The Beaver

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

Well, rounding off my trilogy of animal related new cinema releases today is Jodie Foster's latest, a little delayed but finally seeing a release in Australia.

That trailer's misleading. This film is not a comedy. Nor is it happy and uplifting. I thought what I saw there would be the whole film but it's only really the first half. Things get progressively darker and more upsetting towards the end. It was a little unexpected but a great surprise and I love that they didn't deal lightly with some of the mental illness issues they raise.

That's not to say it's without humour, and it does still conclude somewhat hopefully but it's certainly more of a drama than it's made out to be. It actually feels like there's more time spent on the coming of age story of Anton Yelchin's character than Mel Gibson and his Beaver. It's unevenly balanced in that respect but Yelchin is great so I can't complain.

What I really like is the Beaver's arc and how he works with Mel Gibson's character, Walter Black. Walter barely has any lines in the film. He doesn't even speak at all until well after the Beaver is on his hand trying to sort out his life for him. And there are two moments that are kind of tragic and brilliantly performed by Gibson where you can see him desperately trying to say something in his own voice but the Beaver takes over and won't let him. He's a very sad, depressed and sick individual and I like there's no easy out in the end.

It's a curious little film but one I did enjoy.