As someone who spends every summer in Edinburgh, Scotland, going to the arts, film, book and fringe theater festival there during August, I remember very well when Mel Gibson’s movie "Braveheart" came out because I was very excited to see how the depiction of Scottish legend William Wallace was handled.
I realize, being English, that most of the movie was about fighting my fellow countrymen, but this is irrelevant as I loved the film. In fact, I recall thinking when it came out: Mel Gibson has taken on an epic character and story and achieved something special.
It certainly made me think twice about just how multitalented the actor-director and "Lethal Weapon" star is. Or, should I say, was?
Because, let’s face it, Mr Gibson hasn’t exactly been on many Top 10 Favorite People lists for some time now, what with his widely publicized drunken, anti-Semitic tirade to a police officer in 2006, being dropped recently by his agent William Morris Endeavor, the alleged domestic violence he’s been accused of by his model-singer and ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva (and the custody battle for their daughter), the abusive rants recorded on tape purported to contain his slurring voice, and now the delaying of his Jodie Foster-directed new movie "The Beaver."
The guy is not having a good time of it, and perhaps it’s slightly too apt that Gibson’s last big film to be released was called "Edge of Darkness." If you believe some film critics, Gibson is now toxic and may have stepped over that dark edge and into the deep, fiery pit of End of Career Hell.
Personally, I don’t agree with them (or Hollyblogger Tom Teicholz), or believe it will be the end of movies for Mel Gibson.
Why? Well, for one, let’s balance out the domestic-violence accusations, shall we? Because, put simply, in any long-term relationship there are ALWAYS two sides to the story.
Yes, it is unfortunate there’s a tape allegedly containing Gibson’s voice threatening his ex, and it is a pretty horrible and racist tape. But if you’ve heard it, you might also note that (1) If it is indeed him, Mel Gibson does not sound very well or in any kind of right mind; and (2) Grigorieva’s tone might potentially, in some people’s minds, come across as somewhat goading (might, I said).
I don’t wish to stick up for Gibson’s alleged irrational and abusive behavior, but in these kinds of domestic violence cases the guy – Gibson in this case – often comes off worse (I can hear the "boo hiss" from the women reading this). Men do tend to get the blame for being hot-headed, seeming to be violent and/or making threats in the heat of an argument; then they subsequently become the “baddie” in everyone’s eyes. This is, usually, even if the woman has fully partaken in shouting at and verbally abusing the man as part of an argument – or during their relationship in general.
