Rent The Beaver (2011)

Weirdly watchable, but despite a solid performance from Gibson, this sadly runs out of steam - The Beaver review by TB

When you try to describe the plot of this film, there will always be bewildered faces staring back at you: “Errr so it’s about a successful CEO called Walter Black, who finds a beaver puppet, then has a mental breakdown, thinks the puppet is talking to him and then takes over his life. He is then alienated from his entire family and destroys his business, but finds the meaning he craves along the way...?” “Yes, basically.”

But this film is so weird and yet so straight-faced, that actually a lot of it works in a strange way. Gibson commits completely and utterly to this role, never once having an ounce of self-consciousness. The movie as a whole is also very well-directed by Jodie Foster, who also stars as Gibson’s wife.

But unfortunately, around the middle section of the film, things then just don’t work and start to fall apart. The premise, which just about held together up to that point, collapses. For example, there is simply no way that Walter would not have been sectioned. It’s all very well showing the toll Walter’s antics with the puppet take on his family, but any self-respecting and loving wife would have called the psychiatric emergency number to get her husband medical care. Then the final section, including a shocking act of violence, just pushes everything over the edge. When the film attempts redemption, it is done so nakedly and cynically that you just tune out.

But despite this, it’s still worth a watch. It is at times genuinely funny and maximum praise must go to Foster and Gibson for actually trying something new and really pushing the boat out. Sadly, on this occasion it was more miss than hit.

Gibson gives a masterclass - The Beaver review by JD

Mel Gibson is involved in all of my top 3 films (Gallipoli, Hamlet and Apocoliptica). I was expecting something good and was not disappointed by his acting of a suicidal alcoholic who becomes a teetotal schizophrenic. Not an easy acting task and could not have been done better. Jodie Foster is an actress I hold in a similar amount of awe. Her task however was a lot easier and to be frank could have been bettered. The direction was very average and spoiled a subtle exposition of a fragile mind, with an atmosphere of squeaky clean, suburban, leafy crassness.