Read Positive User Reviews for The Beaver

9

cluetrainMay 6, 2011

I went to go see this movie because I'm a Jodie Foster fan but what really impressed me was Mel Gibson. There is already some preliminary Oscar buzz surrounding Mel's performance which is little surprise after seeing what he invested in thisI went to go see this movie because I'm a Jodie Foster fan but what really impressed me was Mel Gibson. There is already some preliminary Oscar buzz surrounding Mel's performance which is little surprise after seeing what he invested in this very unusual role.… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

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10

thebigswitchMay 6, 2011

When it comes to Mel Gibson, there seems to be a ton of hate masqerading as righteous indignation these days. Quite honestly, this is an excellent film and I hope that people don't let the controversy surrounding Gibson's personal life getWhen it comes to Mel Gibson, there seems to be a ton of hate masqerading as righteous indignation these days. Quite honestly, this is an excellent film and I hope that people don't let the controversy surrounding Gibson's personal life get in the way of appreciating an exceedingly well crafted story that deserves to be seen.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

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10

christina_bMay 8, 2011

Why isn't this movie playing in more theaters? I had to drive two hours just to see it but I must say the trip was worth it. Jodie Foster is an awesome director and actress. Her screen chemistry with Mel Gibson is undeniable as these twoWhy isn't this movie playing in more theaters? I had to drive two hours just to see it but I must say the trip was worth it. Jodie Foster is an awesome director and actress. Her screen chemistry with Mel Gibson is undeniable as these two were both great in Maverick together as well.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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10

SammyWongMay 6, 2011

I've always known Mel Gibson was a talented actor but I had no idea to what degree until I saw this film. His portrayal of Walter Black is ineffably poignant and Oscar worthy in my humble opinion. Kudos to Jodie Foster for pulling off aI've always known Mel Gibson was a talented actor but I had no idea to what degree until I saw this film. His portrayal of Walter Black is ineffably poignant and Oscar worthy in my humble opinion. Kudos to Jodie Foster for pulling off a film that took great courage to make.… Expand

10 of 12 users found this helpful102

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10

wendy0May 6, 2011

Personally, I'm tired of all the hypocritical and gratuitous Mel Gibson bashing. I really enjoyed this film and highly recommend it to anyone that is tired of the typical Hollywood fare.

8 of 10 users found this helpful82

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7

ShiiraJun 11, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "You take everyone's suffering and turn it into gold," Lucy complains to her misanthropic brother-in-law, a Phillip Roth-like novelist in Woody Allen's "Deconstructing Harry", and it goes without saying that it's Allen who plays the unscrupulous writer. If read as a coded apology to his former lover, the line then becomes tantamount to a mea culpa, since in real life, as Allen's fans know, his films often contain autobiographical elements, none more so than "Husbands & Wives", the 1992 psychodrama that arrived in theaters on the heels of the Soon-Yi scandal, in which ardent Woody-philes lined up to go watch their hero work out his relationship issues in a diegesis fraught with transparency, unbeknownst to Mia Farrow, the filmmaker's live-in lover, whose adopted daughter he started sleeping with. Farrow's situation was unprecedented and unenviable, a celluloidal public humiliation perpetuated by Allen in a film where he lies self-referentially toward questions pertaining to fidelity. Playing Gabe to Farrow's Judy, the literature professor tells the wife that his young female students "don't want an old man." Attracted to what a friend describes as "kamikaze women"(a reference to Previn's Asian background), Gabe Roth pursues a younger woman, a promising student writer(played by Juliette Lewis), who in a self-revelatory scene at a taxi dispatch office, is seen retrieving a lost manuscript alongside Allen through tinted glass with an ominous "Beware of the Dog" sign pointedly hanging out front, as a sort of stealth warning to Farrow about his unforgivable betrayal that would soon be coming to light. In "Bullets Over Broadway", Allen fatuously declares that "an artist creates his own moral universe." Three years later, the amoralist, in a more humble and contrite mode, as Harry Block, admits that he "can't function well in life but can in art," words which never rang truer for Mel Gibson, who during production on "The Beaver", exercised his right as an artist to create his own circle of hell. Same as the Allen film, the appeal of this curio by the former Clarice Sterling lies in its baggage, which in this case, comes in the form of those infamous phone calls that a very drunk Gibson placed to his Russian girlfriend, which in turn, transforms ordinary scenes into confessional performance art, such as the one where Walter Black, using the dissociate hand puppet to perform an intervention on himself, given the context of his personal life, becomes a real self-introspective moment, therefore blurring the line between drama and documentary. When the beaver tells the depressed CEO of a successful toy company to "blow up" his life and "start again", he might as well be talking to Gibson himself, who apparently took the hand puppet's advice as motivation to blow up at Grigorieva over a series of menacing wireless exchanges; at one point telling the mother of his child that if she "gets raped by a pack of n******, it's your fault." Is it possible that the actor, under the influence of alcohol and, perhaps, the devil, could no longer make the distinction between where make-believe ended and real life began? When Gibson assaulted Grigorieva in their home(alluded to in the tapes where he hits the accomplished pianist in the face while holding Gibson's child), it's as if he was following the beaver's instructions to "blow up the whole bloody building." And yet, in spite of the tapes, people still tolerate him, boorish behavior and whatnot, as evidenced by he hero's welcome he received at the most-recent Cannes Film Festival where "The Beaver" had its world premiere. If you're a celebrity, or a person with the clout to wield power, like Gibson's counterpart Walter Black, the face of a multi-million corporation, you can get away with murder, or the considerably lesser crime of addressing your employees in tandem with a movable piece of anthropomorphic fabric. Surrendering control to the beaver, Walter's alter-ego, who carries "the negative aspects of his personality", rescues the slumping toy manufacturer by rolling out the improbably popular "Mr. Beaver's Woodcutting Kit", a product that has the metaphorical possibilities of being the Gibson-directed fluke hit "The Passion of the Christ". After all, the toy comes complete with a hammer(present during the crucifixion scene) and a chisel, which when used in concert with the hammer on the kit-supplied block of wood, a child could then produce a cross. "The Beaver", when all is said and done, allows Gibson to skirt personal responsibility and blame the reviled film and his domestic violence tendencies against women on a doppleganger. As an apology of sorts for all his past transgressions, in typical Gibson style, Walter tortures himself, cutting off his own hand with a bandsaw. The real Mel Gibson didn't call his girlfriend a c*** and a w****, or blame the Jews for killing Christ. That was the puppet talking.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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8

HalfwelshmanFeb 5, 2012

Quite understandably for a film about the affects of depression, The Beaver isn't the most cheerful viewing experience. Yes there is the odd laugh to be had, but generally, it maintains a rather, dark, sombre tone throughout. Mel Gibson, inQuite understandably for a film about the affects of depression, The Beaver isn't the most cheerful viewing experience. Yes there is the odd laugh to be had, but generally, it maintains a rather, dark, sombre tone throughout. Mel Gibson, in one of the finest, most complex and pitch-perfect performances of his career, plays Walter Black, a seriously depressed owner of a toy company who uses a battered old beaver hand puppet as an outlet to communicate with the world, and as a tool to escape from the clutches of depression. Gibson handles the role with great respect for the subject matter, never over-playing the oddness of his character, but sensitively acknowledging Walter's problems and the only way he is able to deal with them. The rest of the cast also make their mark on the film, with Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence all impressing as Walter's increasingly frustrated wife Meredith, his alienated and depressed eldest son Porter, and Norah, the secretive and troubled romantic interest of Porter respectively. While the main focus of the story is Walter dealing with depression, the side-plots involving the other core characters are all compelling, and all add extra depth to the story. Jodie Foster's minimalistic but highly competent direction, and Kyle Killen's honest and emotive screenplay also help to make the film hugely enjoyable. My only real criticism of The Beaver is the jarringly over-the-top and unnecessarily rushed final act. Here, the usually level-headed Foster seems determined to tie up all loose ends as quickly as possible whilst giving the film a shock ending, which it really doesn't need. Up until this point, The Beaver's leisurely pace and very gradual development of its characters were what made it work as a film, and the sudden change of pace and tone doesn't quite fit with what came before. Despite this, The Beaver remains a brave, intelligent, and unconventional family drama, with a bit of black comedy thrown in, that deals with an often ignored or misunderstood subject with real care and insight. It's just such a tragedy this project surfaced when it did, as I'm sure it would have received more recognition had Mel Gibson not provoked such controversy in the headlines in recent years. This should have been the crowning glory of his hugely varied career, not his apology to the world.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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8

DavidPMay 17, 2011

Titles are so important! This is an very original and wonderful film that is unfortunately saddled with a very frivolous sounding title. It sounds silly and cartoonish (though not inappropriate) and is therefore misleading. This is a seriousTitles are so important! This is an very original and wonderful film that is unfortunately saddled with a very frivolous sounding title. It sounds silly and cartoonish (though not inappropriate) and is therefore misleading. This is a serious and very well acted film that alas, will do poor box office. Too bad. A better title would have helped.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

hoops2448Sep 17, 2011

Mel Gibson is many things. Be them a little nuts or just plain silly but it cannot be argued that he isn't an incredibly talented actor. Walter Black may well be his best character as he skillfully portrays him as someone clearly searchingMel Gibson is many things. Be them a little nuts or just plain silly but it cannot be argued that he isn't an incredibly talented actor. Walter Black may well be his best character as he skillfully portrays him as someone clearly searching for the light at the end of the tunnel as it keeps getting further away due to his imploding family. However its not just Gibson who is excellent with both Jennifer Lawrence and Anton Yelchin giving sensational performances as people bubbling under the surface, unable to express the pain within. The film isn't meant to raise the roof so it doesn't aspire to but a little more acceptance of the ludicrous nature of the story could have helped lighten what can be seen as a maudlin ending while still providing something to think about when you finish.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

StaticSpineNov 14, 2014

Do not be decieved, this is not a comedy about a puppet beaver or something like that. This is a serious and sad movie about a terminally depressed man. Can't say this is a masterpiece, but still a good one.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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10

slayde11Aug 1, 2016

While this movie contains some comic elements, it is most certainly not a "comedy" -- but it is a very insightful and poignant movie. The plot device of a beaver puppet is used to convey the ways various characters (and hint - all of us) "damWhile this movie contains some comic elements, it is most certainly not a "comedy" -- but it is a very insightful and poignant movie. The plot device of a beaver puppet is used to convey the ways various characters (and hint - all of us) "dam up" crucial parts of themselves. And across the board, every performance is impressive -- from the tragically-late-and-great Anton Yelchin as elder son Porter, who would like to dissociate himself from Dad completely; to the always-brilliant Jodie Foster (also director) as a mom and wife at her wits' end; to the unexpectedly astonishing Mel Gibson as the two-in-one character of Walter Black and ... a beaver hand-puppet. Yes, Gibson is tasked with playing two completely different but oddly fused characters, most often in the same frame. He pulls off a flawless cockney accent; plus amusingly droll bits, incredibly poignant moments, and practically everything in between. A peculiar premise, maybe -- but a very, very good little film. Cherry Jones and Jennifer Lawrence round out the cast quite capably and engagingly.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

wishmasterNov 4, 2011

Something weird and crazy movie, but it keeps you wondering how to finish this story about a very dysfunctional family does not really disappoint me, moved me and really makes me think of how we treat people around us, and feel their problemsSomething weird and crazy movie, but it keeps you wondering how to finish this story about a very dysfunctional family does not really disappoint me, moved me and really makes me think of how we treat people around us, and feel their problems and weaknesses. very good, and who does not like this movie is a **** beaver… Expand