Ari Aster made an impact with his first two directorial projects — Hereditary and Midsommar — which are considered some of the best horror films of the modern era. And audiences couldn’t wait to see what he did next. Four years later, he is back with Beau Is Afraid starring Joaquin Phoenix, whose title character embarks on an epic journey home following his mother’s sudden death. While Aster had expressed interest in venturing outside of the horror genre, viewers who saw early screenings were left “haunted” by the “nightmare fuel.” The reviews are here, ahead of the movie’s April 21 release, so let’s find out more about Beau Is Afraid.
Alongside Joaquin Phoenix in this surreal dark comedy (Ari Aster’s third movie with A24) is an impressive supporting cast that includes Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan and Richard Kind. The critics have lots of thoughts about this three-hour flick, so we’re jumping right in with CinemaBlend’s review of Beau Is Afraid. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 4.5 stars out of 5, warning that this is a wholly different experience than Aster’s first two films and saying it will likely go down as the most extravagantly weird film of the year. He continues:
From vicious lunacy, to striking animation in the second act, to endgame revelations that make you rethink everything, Beau Is Afraid is madness that has to be witnessed to be fully grasped, and even after that you’re still going to need a lot of time to get your mind around all of it. It’s a remarkable work of tone and character that goes to some bewildering and mind-boggling places (let it be known that I’ve held back writing about a lot of ridiculous surprises in this review), and it not only demonstrates Ari Aster’s tremendous range, but cements him as one of the most fascinating big screen storytellers working today.
Kristy Puchko of Mashable describes the film as a 3-hour-long panic attack, peppered with jokes so dark you might laugh or scream. The critic praises Joaquin Phoenix’s “intensely demanding performance,” and while she can’t promise audiences will enjoy Beau Is Afraid, she promises it will fuck you up. The review continues:
Beau Is Afraid is a challenge in that its exploration of terror doesn't allow you the reprieve typically provided in horror. There are no jump scares to give you the release of a scream. The film instead operates on a wicked sense of whimsy, propelling its protagonist forward without much respite, despite flights of fantasy. So too are we pushed to the brink, wallowing in uncertainty and anxiety, on the edge of our seats over what might come next.
Siddhant Adlakha of IGN also gives the film high marks, rating it an “Amazing” 9 out of 10. The critic says Ari Aster’s latest offering is a surreal three-hour dive into his anxieties, a deeply personal horror-comedy at a wildly ambitious scale. More from the review:
[The escalating physical scale and overlapping allusions] eventually build to an overt and obvious yet wholly focused metaphor for how creating cinema is an act of vulnerability, one with little upside except exposing the most fearful and shameful corners of oneself, for all the world to see. In that vein, it’s the kind of movie worth recommending for its ambition alone, merely to witness the audacious result of anxious self-loathing writ large across the silver screen, without an ounce of restraint. That it’s also a remarkably well-crafted horror-comedy is a cherry on top.
John Nugent of Empire gives the movie 4 out of 5 stars, wondering where Ari Aster could go next? Beau Is Afraid evokes a visceral anxiety but is still a jaw-dropping joyride, the critic says, where Beau’s irrational fears are real, and his darkest fears are all realized simultaneously. The review continues:
By the time the final act rolls around — with its revelations of an elaborate Oedipal conspiracy theory, some gestures towards the metaphysical, and perhaps the most monstrous dick joke in cinema history — reality seems an entirely relative concept. What began as a comically exaggerated paranoid farce ends as an audacious slice of surreal, Charlie Kaufman-esque purgatorial art, likely to draw admirers as much as a sense of alienation.
Charles Pulliam-Moore of The Verge, like many other critics, notes that Beau Is Afraid will be polarizing to audiences, as discomfort seems very much part of the point. However, as dark and grotesque as the movie can get, this review calls it Ari Aster’s most comedic project to date. He continues:
Beau Is Afraid is so distinct from Aster’s other films and ends on such a bewildering note that it’s more than likely to throw quite a few people for loops they aren’t expecting. But even as it’s spiraling in its final moments, and raising more questions than it ever feels interested in answering, there’s a mesmerizing, captivating quality to it all that makes it hard not to get drawn into the strangeness of Aster’s vision.
Moviegoers sure sound like they’re in for a strange and emotionally affecting outing. Will Beau Is Afraid join the ranks as one of A24’s best horror movies? You’ll be able to make your own assessments when Joaquin Phoenix’s movie hits the big screen on Friday, April 21. In the meantime, check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are headed to theaters soon.
