OK, Mel Gibson used to be a very hot actor that everyone loved. Then he became famous and got caught in the trap of celebrity and fame. His aged face tells the story. The Beaver is not going to win any awards; not because it isn't a good movie - it is. However, with the history behind it of Gibson's rants and misdemeanors and the way he has offended the big boys of Hollywood; Gibson has no where to go anymore. But then he has great friends like Jodie Foster who believed in him and that is why The Beaver is a fascinating film - it tells the story of Mel Gibson and it is clothed in another tale that is probably highly unlikely in real life - BUT, it does explain why Gibson acted the way he did reading between the lines. The Beaver is the story of a man in a nervous breakdown, communicating to the world through a beaver hand puppet during his breakdown and then to the point of total collapse. In between this tale, is the effect on his family , his work and how the world sees him. The theme of the film is mental illness and Gibson does a fine fine job in acting - he really is a tremendous actor. What is really important here, is that Gibson bears his soul through the channel of the film script and I find that very admirable. It is his way of explaining himself and it is a humbling act. I have to admire Jodie Foster too because she is fearless. As the opening credits roll we see that the film has been financed by an Abu Dhabi film production company - how very obscure and not often seen in a Hollywood production. But of course, this is not a Hollywood production - this is a story beyond that - Hollywood is ruled by certain groups of people that Gibson offended - it takes brave people to tell their story against the odds.
Review of The Beaver
