Beau Is Afraid
★★★★
I thought I knew what I was getting myself into going into Beau Is Afraid. I was a huge fan of Ari Aster's Hereditary and Midsommar, in particular his style. I guess I have to give it to Aster, I was completely unprepared for how bizarre this film is. Aster taps into his inner David Lynch, and presents a character's fever dream that is surreal and filled with anxiety. Even though this film can't quite get slotted into the horror category, Aster has an unbelievable way of keeping you on edge. I tend to be an A-type personality, and he completely taps into the emotional turmoil that one experiences when being late for an event or any other similar tick.
All I could think of the whole time was, "Poor, poor, Beau." Joaquin Phoenix absolutely gives it his all during this film. It's an amazing performance that had to make him both mentally and physically wiped. We live in Beau's mind for better or mostly worse, and we are tied to the character's fraught mental state. The emotional journey that Beau takes is something that you won't visually forget. At times beautiful, at times horrific, at times familiar. You never know where you are headed and like Beau, you have to give in to the process.
Despite being a film that is undoubtedly unforgettable, there are moments where my mind trailed off, especially during the middle act. It's hard to convince somebody to watch this movie because after a three hour runtime of madness, it's a tough hang. It's has amazing moments of dark humor with terrific performances, but you are left with a sinking feeling at the end. Beau is Afraid is one of those films that might be more enjoyable to talk about than experience. I would love to sit in on a psychology seminar dissecting this film. It's a film that takes chances, and I'm always a fan of that. But be warned, if you have any mommy issues in the slightest, this movie may hit too close to home.
