The Film
The Beaver had a lot of strikes against it before it even came to those seven U.S. theaters that it actually played in. First, there was the whole Mel Gibson tirade/tabloid story. Next was the simple fact that this is a movie about a guy who talks through a puppet -- and it's not even one of the Muppets. Finally, we had the film's lackluster marketing campaign. Was there a campaign? It didn't really matter because the movie didn't play anywhere near you anyway. That's a shame, too, because The Beaver is actually a nice little movie.
Gibson plays Walter, an insanely depressed, undeserving CEO of a toy company. He has an estranged wife (Jodie Foster) and two sons (Anton Yelchin and Riley Thomas Stewart). After a failed suicide attempt, Walter gets a bit of guidance from The Beaver, a hand puppet that he found in the garbage. Apparently, The Beaver is a good dad, a good boss, and a good husband -- much better than Walter could ever be.
Yes, that is one of the more bizarre film plots we've seen this year, or possibly ever [editor's note: I don't know... the idea of a serial killing truck tire still wins most bizarre in my book]. Even more bizarre is how everyone in Walter's world seems to adapt to The Beaver being around. Soon, however, it's Walter who reaches a frightening breaking point with his furry, slightly funky, alter ego.
The film also has a subplot with Walter's tortured son (Yelchin) and his equally tortured love interest (Jennifer Lawrence). That sadness really seems to pale in comparison, however, to the guy that needs a beaver puppet on his hand to get through the day. Was the rest really necessary?
The Beaver is the real story here, and Foster certainly handles it nicely. The film was billed as sort of a wacky comeback film for Gibson. Don't expect to see Martin Riggs buddy up to a beaver puppet. Instead, The Beaver is painful, well acted, and fascinating to watch.
Want to see a real puppet show? Check out Tom Fugalli's theatrical review of The Beaver.
The Picture
The Beaver is a new release, and even though it didn't tear up the box office, Summit offers a super-clean 2.40:1 transfer. Colors are pretty natural throughout, although blacks tend to crush in some scenes. The film has a few soft moments, too, but all of those moments are pretty minor. Overall, the film has a surprising amount of detail. The image of Mel Gibson floating in the pool right off the bat is a strong one, filled with ripples, strong color, and a nice shot of Gibson's weathered face. If you miss that face, don't worry; you'll get a good look at it many times during the film's 91-minute runtime. Other than that, the other real standout is The Beaver itself (himself?), which shows off some nice textures. That thing looks downright funky!
The Sound
The Beaver starts out with a full dose of surround sound, filling the speakers not just with the film's quirky soundtrack, but also with the voice of, well... The Beaver. From there, the DTS-HD Master Audio track is mainly a front-heavy experience: appropriate since this is a dialogue-driven movie. Sound effects also stick pretty close to the front, leaving the soundtrack to dominate the surrounds -- and dominate is exactly what it does. In fact, that weird, sometimes inappropriate music can be a little overpowering in some points, and may have you reaching for the remote.
The Extras
Given The Beaver's limited theatrical run, it's not surprising that this release has a limited number of extras. The gem is the Jodie Foster commentary, although it is a bit dry. It's also not constant. Foster seems uncomfortable talking over the film. She spends the first few minutes basically explaining what's going on in the actual film. Hang in there, though. After about 9 minutes, she gets into a groove to talk about the soundtrack, why Walter is watching Kung Fu before his suicide attempt, why the film isn't "funnier," The Beaver's ditched sleepwear and her review of Gibson's performance.
Otherwise, there are two deleted scenes and a 12-minute promo piece entitled "Everything is Going to Be O.K."
Final Thoughts
If you can't get over the fact that this movie stars Mel Gibson, no amount of puppetry will get you to hang with The Beaver. Despite a few flaws, the film is chock full of must-see performances, and is actually entertaining, heartbreaking, and even a little shocking. It's also nice that despite its limited theatrical run, Summit has delivered a very nice Blu-ray. The five of you that saw the movie may want to pick it up. For the rest, it's interesting enough to warrant a blind buy.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
