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.
Director: Ari Aster
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Michael Gandolfini, Zoe Lister-Jones, Richard Kind
Release Date: April 21, 2023
Genre: Comedy, Drama,Horror
Rated R for strong violent content, sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use and language.
Runtime: 2h 59m
Review:
Ari Aster's absurdist waking nightmare Beau is Afraid is the type of film that's guaranteed to divide people for a variety of reasons. Aster creates a massive metaphorical hellscape peppered with every different type of anxiety imaginable. Needless to say it's a behemoth of story that will take an insane amount of time to digest what's being splattered onscreen at any given moment. What's even more surprising is the amount of dark humor that is peppered throughout its rather expansive runtime. Joaquin Phoenix carries the film as the tragic soul who embarks on this twisted hero's journey. Phoenix is the perfect type of actor to take on such a massive undertaking. His character is a collection of anxiety riddled sadness and failures made human thanks to Phoenix's sublime performance. Its an impressive performance that rarely falters even in the face of the increasingly bizarre and fantastical elements come into play. Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan and Kylie Rogers get a large chunk of screen time in one of the film's earlier chapters with all three doing solid work with Rogers proving just as capable as the veteran actors. Patti LuPone and Zoe Lister-Jones make for an impressive one two punch as the older and younger versions of Beau's mother with each leaving their scathing mark on the film. Parker Posey and Richard Kind have smaller supporting roles but they both make the most of their screen time. The performances are strong across the board but its style and structure make it Aster's least accessible film since it rarely, if ever, plays on a literal plane opting for something more abstract. There will be a variety of ways to dissect what the film is all about from a bevy of viewpoints for those who are willing to engage in its collected insanity. Beau is Afraid isn't going to be for everyone but those allow themselves to take the journey will find plenty to ponder about long after the film is over.
B
