[Richard Kimball]

In all of Gibson's signature works (didn't see Passion of the Christ, so can't comment on it) there is a recurring theme of Gibson as a man who desperately wants the idyllic family life. His character usually has a haunted past. In Braveheart it was the murder of his family, in the Patriot it was the atrocities he committed during the Indian wars. At some point, there is a critical incident and he becomes the raging avenger. In these movies, he is always a character who struggles mightily with demons that delve within him, just below the surface.

The idyllic life is taken away, usually by a villainous army that destroys his family. Of course, in the movies, that idyllic life is pretty boring. Anyone watching the movies goes, "Yeah, yeah. Let the English guy kill his wife and he can get to kicking some @ss." It's obvious Braveheart was having a lot more fun beheading Englishmen and sacking villages than he would have had living in mud and herding pigs. The character NEEDED the atrocity to become self-fulfilled and provide a reason for the serious Englishman beheading that was to follow, but even if the atrocity hadn't occurred, he would have rather been out there with half his face painted blue, acting crazy.

I think these movies are a depiction of Gibson's inner mental state. Less than ten years ago, Gibson was noted as being a devout and strict Catholic. He commented on occasion about his early years in Hollywood and the depravity of his conduct, then. He flipped from being the wild playboy to being the super devout Catholic. Still, he wrestled with his inner demons, and finally, it looks like the demons have won out. Without a physical enemy to commit the atrocities and for him to vent his frustrations on, he mentally broke on his own, and the wife and then his girlfriend were the recipients of the rage, instead of Longshanks.

[Deb]

Or, yet another seemingly brilliant man puts himself at the mercy of another predatory female. These women roam in packs at every Hollywood event and wait for the chance to hook some celebrity who has been over-served. From John Lennon to Harrison Ford to Kelsey Grammar to Mel Gibson, men who should know better, fall.

These surgically enhanced ticks attempt to embed themselves as deeply as possible into the celebrity blood supply before they get yanked out.

The "gold ring" and lifetime security is, the celebrity baby. Heather Mills, Marla Maples and Kimberley Conrad (TWO Hefner babies!) never have to work again.