Beau is Afraid (A24, 2023)

A dreamland hellscape.

This is a hard movie to write a review about. There’s so many twists and turns that only a most generalized opinion presents itself without giving up any spoilers.

There’s no doubt that Joaquin Phoenix is a wonderful actor, but his prowess shines in this movie that keeps you wondering whether what he’s portraying is reality or fiction, real life or a dream – he rides the line in a masterful depiction between insanity and lucidity.

Written, directed, and produced by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), this film is yet another testament to A24’s mastery of films that leave you reeling while the end-credits are rolling. Filling a whole three hours of screentime, I would recommend an intermission sometime halfway through, but I won’t blame you for not being able to get up off your seat due to the steady pull of intrigue throughout the duration of the movie.

Things starts out pretty simple – you meet Beau, who, as the title mentions, is afraid. He’s going to meet his mother, after he has a session with his therapist. You can tell he’s afraid by the way he speaks, the way he sees things, and the way he moves around the world. For the first half of the movie you’re wondering if what he’s seeing is real… the second half is much more intense, but doesn’t reveal any further answers. In fact, throughout the whole movie, Beau asks questions and never has any of them answered until the climax in the very last moments, which brings up more questions than answers.

Fear, anxiety, and paranoia run rampant throughout Beau’s life. Reminiscent of David Lynch movies, Beau is Afraid is wacky, weird, and fraught with insanity. It will require at least two viewings to appreciate the gravity of Beau’s distress and fight against the world that is against him; even then you’ll be left wondering what the hell is going on in his life, between the idyllic dreamland that he’s ensnared in, and the hellish nightmare of what he experiences. Love, sex, fear, and violence are all present in the movie – Ari Aster leaves you with a bowl full of emotions without knowing whether to throw them away or swallow them whole.

If you consider yourself basic, I would give it two thumbs down. But if you’re as weird as I am, into movies that make you think about them for days after watching them, this movie has three thumbs up.

Beau is Afraid is available to rent/buy from Amazon Prime at https://www.amazon.com/Beau-Afraid-Joaquin-Phoenix/dp/B0B6GNB7TZ. Other links are available at the movie’s official website at https://a24films.com/films/beau-is-afraid.

Beau is Afraid (A24, 2023)

https://a24films.com/films/beau-is-afraid

By KSUA’s DJ 2cats

KSUA GM