Watch The Beaver

The Beaver is a 2011 drama film directed by Jodie Foster and starring Mel Gibson and Anton Yelchin. The film tells the story of Walter Black (Gibson), a successful but deeply depressed businessman who develops an unusual coping mechanism to deal with his problems: he begins communicating exclusively through a beaver hand puppet. The film opens with Walter on the brink of suicide, having driven his family away with his erratic and destructive behavior. After his attempt fails, he retreats to a hotel room where he discovers the beaver puppet and begins to use it as a way to express himself without the burden of his own personal baggage.

Walter's family is initially skeptical of his new behavior, but his son Porter (Yelchin) sees potential in the strange, but oddly effective puppet therapy. Walter begins to use the beaver puppet to re-engage with his family, revive his failing business, and reconnect with life in general.

As Walter becomes more reliant on the beaver puppet, however, he finds it increasingly difficult to maintain the illusion of control. The puppet becomes a voice of its own, and Walter’s grip on reality begins to waiver. His family is pushed to the brink as they try to decide whether to support his unconventional approach or seek more traditional forms of treatment.

Throughout the film, the audience is drawn into the complexities of Walter's mind and the myriad forces that threaten to overwhelm him. The Beaver is a powerful meditation on mental illness and the struggle to maintain one's sense of self in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

The performances in the film are superb, particularly that of Gibson as Walter. His portrayal of a man in distress is deeply sympathetic, and the audience feels both his pain and his hopelessness. Yelchin, as Walter's son, also delivers an emotionally resonant performance, capturing the confusion and pain of a young man grappling with the upheaval of his family life.

The film’s director, Jodie Foster, also delivers a nuanced and insightful meditation on the human psyche. The Beaver is a deeply personal film, and it is clear that Foster brings a great deal of empathy and sensitivity to the story.

Overall, The Beaver is a remarkable film that takes viewers on a deeply emotional journey. It is a poignant reminder that no matter how difficult life may become, there is always the potential for hope and redemption.

The Beaver is a 2011 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 60.