some form of redemption as it trails the nervous breakdown of a supposedly ‘normal’ family man. Hopefully with more fine roles as shown here his acting will become noted more than his notoriety.
Walter Black (Mel Gibson) is a depressed toy executive at the end of his tether. Kicked out by wife Meredith (Jodie Foster) and estranged from older son Porter (Anton Yelchin), his only saving grace is a Beaver puppet. Only communicating through it, his younger son Henry (Riley Thomas Stuart) loves the new imaginary addition. Learning to be more open with his feelings Walter sees the pattern of his life and endeavours to correct past mistakes in order to find peace in his troubled mind.
The Beaver is quite a disturbing movie from Jodie Foster. Directing her third feature she explores issues of mental deterioration and depression not subjects usually forming the basis for comedy. That Jodie manages to mix humour within the dramatic premise is a testament to her abilities. More remarkable is how she ensures the performances with the story maintaining an element of genuine truth. The bizarre notion of a puppet becoming a conduit for a person’s emotions and cure is expertly handled despite the occasional heavy handiness in expressing its themes.
Mel Gibson manages to convey the despair and conflict of his character very well. In what must be one of his more challenging performances, he shows he can be a fine actor when applying himself. He is well served by his co-stars with Yelchin playing an almost younger version of Gibson’s character fighting his own demons and the supposed curse his family endures.
The Beaver provides a good essay into some serious issues and does so in an effective and engaging manner. While his personal troubles have been tumultuous to say the least, Mel Gibson should be thankful his professional life continues to be well served by good works such as this.
Movie Review Rating 7 /10
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
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