«Beau is Afraid»: a mist of anguish

Spearheading the’elevated horror (more artistic horror cinema) since his excellent Hereditary (2018) and Midsommar (2019), Ari Aster presents Beau is Afraid, between horrific tale and black comedy. But does the film live up to its promise over 2h59?

Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man between two ages, terribly distressed by everything around him. He's supposed to join his mother on the other side of the country for a birthday party. But a chain of events, each more absurd than the last, takes him on an introspective journey in search of his origins.

A film impossible to summarize

If this summary sounds vague, that's because the film is. Almost indescribable, Beau is Afraid is an experience almost more sensory than narrative, in which Ari Aster stages everything that goes through her hero's anxious mind. Passers-by become a source of violence, drugs are defined only by their potential danger, neighbors are hostile and Beau is on death's door.

He also has many relationship problems with his castrating mother. self-made woman. The link between a difficult childhood and constant anxiety is easy to see, but the transformation of this idea into images could have been missed. Ari Aster is an excellent director, however, and proves it once again with his sense of imagery and framing, so all the action unfolds fluidly. Nevertheless, the absence of any real context or explanation for Beau's unfortunate adventures doesn't help viewers immerse themselves in the story.

So, while the events unfold very well, the audience takes real pleasure in following Beau's traumas and the imagery is inventive, the film can get lost early on in its perhaps over-complicated concept. It's like one of those novels that are sometimes brilliant, sometimes convoluted, Beau is Afraid is not a film for everyone. An extension of several of the director's early short films (notably Beau in 2011 and Munchausen in 2013), this new film explores the troubles of the human being with humor and horror, without lapsing into sleazy visuals. Yet it's not without its faults.

A very effective first hour

The first hour is largely devoted to what was described above: a man, struck with anguish by a possessive mother, sees the world turned against him. This first hour is quite masterful, let's face it. The camerawork is inventive, Joaquin Phoenix is excellent and the events unfold with ease. However, it's beginning to feel as if the film isn't going to go much further than its concept, and above all that there are still two hours to go.

From there, Beau crosses paths with a traveling theater troupe, a strange couple, a childhood sweetheart and so on. All with no real narrative coherence apart from the introspective journey. It's at this point that Beau is Afraid loses his footing. The film becomes nothing more than a succession of absurd moments that lead the protagonist into improbable adventures, not all of which are useful, and above all, too long, before coming to a screeching halt.

Two very laborious hours

Because that's the problem with Beau is AfraidThis is probably the most inventive and well-realized film in a long time, but it's also the one that most spoils its concept with excess. Any action undertaken will, understandably, end up being baffled by some absurd element or Beau's terror. As a result, the film becomes nothing more than a vaguely funny, mostly foggy ramble. The point of view is on what Beau is feeling, so everything becomes metaphor, and nothing has any narrative importance. Above all, this is done at a slow pace, the antithesis of the first third, which only makes the viewer regret a medium-length film that could have been fabulous.

Nevertheless, it's a worthwhile viewing for those with a passion for symbolism, background humor and Joaquin Phoenix's acting. And that first hour never seen elsewhere.

Write to the author: mathieu.vuillerme@leregardlibre.com

You've just read an open-access review. Debates, analysis, cultural news: subscribe to support us and get access to all our content!