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Jodie Foster's visual instincts and Mel Gibson's all-in performance sell this earnest, straightforward movie. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Walter Black (Mel Gibson), the head of a failing toy company, is deeply depressed. His marriage to Meredith (Jodie Foster) is broken and his oldest son, Porter (Anton Yelchin), hates him. When Meredith finally throws him out of the house, Walter begins his final tailspin. Drunk and alone, Walter is about to commit suicide -- but is saved by the voice of the beaver puppet he found in a dumpster. Wearing the puppet on his hand, Walter speaks only through it and tries to get his life on track.
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Rating: PG-13 (Language|A Drug Reference|Mature Thematic Material|Sexuality|Some Disturbing Content)
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Genre: Drama
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Original Language: English
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Director: Jodie Foster
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Producer: Steve Golin, Keith Redmon, Ann Ruark
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Writer: Kyle Killen
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Release Date (Theaters): limited
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $958.3K
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Summit Entertainment
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Production Co: Anonymous Content
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Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for The Beaver
Critic Reviews for The Beaver
Audience Reviews for The Beaver
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I found this a very dark, moving tale of a man trapped in his own private emotional nightmare who finds a way out that causes every one around him to withdraw. Mel Gibson was superb as the man, Walter Black. When we meet Walter, his business is in the tank, his son hates him, and he finds himself in a pit of depression in which even getting out of bed is an unmanageable chore. He finds a discarded puppet, and through self-therapy begins to find a way forward. If that's all there was to it, this would be pretty light fare. But there are unforeseen obstacles that lead this into ever darker places and becomes a much deeper, and better, film because of it. The acting is superb. Mel Gibson turns in a very believable performance of the man who resorts to extreme measures in order to win his freedom. Jodie Foster, who also directed, plays his bewildered wife; Anton Yelchin is his entrepreneurial son; and Jennifer Lawrence plays an over-achiever dealing with her own demons. I was completely engrossed in this tale and found it one that is not easily dismissed.
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The film was so so. In a weird way, the film kind of reminded me of Ted. The problem that I had with the film is that I felt that Mel Gibson wasn't the right actor for the film. I didn't like his beaver voice either. I think another actor like Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, or Robin Williams could have done a much better job with the role. Also I felt the film was a bit unfocused. I was more fascinated by the Anton Yelchin storyline than the Beaver storyline. Acting wise, Anton Yechln is great as the son of Foster and Gibson. He steals the film. Jennifer Lawrence is great in the film too. She has a great on screen chemistry with Anton. Jodie is ok as Mel's wife. I thought she did an ok job directing.
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In "The Beaver," Walter Black(Mel Gibson), the CEO of a toy company he inherited from his father, has been feeling so depressed lately that he spends most of his time asleep. In the meantime, his youngest, Henry(Riley Thomas Stewart), has ambitions of becoming invisible one day while teenaged Porter(Anton Yelchin) writes term papers for his fellow students, with his latest assignment being a valedictorian adress for Norah(Jennifer Lawrence), a cheerleader. Walter's wife, Meredith(Jodie Foster, who also directed), an engineer, has had enough and kicks him out of the house. This only makes matters worse as he attempts suicide twice before coming to his senses, more or less, with the help of a hand puppet. Despite having its share of absurd comedy, overall there is nothing funny about the way "The Beaver" delicately handles the sensitive subject of depression and those affected by it but thankfully not in a 'Glee'/PSA sort of way. Here, there are no easy answers with a rollercoaster being a neat metaphor, beyond just how scary they are. In this intimate drama, that's not the only subject under consideration as Norah's parallel story helps explore other lines of thought like finding your own true voice and dealing with impossible expectations, often inherited. And say what you will about Mel Gibson, but I have always felt he is an underrated actor(however, as a director he makes James Cameron look positively nuanced) and he does an excellent job here with very difficult material while Jennifer Lawrence threatens to steal the movie out from under him.
walter m Super Reviewer -
Firmly directed by Jodie Foster and with a heartfelt performance by Gibson, this is an interesting drama about a depressed man suffering from schizophrenia and projecting part of his personality into a puppet. Even so, the script is unfocused and has an easy, sappy conclusion.
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