Beau is Afraid is director Ari Aster’s newest film which was released on April 21st. His other work includes horror movie modern classics like Midsommar and Hereditary. Going into this film, I was pretty unaware of what to expect. I had not watched a full trailer for the film, I only saw clips from trailers on TikTok or Instagram. I knew that I wanted to see the film because Aster is a great director, and I found the premise to be exciting. Beau is Afraid is a story, as quoted from IMDb, “Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic, Kafkaesque odyssey back home”. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Beau, an incredibly anxious middle-aged man who fears pretty much everyone and everything.
To start, the film is long—long as in three hours of nonstop nightmares. Aster has a talent for making his audience feel uncomfortable in their seats at home. There is just something off putting about the world that Beau is in. (That makes much more sense in the end.) As I watched, I felt this eerie sense of uncanniness with the film. It made me feel like I was watching a nightmare unfold in reality. But don’t let that discourage you from going to see the film!
In the beginning, Beau is going about his day to day life as he lives in New York’s most dangerous neighborhood. He prepares to catch his flight to visit his mother, but everything stands in his way. From a crazed naked killer to a terrifying teenage girl to a confusing animated journey, nothing will let Beau reach his mother. Just when you think the story won’t get any crazier, it does. Or, just when you think the movie will end, it continues. It’s confusing but very intriguing.
And Aster wasn’t kidding when he named the film “Beau is Afraid.” I was sitting there on the edge of my seat, begging Beau to speak up and demand he be taken home to his mother. It’s almost infuriating how submissive he is, but at the same time, so relatable. Beau is the perfect embodiment of anxiety. He’s quiet, not opinionated, impossibly small, and afraid. Phoenix plays the part incredibly. As I watched, I felt so sorry for him because I knew the anxiety that he felt. But it makes you wonder, “Do I want to relate to him?”
Typically, storytellers want their audience to be able to relate to their main character. It helps the viewer to feel connected to the story and engulfed in the created world. But with Beau, the ending had me regretting ever seeing myself in him. It makes one wonder what Aster wanted to tell his audience with this film. Perhaps one takeaway might be to live life less anxiously. Obviously, that’s easier said than done, especially when one has a clinical anxiety disorder like I do. But there is importance to that message. Even just speaking out more about issues in the world or voicing your opinion can make a difference.
I truly believe that Beau is Afraid fairs well with Aster’s other films. However, it is a much different type of film. It’s a horror film, but not in the same way that Hereditary and Midsommar are horror films. It doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously. There are some really funny moments throughout the film that sometimes just leave you in disbelief. But there are also moments where you feel incredibly unsettled and afraid for Beau. It truly is an odyssey of an adventure as we follow Beau on his quest to get to his mother’s house. The film is an odd mix of beautifully cinematic and grotesque images.
My advice is to go into the film blind. Don’t look up trailers or press conferences with the cast. Go to the theater and watch it with no predetermined idea of what the film will be. Fall into the world of Beau is Afraid and just watch it.
