Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2012

In this deeply odd exploration of psychological defense mechanisms from actor/director Jodie Foster, a near-catatonically depressed man (Mel Gibson) discovers that he can communicate through a beaver hand puppet, which for some reason speaks with a blunt cockney accent. Gibson’s awesome performance, perhaps mirroring his own off-screen problems, is compellingly watchable. No, make that grimly fascinating. In addition to being creepy, dark, maudlin, humorless and a bit dull, the film simply requires the suspension of more disbelief that most people will be able to muster.