Poll: Can Mel Gibson win an Oscar for 'The Beaver'?
Mel Gibson has never won an Oscar for acting. He has two Academy Awards on his mantle -- for directing and producing "Braveheart," best picture of 1995 -- but voters didn't even nominate his performance in that film, "The Patriot" (2000), "Ransom" (1996) or any others.
Now Mel Gibson is getting great reviews at SXSW for portraying a psychologically tortured man in "The Beaver," despite its somewhat preposterous premise (the guy communicates by using a beaver hand puppet like a ventriloquist) and his own troubled personal life haunted by tabloid scandals.
The Hollywood Reporter assures moviegoers that "The Beaver" "turns a crazy-sounding premise into something moving and sane." Slashfilm says it's Gibson at "his best" in "The Beaver," giving "a great performance." IndieWire adds, "Gibson demonstrates a staunch commitment to his role as an emotionally damaged man driven to excise his troubles by speaking through the titular hand puppet, but the subdued tone brings him down to earth."
It's not outrageous to believe that Oscar voters could turn a great performance by Gibson into an opportunity to reward a onetime bad boy. They gave a chunk of academy gold to fugitive Roman Polanski for helming "The Pianist" (2002). In contrast, they apparently have a love 'em or leave 'em approach to Russell Crowe, who has long cultivated a bad-boy image (famously attacking a Manhattan hotel clerk and a British producer). Three years after winning for "Gladiator" (2000) and being nominated for 2001's "A Beautiful Mind," Crowe wasn't even nominated for 2003's "Master and Commander," which had 10 bids, including one for best picture. It looked like the academy was eager to hail everybody associated with that film except its own master and commander.
-- Tom O'Neil
Photo: Summit Entertainment
It was one thing to hear him in those awful voicemails, but then he waged a campaign against his ex that looked like a legal form of domestic violence.
I can't ever see this man the same again. He just doesn't work for me on screen any more. He was too relentless in his public war of vengeance against his ex and it made such an impression on me that I can't ever see him as a sympathetic character.
Maybe as The Joker in another Batman reboot. I could see him there. That kind of role, that's all.
Posted by: Patricia | March 20, 2011 at 09:55 PM
Since the movie hasn't been released yet, it is a little hard to "predict" the possibility of award nominations. I picked he could be - if his performance is as good as the reviews so far (by those who saw it at the premiere in Austin). I'm looking forward to seeing the movie when it opens to the public. As far as Hollywood goes, I don't care. Most of the movies generated by the old school aren't worth seeing. Oscars? Hollywood and the media are steeped in hypocrisy and so I don't expect them to reward someone who doesn't fit neatly into their little politically correct box. But the public is another matter. The Beaver is a small film (not a blockbuster), but it looks/sounds like it will be worth every dollar to go see it. Personally I think the media should just stop acting like they know what the public wants, because it has been very apparent for a long time that they don't know what real people want at all. I'll give you a clue though: we want to think for ourselves.
Posted by: KnightsLady | March 20, 2011 at 10:50 AM
the movie title sounds like a porn film...i'm sure there is one with the exact same title...chuckle, chuckle, wink, wink
Posted by: Dancingbear | March 19, 2011 at 01:09 PM
NO!!!
Posted by: Baby Clyde | March 18, 2011 at 01:40 PM
What a piece of garbage journalism! Mel is a one time bady boy?????? He's a psychopath drunk who abused his own child and the mother of that child for fun. That equals one mentally screwed up idiot. What really makes me want to vomit is I was a fan of him and his work for many years. That all stopped as soon as I learned he abused Oksana and Lucia. Of course the courts patted him on the back with a light punishment. Courts favour men and we women know it. Anyone who supports him supports violence against women and children. Disgusting.
Posted by: Crystal | March 17, 2011 at 11:18 PM
Call me crazy but I smell a comeback. Can't keep a good man down. Team Mel!!!
Posted by: Clancy | March 17, 2011 at 08:41 PM
Hollywood is entirely hypocritical in its condemnation of Mel Gibson. Can't wait to see "The Beaver."
Posted by: underscore | March 17, 2011 at 08:39 PM
Gibson is a truly enigmatic actor and protean force in modern cinema. Would love to see him nominated for an Oscar!
Posted by: Rose Chu | March 17, 2011 at 08:34 PM
Nominate the beaver.
Posted by: vark | March 17, 2011 at 07:12 PM
Hey, "ME" - make that **15%**. 70% think he'll be nominated. Go Mel!
Posted by: Oh Yeah? | March 17, 2011 at 06:15 PM
Well your options are fairly limited for a comprensive vote, aren't they? The movie really hasn't opened yet, has it? So how can anyone really know what to vote yes OR no?
I assumed that you meant MEL COULD be nominated and SHOULD win the Oscar if the movie is as good as reported. SO I voted for the option closest to that: he'll be nominated and he'll win.
Stupid biased poll, by the way. Hm.. No news flash there is it?
Posted by: Sam | March 17, 2011 at 03:30 PM
Good luck Mel, can't wait to see it!
Posted by: jane | March 17, 2011 at 02:54 PM
Ha ha ha ha! You must be joking 50%
Posted by: me | March 17, 2011 at 02:20 PM