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The Beaver

  • 20112011
  • PGPG
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
49K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Mel Gibson in The Beaver (2011)
A troubled husband and executive adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communicating.
Play trailer2:26
2 Videos
39 Photos
Drama

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

IMDb RATING
6.6/10
49K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jodie Foster
  • Writer
    • Kyle Killen
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anton Yelchin
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jodie Foster
  • Writer
    • Kyle Killen
  • Stars
    • Mel Gibson
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anton Yelchin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 169User reviews
    • 290Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 12 nominations

    Videos2

    The Beaver: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:26
    The Beaver: Trailer #1
    Jodie Foster: The IMDb Original Interview
    Interview 4:15
    Jodie Foster: The IMDb Original Interview

    Photos39

    Jodie Foster in The Beaver (2011)
    Mel Gibson in The Beaver (2011)
    Anton Yelchin and Jennifer Lawrence in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, and Riley Thomas Stewart in The Beaver (2011)
    Mel Gibson and Riley Thomas Stewart in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster and Hagen Bogdanski in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster, Mel Gibson, Hagen Bogdanski, and Dianne Dreyer in The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster and Anton Yelchin at an event for The Beaver (2011)
    Jodie Foster, Mel Gibson, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, and Riley Thomas Stewart in The Beaver (2011)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mel Gibson
    Mel Gibson
    • Walter Blackas Walter Black
    Jodie Foster
    Jodie Foster
    • Meredith Blackas Meredith Black
    Anton Yelchin
    Anton Yelchin
    • Porter Blackas Porter Black
    Cherry Jones
    Cherry Jones
    • Vice Presidentas Vice President
    Riley Thomas Stewart
    Riley Thomas Stewart
    • Henry Blackas Henry Black
    Zachary Booth
    Zachary Booth
    • Jaredas Jared
    Jennifer Lawrence
    Jennifer Lawrence
    • Norahas Norah
    Jeff Corbett
    Jeff Corbett
    • Volunteer Dadas Volunteer Dad
    Baylen Thomas
    Baylen Thomas
    • Skeptical Manas Skeptical Man
    Sam Breslin Wright
    Sam Breslin Wright
    • Manas Man
    Kelly Coffield Park
    Kelly Coffield Park
    • Norah's Momas Norah's Mom
    Michael Rivera
    Michael Rivera
    • Hectoras Hector
    Kris Arnold
    • Waiteras Waiter
    Elizabeth Kaledin
    • Reporteras Reporter
    Matt Lauer
    Matt Lauer
    • Matt Laueras Matt Lauer
    Jon Stewart
    Jon Stewart
    • Jon Stewartas Jon Stewart
    Terry Gross
    • Terry Grossas Terry Gross
    Folake Olowofoyeku
    Folake Olowofoyeku
    • Nurseas Nurse
    • Director
      • Jodie Foster
    • Writer
      • Kyle Killen
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    Walter Black ('Mel Gibson') is depressed and sleeps most of the day. It's driving his family crazy, and his wife Meredith (Jodie Foster) kicks him out. Walter starts carrying a beaver puppet and tries to commit suicide (unsuccessfully). He uses the puppet to talk to himself, trying to bolster his spirits, and is trying to rebuild his life. Through the beaver, the family begins to learn about Walter's history and problems, and as he continues rebuilding, the beaver shows us all a way to cope. —Anonymous
    depressionsuicidalhospitalmarriage problemsmarriage126 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • He's here to save Walter's life.
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jodie Foster approached originally Kristen Stewart for the role of Norah, remembering their experience in Panic Room (2002), but the actress was committed to the Twilight franchise.
    • Goofs
      When Anton Yelchin's character bangs his head into the wall and it goes through the side of the house, that's impossible as shown. The cedar shake siding is not shown as held to the side of the house with anything, whereas in reality is has to be nailed down. The house would have some cladding such as plywood to nail the shakes to, and then a barrier such as asphalt or homewrap, at the very least. It is not possible to make a small hole in the interior wall and push one shake off the outside of the house in the same location.
    • 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.

    • Crazy credits
      A letter or two from each cast/crew member remains and forms part of the next credit.
    • Connections
      Featured in Trailer Failure: Bieber Meets Beaver (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Kung Fu Underscore
      Composed by Jim Helms

    User reviews169

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Mel nails the accent!
    It really sounds to me like Mel Gibson has modelled the voice and the accent for the puppet on Ray Winstone which shouldn't surprise me considering they have worked together in the past. However, top marks to Mel for that one because you really could be forgiven for thinking Ray did a voice-over for the puppet.

    In general this is not the usual style of film I would watch but I really must say I was most pleasantly surprised at how engaging it was. For me at least, this was down to the Beaver (yes I realise how that sounds) but the remarkable thing is that I forgot it was a puppet controlled and voiced by Mel. I really began to see it as a complete separate character and it just gave the film whole other dimension.

    Performances from Gibson and Foster were excellent (as you would expect). Their acting was totally spot on, never once seeming over the top or forced. Jodie Foster has done a sterling job on the directors chair skilfully taking the viewer on a journey in what I would have thought not a particularly easy film to direct. There are some humorous moments but this is not a comedy. You will occasionally laugh, and at times you will tense up during some of Gibsons darker moments. But that is a job well done from all.

    This is certainly not a film for everyone but if you like a movie that's choc full to the brim with the human element, excellent acting and directing then I really would recommend it.
    helpful•65
    17
    • hendry-robert
    • May 28, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 19, 2011 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Official site
      • Vidio (Indonesia)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Le complexe du castor
    • Filming locations
      • 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Summit Entertainment
      • Participant
      • Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $21,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $970,816
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $107,577
      • May 8, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,294,800
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Cannes Festival Honors Jodie Foster as Respected Artist and as a Friend of Film
    Cannes Festival Honors Jodie Foster as Respected Artist and as a Friend of Film
    Jul 6Variety Film + TV
    Jodie Foster to Receive Lifetime Achievement Palme D'Or at Cannes
    Jodie Foster to Receive Lifetime Achievement Palme D'Or at Cannes
    Jun 7MovieWeb

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