And there is a subplot which involves Yelchin’s character is hired to write a graduation speech for the school’s valedictorian, a beautiful smart but possibly secretly-troubled teenager named Norah (played by Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence). This subplot is beyond predictable — you can probably figure out all of the beats without knowing much more than my short set-up synopsis.
It may surprise some of you to learn that the story is more of a drama than a comedy. As you might expect, there are comedic moments that come from the puppet’s inclusion in various situations. But the story aims more for drama than comedy. The Beaver is too ridiculous to be taken seriously, and too melodramatic to be funny. Foster wrestles to capture the right tones, but the shifts are messy from scene to scene, and it never seems to find the right fit.
I want to admire the creativity at play in the dark storyline, but none of the characters are particularly relatable, which made it hard from me to invest in the story/outcome.
The core problem is that the entire film hinges on the audience to buy into the ridiculous premise: that a mentally troubled individual adopts a puppet as his method of communication to the world. And not only that, but that the puppet acts as a third person, and that Gibson is sometimes unable to control what he does/says. (possible spoiler invisotext — highlight to reveal) If a grown man having a serious bar-room type brawl with a puppet on his arm sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. (end invisotext)
Gibson gives it his best, and delivers a great performance — but it just isn’t enough to get me to care about the character’s well being or even believe the concept as a whole. And if you have any troubles buying into the premise, this film can’t work
It may surprise some of you to learn that the story is more of a drama than a comedy. As you might expect, there are comedic moments that come from the puppet’s inclusion in various situations. But the story aims more for drama than comedy. The Beaver is too ridiculous to be taken seriously, and too melodramatic to be funny. Foster wrestles to capture the right tones, but the shifts are messy from scene to scene, and it never seems to find the right fit.
I want to admire the creativity at play in the dark storyline, but none of the characters are particularly relatable, which made it hard from me to invest in the story/outcome.
The core problem is that the entire film hinges on the audience to buy into the ridiculous premise: that a mentally troubled individual adopts a puppet as his method of communication to the world. And not only that, but that the puppet acts as a third person, and that Gibson is sometimes unable to control what he does/says. (possible spoiler invisotext — highlight to reveal) If a grown man having a serious bar-room type brawl with a puppet on his arm sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. (end invisotext)
Gibson gives it his best, and delivers a great performance — but it just isn’t enough to get me to care about the character’s well being or even believe the concept as a whole. And if you have any troubles buying into the premise, this film can’t work
