Spoilers are bored.

I am biased in every movie review I write. I appreciate film as an art that makes us feel emotion, drama, horror, fun, even tragedy. I however need to halt my sense of disbelief on a movie world that subjects its protagonist, and by inference its audience, to suffering without a cathartic paypack. Bless Ari Aster for some of some of the best slow burn horror films, but this one is simply slow until it fades away. There is no satisfaction at the very end of a long three hour run.

(Credit: A24)

Beau is Afraid (2023) was written and directed by Ari Aster. Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) is plagued with anxiety that seems to be plenty justified as the entire world is out to get him the moment he steps out his door. Neurotic and constantly facing panic and phobias, he constantly reminisces in guilt about normal events in his past that turn into nightmares, such as his first love or growing up with his mother becoming increasingly scared of the world. Now as he embarks on a trip to see his mother, Mona (Patti LuPone), he seems to be facing danger at every turn.

Drama here is based on hyper-active emotions. Comedy seems to be constant suffering and paranoia. Fantasy is the crystallization of every fear and phobia that Beau could have becoming tangible and threatening, which I guess is where the horror comes in. But it is just riddled with festering guilt and seems to gorge in causing hatred to its main character. It’s oppressive but tedious, it’s a nightmare but visually dull. It’s cinematographically imaginative. Beau’s neighborhood looks like a war zone. His memories are shown with a blurry background.

It never works for me. It has no comedic timing, or it’s so subtle that I completely missed it. It has no sense of horror, it’s completely barren of scares (okey one scare – looking at the runtime and realizing I need to endure this for three hours). If this is just art beyond my meager understanding, that’s amazing. There must an audience for this film if you read all the positive reviews, but as I mentioned I write with a bias – there has to be something engaging about the film, the story, the characters, anything. Technically, the shots are solid. But I found the engagement mediocre at best. At worst, we’re in a film where we live inside someone’s head. The only relief we get is being let out.

Not recommended. There are many positive reviews by professional critics that loved this film. I wouldn’t recommend it in good conscience to any viewer but a film critic. It’s a slow burn that never gets to the spark. Perhaps there’s an audience somewhere that will enjoy it. Not worth a watch in my humble, meager and very biased opinion.

That will do for now.