When Mel Gibson–pocalypse occurred last summer, industry folks asked, “But what of The Beaver?†Gibson’s Jodie Foster–directed dramedy. Now the film has a rumored spring release, and, voilà , a trailer. The trailer’s awkward first shot? Jodie Foster, who plays Gibson’s character Walter’s wife, saying she kicked Walter out of the house for being a no-good loser, followed by shots of Walter sinking into a lonely, crippling depression. “The successful man he used to be has gone missing, and no matter what he’s tried, Walter can’t seem to bring him back,†we’re told. Art imitates life?
Oh, wait, maybe it doesn’t: Walter starts voicing his entire life through a beaver puppet, for some reason. And another instance where art might not imitate life, after all: When Walter realizes he’s nuts and starts winning back his lover and his business. Of course, scandals aside, the trailer’s somewhat promising if you’re into family dramas where the main character ultimately triumphs over his own demons. But if you’re more into celebrity dramas, then the formulaic, super-sentimental Beaver might not be the one to win you back over.