Beau is Afraid – A Disappointing Left Turn from A Talented Auteur (Early Review)

While we’re living in an era filled to the brim with quality horror movies, audiences are well equipped to handle anything thrown their way. Most horror will provide audiences with an adrenaline rush, but 99% of horror films won’t induce a lingering fear among those experienced with the genre. Ari Aster’s debut and sophomore effort, Hereditary and Midsommar respectively, are rare examples of films within the genre that are just as, if not even more terrifying, once the credits roll. Despite having only two feature films and a slew of shorts under his belt, Aster has already proven himself to be one of the greatest auteurs the horror genre has ever seen. His previous features not only feature frightening imagery and explore disturbing themes, they both tap into the human condition in a way that is too close for comfort and leaves audiences drowning in their own fears and anxieties. They are deeply uncomfortable, yet poignant and masterfully crafted.

After releasing Hereditary and Midsommar in back-to-back years, Aster took a well deserved four year break from filmmaking. Since then, fans eagerly awaited Aster’s next move, but many were thrown off guard when he announced that his third feature length film wouldn’t lie within the horror genre. While Beau is Afraid isn’t a complete departure from his horror roots, he delves head first into the world of surrealism and dark comedy. The film is a near 3-hour long epic chronicling the adventures of an anxiety-ridden man who after tragedy strikes, must face his greatest fears and embark on an odyssey back home.

Beau is Afraid is clearly inspired by David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman, but is unfortunately an amateurish interpretation that is far more meandering and less thought provoking than either of their best work. The film starts strong, placing audiences in the middle of Beau’s (Phoenix) frantic life. While preparing to visit his mother Mona (LuPone), he navigates the crime-ridden city he resides in and interacts with several terrifying individuals living in the area that hold him up and make it almost impossible for him to leave. This entire sequence is masterfully crafted, but once Beau leaves the city to embark on his quest, the film begins to crumble.

The film is merely a collection of half-baked ideas that unfortunately never come together in a cohesive fashion. Aster ambitiously tries to weave elements of fantasy, surrealism, psychological horror and dark comedy together, but it doesn’t find its stride on any of those fronts. It carelessly stumbles from scene to scene and the film itself seems as confused as the audience does about where it’s going. On one hand, it’s neat that Aster crafted a film so unpredictable that it makes the audience feel like they are embarking on a journey with the protagonist, but after a while one have to ask themself what is the deeper meaning here? Both of Aster’s previous efforts were strange, fantastical films that took audiences on a journey, but were underlined with substance that made the journey meaningful. Beau is Afraid does tackle themes of grief, anxiety and family dynamics similar to those films, but does so in a very surface level way that always seems to play second fiddle to the ridiculous mayhem on screen.

Even Phoenix, who is usually one of the most captivating actors to graze the silver screen, is not operating in top form. He delivers a whiny, one-note performance that makes it difficult to in Beau’s journey. He particularly struggles with finding a balance between the absurdist comedy and the surrealism, and it’s made clear that he and Aster were never quite on the same page. This is surprising considering the brilliant work Toni Collette and Florence Pugh delivered in Aster’s previous two films.

Meanwhile, the film is admirable from a technical standpoint, as it is clear a lot of care went into the production design and cinematography in particular. The film’s visual presentation enhances its epic scope and it is a spectacle to behold on the big screen. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that it is incredibly messy and silly to a point that’s almost insulting to the audience, especially those who have been invested in Aster’s career up until this point. Despite being a debut, Hereditary was shockingly polished and felt like the work of a filmmaker who had been active for many decades. Beau is Afraid, on the other hand, feels like a major step back, and despite some impressive visuals, the storytelling is something one would expect from a film school thesis, not one of the most prolific filmmakers working today.

In the end, Beau is Afraid will certainly have its fans and may attain some level of cult status, but the majority of viewers will likely consider this to be one of the biggest disappointments of the decade thus far.

still courtesy of Sphere Films

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Tristan French