Film Review - Beau is Afraid
Images courtesy of Roadshow Films.
Beau Is Afraid, the latest film from A24 arthouse auteur Ari Aster (try saying that five times fast), follows Beau Wassermann (the ever-committed Joaquin Phoenix), a man who suffers from extreme anxiety and paranoia. After he finds himself missing a flight to visit his mother, he embarks on a surreal adventure beyond his apartment walls, facing his deepest fears, and unpacking a lifetime's worth of maternal trauma along the way.
The film is a surreal black comedy that blends elements of fantasy, horror, and drama, putting the trip in road trip. Beau Is Afraid is full of absurd and often uncomfortable moments, such as when Beau’s bath is interrupted by a stranger clinging to his ceiling, or his visit to a cult-like "happy" family led by Nathan Lane (this film will do for the phrase "my dude" what Jaws did for the ocean). A story-within-a-story sequence that takes place in a forest will be the standout for many viewers, as it ushers in a flurry of pleasantly handcrafted animation, offering a somewhat calming reprieve from the not-so-controlled chaos that dominates the rest of the journey. The film's real strength, though, is how it captures the arduous and daunting nature of seemingly everyday tasks whilst suffering from mental health issues. When depression and anxiety are hitting hard, little things like crossing the road to visit the shops can feel like an odyssey all on their own.
Unfortunately, not all of it seems entirely purposeful. At times, Aster lets the film drift off into a sea of melancholic motherly baggage, and it's here that the gargantuan runtime begins to drag. The visuals are appealing as per usual, but when the experience largely amounts to something that should be felt rather than understood, it's hard not to see where the fat could've been trimmed (when my sister asked what my thoughts of it were during the credits, I replied with "three hour long dick joke"). But then, just when one might think a scene has reached the absolute limits of their patience, it'll erupt - as if shocked by lightning - into a sudden burst of chaotic farcity, and we're reminded that Aster at least knows how to have some fun with these lofty, esoteric concepts.
Despite how one-noted of a character Beau is (his near-constant emotional state is literally right there in the title), the film works as yet another showcase for Phoenix’s incredible range, as he portrays Beau's emotional turmoil, guilt and breakdowns with nuance and stifled intensity. Thanks to some solid visual gags and help from an excellent supporting cast, Phoenix manages to make Beau sympathetic and relatable, despite his erratic and often infuriating reactions - or lack thereof - to the myriad of bizarre situations he finds himself in.
As an exorcism of emotions that relies heavily on the audience's ability to see themselves in its protagonist's struggles, for many it will stay with them long after the credits have rolled, even if more for its sheer ambition than its achievements. Beau Is Afraid is far from a perfect cinema-going experience, but it's nevertheless a fascinating and original one.
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Beau Is Afraid is screening in cinemas from Thursday 20th April. For tickets and more info, click here.