The movie starts with Walter Black, a hopeless, depressed company/family man, who inherited a toy company which is going under. Meredith (Foster), his wife who has lost all patience with him and his son Porter (Anton Yelchin), despise him and crosses out everything that he has similar with his father.
This emotional and dramatic movie is not to take lightly, it will take you down and up as the movie moves forward. Walter is an individual who lost all hope, but things change when he found a Beaver hand puppet. Walter was so pathetic and depressed that he cant even manage his own suicide. That was the time when the poorly accented British, Australian Beaver hand puppet came in and was decided in changing Black's life back.
No ventriloquism here. Walter then now convinces everyone that this was a prescription treatment of what he had to do. His family, people from work had to address the puppet. Everyone was hesitant at first but it did show a change on the relationship with his youngest son, eventually improved his work with a concept changing idea.
Improved the relationship with his wife. But then in the long run puts strain on work and in black's relationship. Making love even with the hand puppet on.
This may have been Mel's finest performance yet. His gloomy / watery eyes works perfectly on every scene. It definitely shows a different side of mel's acting on screen. Foster's direction was done in a way that gives way to the comedy parts and not drifting too far from the darkness of it.
The acting of the new comers Jennifer Lawrence who plays Porter's cheerleader love interest , Anton Yelchin who plays Porter, Walter's oldest son and Seven-year-old son Henry played by Riley Thomas Stewart was seamless and spectacular. Match it with Foster's and Gibson's seasoned acting makes scenes powerful.
The script is carefully written by a new comer Kyle Killen, with wit and kindness. This is not a comedy film, this is a story of a man with a mental illness, and how it slowly wrenches a family. They made sure that the movie maintain is touch of class, warmth, suspense, drama with a dash of comedy.
BOTTOMLINE.
It is a bit dark, and i love it! and i ultimately love Mel Gibson's performance here, I don't watch his movies but this one I was lucky i get to. I admire Jodi Foster's support and Direction. The story and the characters supports each other and squeezes out the best in each scene. I love the conflict that it is a mental disorder that slowly eats on his family and work. Although the ending was good, somehow, it is not believable how a troubled mind could easily be set aside. Although it did now show a hint if Walter is cured or not, it did not leave any impression either. I wanted to think that somehow the Beaver would then appear somewhere. But it's just me.
Over-all, the movie is good. I recommend this to people who appreciates good writing and acting performance. It may be or may not be an Academy film but it is worth a nod.
I give it I give it 3.5 out of 5.
The critically acclaimed film brought to us by Columbia Pictures Philippines will be shown exclusively at Ayala Mall Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma) starting August 10.
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