The Beaver (2011)

Mel Gibson: Walter Black

Photos 

Quotes 

• Walter Black : We reach a point where, in order to go on, we have to wipe the slate clean. We start to see ourselves as a box that we're trapped inside and no matter how we try and escape, self help, therapy, drugs, we just sink further and further down. The only way to truly break out of the box is to get rid of it all together... I mean, you built it in the first place. If the people around you are breaking your spirit, who needs them? Your wife who pretends to love you, your son who can't even stand you. I mean, put them out of their misery. Starting over isn't crazy. Crazy is being miserable and walking around half asleep, numb, day after day after day. Crazy is pretending to be happy. Pretending that the way things are is the way they have to be for the rest of your bleeding life. All the potential, hope, all that joy, feeling, all that passion that life has sucked out of you. Reach out, grab a hold of it and snatch it back from that bloodsucking rabble.

• [first lines] 

  Walter Black : This is a picture of Walter Black, a hopelessly depressed individual. Somewhere inside him is a man who fell in love. Who started a family. Who ran a successful company. That man has gone missing. No matter what he's tried, and he's tried everything, Walter can't seem to bring him back. It's as if he's died, but hasn't had the good sense to take his body with him. So mostly what he does is sleep.

• [last lines] 

  Walter Black : This is a picture of Walter Black, who had to become The Beaver, who had to become a father, so that one day this might just become a picture of Walter Black.

• Porter Black : Growing up, I wanted to be just like you. As I got older, all I wanted to be was anybody else.

  Walter Black : I know.

• Walter Black : What's this?

  Henry Black : It's a brain.

  [pulls out paper-mache model] 

  Walter Black : Oh wow, it's a brain.

  Henry Black : Mom says yours got broken.

  Walter Black : Well, this will come in handy.

• Walter Black : Eat the pill, read the book, see the bleeding expert. Well, Walter finally helped himself.

  Meredith Black : Listen to yourself, this is insane. You're talking about a puppet.

  Walter Black : No, Meredith, you're talking about a bloody puppet. We're talking about a miracle.

• Henry Black : Dad?

  Walter Black : Yeah, mate.

  Henry Black : Can we make a turd?

  Walter Black : Yeah, anytime, mate. You give the word, we'll make the turd.

• Walter Black : No more muckin' about with tools when I'm not around. It's not safe. Or when your mother's asked you not to. Or at night. Or in a toilet. Or when you're climbing Mount Everest. Or picking your nose. Agreed?