No, actually, it is The Beaver, a decidedly vexed issue of a film that’s not a home run but hardly a disaster either. How about you-know-who? For what it’s worth, his best pure acting in a while. My review for MSN Movies has details.
That's Bevay, Floyd
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This photo belongs in the previous thread. 🙂
thumbs up for the SCTV reference
+2 on leaving it with Bevay. Your next SChallenge would be to to reference something else from that indelible Towering Inferno sketch for your next blog post: Johnny Nucleo, “I confess I am a bit befuddled,” “That’s it – the Burger King Plan! I must kiss you (No, you mustn’t…I say ‘no’!)” “I don’t wanna thee you for a whole WEEK!” Your choice – it’s on!
“As a movie, the main problem with “The Beaver” isn’t Gibson, but Foster. God knows she is an intelligent individual with her heart in precisely the right place and a genuine concern for her themes, which are hardly small ones. But there’s something lacking in what she ultimately brings to this material. I’m not sure if it’s actual skill, or the courage of her convictions.”
I haven’t seen the movie, and I don’t know if this is the problem, but Foster has never struck me, in her performances or her interviews, as somebody with a good sense of humor.* The script sounded to me like a black comedy, or at least a black dramady, and it sounds like she played it too straight or wasn’t able to put across the humor. I’m pretty curious to see it nonetheless.
* I’ve never seen FREAKY FRIDAY, though.
Agreeing about Foster. I’ve liked some of her other movies, but I felt this would have worked better in the hands of a director with an edgier sense of humor. Bobcat Goldthwait, perhaps, or maybe Terry Zwigoff. She also seemed somewhat miscast, although I’m not sure what the right note would have been for that character to hit – you don’t want to insinuate that his problems are her fault, but you don’t want her too marshmallow‑y either.
Good call on Bobcat.
Mel Gibson is an anti-semite and rascist. He does not desserve any film credit at all. Boycot Boycott Boycott this flick.