B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid into the ol’ VCR. 

I’m a huge fan of Hereditary and Midsommar. Hell, I just ordered a Midsommar pin from A24 last week. That’s why, I’m so sorry to say, I hated Beau is Afraid. And you know what that means. It’s time for the infamous disclaimer: 

The great thing about movies is that we can discuss and debate them. Just because I think a movie is great doesn’t make it a good movie, and just because I think a movie is awful doesn’t make it a bad movie. Also, making a movie is extremely difficult and incredibly badass, and I don’t want to detract from the process.

With the formalities out of the way, let’s get into it. 

Joaquin Phoenix stars in a live action version of that one Chipotle commercial with the Kacey Musgraves cover of “Fix You” that always makes me cry. 

I feel like Beau is Afraid is one of those movies where someone will ask, “But did you get it?” when you say you didn’t like it. Believe me, I GET it. I more than understand the symbolism and the nuances. I fully comprehend that the movie is shot in a frenzied manner to mimic Beau’s mental health. Beau’s an unreliable narrator of sorts, and what we see/perceive may or may not be what’s actually happening. I get it. 

However, I feel as though Ari Aster was so desperately trying to avoid being pigeon-holed as a horror director that he overcorrected. It has all of the Ari Aster hits, including mommy monologues, face plants onto rocks, attic climaxes, and my personal favorite, lit house against dark background (I feel like Joe Bob Briggs rattling off the drive-in totals). Beau is Afraid has all of the same commentary on generational trauma, family dynamics, and mental illness we see in both of its predecessors. That begs the question, if the format isn’t broken, why fix it?

I respect Ari Aster’s decision to take some risks within Beau is Afraid, and honestly, some things work. For example, the animated and stop-motion parts throughout the film are beautiful and extremely impressive. I’d go so far to say that the forest scenes are the strongest in the film. 

Joaquin Phoenix wishing he was cast in Hereditary instead. 

I also want to say that all of the actors give INCREDIBLE performances. Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Patti LuPone, Parker Posey, and everyone else involved did a wonderful job. The main issue with Beau is Afraid doesn’t lie in the performances, but in the content. 

I mentioned earlier that parts of the film are purposely shot to feel overwhelming and disorienting to parallel Beau’s mental state, which is great in theory. The problem is this leads to a lack of cohesion within the film itself. I would also argue that Ari Aster was heavily influenced by the likes of Michel Gondry, sans big hands. Once you see the movie, you’ll understand what I mean. 

It’s very rare that I don’t like an A24 movie, so I want to throw out a couple of other reasons I didn’t like Beau is Afraid out of context for fun: 

• Why did they ripoff Treehouse of Horror VII? 
• The penis monster looks like one of Jonah Hill’s dick doodles from Superbad by way of The Jim Henson Company. 
• I can never hear “Always Be My Baby” the same way. 

Pictured, another Ari Aster favorite: mothers screaming about their sons. 

So yeah. There you have it. 

I was disappointed by Beau is Afraid, but again, I applaud Ari Aster for taking risks and wanting to create something different. There are really beautiful pieces to the film, and the acting is superb. The problem is, ideas are jammed together like puzzle pieces that almost fit but don’t quite belong together. I think some editing, including a restructuring of the storyline, could really make this a great film. More specifically, I think the forest component of the film is so strong, the entire film could be focused on the play and be used as the driving force.

My feelings about Beau is Afraid aside, I’ll still be first at the box office to see anything Ari Aster directs.