From Mad Max to Lethal Weapon and even Hamlet, Mel Gibson has played variations of crazy characters. Gibson’s latest effort, The Beaver, which has him, portraying a middle-aged man who attempts to deal with his debilitating depression by communicating through a beaver hand puppet is one of his strangest. Despite the films many flaws, Gibson’s portrayal of Walter Black is one of restraint, suggesting some understanding of how depression makes people check out of daily life.
The third directorial effort from Jodie Foster, who also plays Walter’s wife Meredith, The Beaver is most effective when focused on the effect Walter’s depression has on his family and its hereditary nature. Foster and screenwriter Kyle Killen neither romanticize Walter’s illness nor cater to it. Walter’s feels empty because of circumstances beyond his control. The film acknowledges and explores how his depression affects his entire family. By turning to a puppet rather than seeking long-term, legitimate professional help, Walter finds what is portrayed as an amusing solution, but it demeans the seriousness of the situation.
It’s when the film attempts to deal with Walter’s mood swings that the film really gets of track. While it’s true that depression sufferer’s often alternate with moments of great energy and happiness, The Beaver takes things to an over-the-top extreme. All of this takes away from the far more interesting narrative of the relationship between Walter, his wife, and children. While the film is wise enough not to accept the puppet as a cure all, it goes too far in declaring that the puppet represents Walter’s id. That’s just too much pop psychology for a movie.
The other major issue involves the secondary story about Walter’s son Porter (Anton Yelchin) who has a lot of anger towards his father, and begins to notice signs of depression in himself. What could have been an interesting element to the story turns into the kind of teenage angst story seen in any number of films. Porter falls in love with Norah (Jennifer Lawrence), and her own grief issues.
Overall, The Beaver is a jumbled film. While Jodie Foster and the rest of those involved in the project clearly have some understanding of mental illness, it’s unfortunate that they couldn’t put all of the pieces together to create a cohesive narrative. Putting aside any personal feeling about Mel Gibson, he gives a surprisingly convincing performance. Fans of his might want to check this one out. Just be aware, this movie is…different.
Presented in 2.40:1, this 1080p transfer isn’t reference quality, but it’s a solid one. Color quality is strong, both in terms of deep hues and flesh tones, and detail is quite sharp, with textures coming across with clarity and oomph. The biggest issues here are aliasing and black crush. While it’s not constant, it’s noticeable.
The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound mix is perfect. Dialogue is always audible and clear, and surrounds are used very well. High-and low-ends are presented well, giving The Beaver‘s mix an undeniable pop.
We get the following special features:
- Audio Commentary with director / co-star Jodie Foster: Foster’s commentary has quite a few gaps, but when she talks, her insights into the characters, acting, and filmmaking process is interesting.
- Deleted Scenes (HD, 4:52) The pair of scenes are simply extensions of scenes that are found in the film. They were wisely cut.
- ‘Everything is Going to be O.K.’ (HD, 12:06): This EPK style featurette has the actors discussing the films themes.
