The Beaver (2011)

Director:

Jodie Foster

Writer (WGA):

Kyle Killen (written by)

Release Date:

19 May 2011 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

He's here to save Walter's life.

Plot:

A troubled husband and executive adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communicating.

Plot Keywords:

Puppet | Beaver Puppet | Title Directed By Female | Depressive Disorder | Animal In Title

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Walter Black
Cherry Jones	...	Vice President
Jodie Foster	...	Meredith Black
Anton Yelchin	...	Porter Black
Riley Thomas Stewart	...	Henry Black
Zachary Booth	...	Jared
Jennifer Lawrence	...	Norah
Jeff Corbett	...	Volunteer Dad
Baylen Thomas	...	Skeptical Man
Sam Breslin Wright	...	Man
Kelly Coffield Park	...	Norah's Mom
Michael Rivera	...	Hector
Kris Arnold	...	Waiter
Elizabeth Kaledin	...	Reporter
Matt Lauer	...	Matt Lauer
Jon Stewart	...	Jon Stewart
Terry Gross	...	Terry Gross
Folake Olowofoyeku	...	Nurse
Lorna Pruce	...	Nurse
Bill Massof	...	Prosthetic Technician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Orli Hersch	...	Hector's Sister
Ernest E. Brown	...	Drum circle Drumer (uncredited)
Chiquita Camille	...	Physical Therapist (uncredited)
Barbara Ann Davison	...	Seamstress (uncredited)
Ai Kiyono	...	Asian Escort (uncredited)
Michelle E. Mancini	...	Student (uncredited)
Sakura Sugihara	...	YUMI (uncredited)
Bill Walters	...	Bongo Drummer in Drum Circle (uncredited)

Directed by
Jodie Foster

Writing credits (WGA)
Kyle Killen		(written by)

Produced by
Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei	....	executive producer (as Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei)
Dianne Dreyer	....	associate producer
Steve Golin	....	producer
Paul Green	....	executive producer
Jonathan King	....	executive producer
Keith Redmon	....	producer
Ann Ruark	....	producer
Jeff Skoll	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marcelo Zarvos

Cinematography by
Hagen Bogdanski		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lynzee Klingman

Casting by
Allison Hall
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Mark Friedberg

Art Direction by
Alex DiGerlando
Kim Jennings

Set Decoration by
Rebecca Meis DeMarco

Costume Design by
Susan Lyall

Makeup Department
LuAnn Claps	....	makeup department head
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup designer
Timothy Huizing	....	specialty props
Michael Marino	....	prosthetic fx: reshoots
Nicky Pattison	....	key makeup artist
Nicole Wodowski	....	additional makeup artist: extras

Production Management
Gwen Bialic	....	assistant production manager
Luca Borghese	....	post-production supervisor
Ann Ruark	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Guy Efrat	....	second second assistant director
Marcos González Palma	....	assistant director: additional photography
Marcos González Palma	....	second second assistant director
Francisco Ortiz	....	second assistant director
Doug Torres	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Anthony Baldasare	....	set dresser
Nikki Black	....	assistant art director
Paul Camarro	....	on-set dresser: reshoots
Lydia Fine	....	art department production assistant
Kim Fischer	....	art department intern
Frank-Joseph Frelier	....	art department coordinator
Vanessa Frost	....	construction assistant
Isaac Gabaeff	....	set dresser
Jonathan Graham	....	key construction grip
Arlo Hoffman	....	on-set greens
Jonathan Huggins	....	leadman
Aaron Jacobs	....	construction grip
Warren Jorgensen	....	camera scenic artist
Francis Maiorino	....	set dresser
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist
Nick Miller	....	construction coordinator
Kris Moran	....	property master
Jessica Panuccio	....	set decorating buyer: reshoots
Jessie Pellegrino	....	art department assistant
Susan Perlman	....	assistant set decorator
Ernie Sandidge	....	industrial scenic
Will Scheck	....	greens coordinator
Theo Sena	....	on-set dresser
Kimberly Slosek	....	assistant property master: reshoots
Joel Weaver	....	assistant property master
Ryan Webb	....	assistant property master
Anastasia White	....	art department assistant
Wolf-Dieter Stoeffelmeier	....	scenic (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wade Barnett	....	adr recordist
Wayne Bartlett	....	adr recordist
Sean England	....	foley artist
Doug Ford	....	engineering services
Nia Hansen	....	foley mixer
Matthew Hartman	....	assistant sound editor
Lora Hirschberg	....	re-recording mixer
Tom Johnson	....	re-recording mixer
Michael Kirchberger	....	supervising sound editor
Scott R. Lewis	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Travis MacKay	....	adr mixer
Dmitri Makarov	....	digital editorial services
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
John Nutt	....	foley editor
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist
James J. Sabat Jr.	....	sound recordist
James Sabat	....	sound mixer
Mike Schmidt	....	boom operator
Robert Shoup	....	dialogue editor
James Spencer	....	recordist
Corey Tyler	....	foley recordist
Roy Waldspurger	....	sound effects editor
Ronni Brown	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter A. Chevako	....	mechanical effects
Tim Rossiter	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
John Bair	....	visual effects supervisor
Jake Braver	....	visual effects set supervisor
Chris Connolly	....	visual effects producer
Molle DeBartolo	....	digital restoration artist
Brian Haimes	....	digital compositor
Tara Marie Jacobson	....	rotoscope artist (as Tara Jacobson)
Christian Lowe	....	visual effects artist
Thomas Panayiotou	....	digital compositor
Aaron Raff	....	visual effects
Scott Winston	....	compositing supervisor

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
John Cenatiempo	....	assistant stunt coordinator
J.C. Robaina	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Matt Blades	....	key grip
Patrick M. Bracey	....	camera production assistant
Bernard X. Brongniart	....	best boy grip
Vincent Camuto	....	video playback technician
Oliver Cary	....	camera operator: additonal photography
Doug Cordonier	....	grip
Jason Cortazzo	....	libra head technician
Larhn Davitt	....	grip
Julian J. Delacruz	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Frank G. DeMarco	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Frank G. DeMarco	....	camera operator: second unit
Frank G. DeMarco	....	cinematographer: second unit
James Dombey	....	grip
Tim Ferraer	....	grip
Andrew Hamilton	....	loader
Matthew Jacobs	....	grip
Peter Kantor	....	grip
Glenn Kaplan	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
John Krause	....	dolly grip
Dan Kubicek	....	electrician
Michael A. Leo	....	lamp operator
Hamilton Longyear	....	camera loader: additional photography
William MacGhee	....	electrician
Todd MacNicholl	....	key rigging grip
Michael J. Maurer	....	best boy
Charles Meere III	....	rigging gaffer
Toby Miller	....	additional electrician
Michael J. Mullen	....	rigging best boy
Michael J. Mullen	....	stage rigging gaffer
Balint Pinczehelyi	....	rigging grip
Steve Ramsey	....	gaffer
Daniel Wallenstein	....	grip

Casting Department
Stephanie Forrest	....	extras casting assistant
Leeba Zakharov	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Caitlin Doukas	....	costume production assistant
Amy Ritchings	....	assistant costume designer
Minerva Diann Savoy	....	tailor
Hartsell Taylor	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Gilbert Carreras	....	color timer
Tara Fidler	....	second assistant editor
Joe Gawler	....	digital intermediate colorist
Michael Hofacre	....	additional editor
Anthony Raffaele	....	colorist: dailies
Tatiana S. Riegel	....	additional editor
Josh Salzberg	....	assistant editor
Jonathan Sanden	....	digital intermediate editor
Darrell R. Smith	....	digital intermediate supervising producer
Jered Zalman	....	assistant editor
Leslie Adkins-Garza	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)
Matt Breitenbach	....	assistant telecine colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Mark Bächle	....	orchestrator
Gary Chester	....	score contractor
Paul Katz	....	music consultant
Richard King	....	music scoring engineer
Alexandra Patsavas	....	music supervisor
Michael Perfitt	....	score engineer
Petr Pycha	....	orchestra contractor
Philip Rothman	....	orchestrator
Tim Starnes	....	assistant music editor
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor
E. Gedney Webb	....	music editor
Curt Sobel	....	preview music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steven R. Guglielmetti	....	driver

Other crew
Caellum Allan	....	physical production
Malcolm Alston	....	location scout
Emma Baksi	....	assistant: Jodie Foster
Ainsley Bartholomew	....	accounting clerk/payroll assistant: additional photography
Brian Bergdoll	....	stand-in: Mel Gibson
Charles Birns	....	on-set assistant: Jodie Foster
Justin Bischoff	....	key production assistant
David E. Bisson	....	production secretary
Anna Bosco	....	key accountant
Matthew Branin	....	accounting clerk
Stefan Brunner	....	production executive: Imagenation Abu Dhabi
Billy Bryan	....	puppeteering coach (as Bill Bryan)
James Coker	....	key set production assistant: additional photography
Christina Cortez	....	production assistant
Jeff Cossaboom	....	office production assistant
Charlie Dibe	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Dianne Dreyer	....	script supervisor
Guy Efrat	....	location manager: additional photography unit
Erik Feig	....	production executive
Matthew Fleischman	....	production assistant
Sarah Follett	....	location assistant: additional photography
Joshua A. Friedman	....	paperwork production assistant
Vincent Giarratano	....	production assistant
Kyle Gorjanc	....	production assistant: additional photography
Steve Grivno	....	assistant location manager (as Stephen Grivno)
Duck Grossberg	....	data wrangler
Katie Groves	....	stand-in: Jennifer Lawrence
David 'Gus' Gustafson	....	production assistant: additional photography
Jennifer Hallmark	....	assistant accountant
David Hsu	....	set production assistant
Eric A. Knapp	....	location coordinator
Kyle Knauf	....	stand in: Anton Yelchin
Kristina Lee	....	assistant production coordinator: reshoots
Giovanni Lopez	....	insurance broker
Jess Magee	....	location assistant
Anney McKilligan	....	puppet wrangler
John Merchant	....	assistant production coordinator
Liz Modena	....	post production accountant
Matthew Monaco	....	first assistant accountant
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach
Morgan Newell	....	assistant: Ann Ruark
Patrick O'Connor	....	production assistant
Eric Papa	....	location assistant: additional photography unit
Ellen Parnett	....	production assistant
Jennalee Rhodes	....	production assistant
Pamela Rook	....	office production assistant
Matthew Roper	....	set medic
Michael James 'Scotty' Scott	....	manager: production finance
William Sepulveda	....	key craft service
Missy Simms	....	welfare/studio teacher
Ryan Smith	....	location manager
Todd Steiner	....	production financing
Daniela Tully	....	vp of development and production: imagenation abu dhabi
Eva Vedock	....	key craft service
Daniel Wagner	....	production coordinator
Lynn Witty	....	stand-in: jodie foster (uncredited)
Brenda Yoo	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Gugger	....	intern: locations (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Summit Entertainment (presents)
• Participant Media (presents)
• Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ (in association with)
• Anonymous Content (in association with)

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Aurum Producciones (2011) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Belga Films (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Empire (2011) (Lebanon) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Fida Film (2011) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Icon Entertainment International (2011) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Icon Entertainment International (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Langlois (2012) (Japan) (theatrical) (in association with)
• Lusomundo (2011) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2011) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film Distribution (2011) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film (2011) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Nu Metro Productions (2011) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• SND (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Summit Entertainment (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG) (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Twin Co. Ltd. (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Volga (2011) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Aurum Producciones (2011) (Spain) (all media)
• Belga Home Vidéo (2011) (Belgium) (DVD)
• CatchPlay (2011) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Mongkol Major (2011) (Thailand) (all media)
• Nordisk Film (2011) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Paris Filmes (2011) (Brazil) (all media)
• Summit Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2012) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Alterian
• Phosphene (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 11:11 Mediaworks  titles
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Eye2Ear Music  music consultant
• Gotham Sound and Communications  walkies provided by (as Gotham Sound)
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Pivotal Post  Avid HD Editing Equipment Provided By
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, some disturbing content, sexuality and language including a drug reference

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA | United Arab Emirates

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #46281) | Malaysia:PG-13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Ireland:15A | Canada:13+ (Québec) | UK:12A | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 | Japan:G

Filming Locations:

1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Summit Entertainment

Trivia:

Jim Carrey and Steve Carell were previously attached to play the lead character.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Meridith, Henry, and Porter are moving out they are shown packing things. Porter is shown removing his map that covers the hole in the wall, he rolls it up and puts it away. Then Mel Gibson is on The Today Show his son Porter is shown sitting in his room watching television with the map back up and covering the hole in the wall. In the following scenes the map is removed.

Quotes:

[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.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Trailer Failure: Bieber Meets Beaver (#2.3)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Kung Fu Underscore

Mel may be flawed in life but the movie is a keeper

I'd give this movie a full ten if not for confusion over the "weighted average" system in which IMDb supposedly disregards a lot of extreme highs or lows. And speaking of highs and lows, who better than a bi-polar actor to not only accept a stigmafied role of someone with a mental disorder but also to get past that and offer the meat and potatoes of entertainment as well? Full disclosure: I am on Team Mel when it comes to an ex girlfriend making headlines with her personal life with reckless disregard for the personal and professional toll; an overkill gesture followed-up ultimately by withdrawal of charges. . .

I won't get into debates over context and word choices in someone's private conversations or during a fit of rage. But others like to, and perhaps for that reason I was only one of about 21 people in the late showing of The Beaver opening night at the Varsity in Toronto, cinema 8. Apparently the VIP cinema there had a screening that started 20 minutes earlier, but I don't know how that or earlier screenings were attended. I'm hoping the movie does better. Even with a small crowd, the audience I was in responded with laughter where appropriate, and the atmosphere was often charged with anxious energy.

Jodie Foster is very dear in her own performance, and her directing choices don't falter. Mel gives glimpses of his goofy persona and one can speculate about which bits of whimsy might have been his contributions, but he also lets us dislike the character a bit or the condition he suffers and the film goes to some dark places. Nobody in the theatre dared laugh at the point that is most drastic and also anxiety inducing. In someone else' hands this film could easily be a TV Movie of the Week.

The woman who played the Sheriff in Signs is again Mel's confidant in The Beaver for the half of the story involving his business. Anton Yelchin (the new Scotty in Star Trek) is impressively grounded even as he suffers through some of his father's inherited symptoms and those typical of teens anyway.

If you are poisoned against Mel, I'm not going to say go see it but I'll go out on a limb and suggest that one of the opening sequences where he is at his lowest ebb might be especially entertaining for people who hate him and there is a certain gallows humour that might allow you to relax your guard. The daring premise and loving execution of the film from everyone involved is a nice mix and the film deserves a better fate than it is likely to get with gossips fanning the flame of scandal.

"Everyone loves a train wreck, especially one they're not in." - The Beaver

I know people are clogging the box office lines for Thor this weekend, and I haven't heard anything negative about that movie but I'm glad I saw The Beaver and that I can honestly say it is more than just weird; it is actually also out on a limb and inspiring without feeling like a cheat. That's my two cents anyway.