Speak Horror to Me: Familial points and disorienting narratives in ‘Beau Is Afraid’

In “Speak Horror to Me,” columnist Emma Kexin Wang ’24 opinions horror, psycho thrillers and all issues scary launched up to now yr.

Ari Aster is the director one has in thoughts when pondering of the standard A24 horror film. His full-length debut, “Hereditary,” turned A24’s highest-grossing movie earlier than it was topped by “The whole lot In all places All at As soon as.” His second movie, “Midsommar,” additional cemented Aster alongside Jordan Peele as a brand new voice in horror. 

Nonetheless, Aster’s latest movie “Beau Is Afraid” (2023), starring Joaquin Phoenix, noticed a extra divided reception. A 3-hour-long mix of intense paranoia, Kafkaesque absurdism and Aster’s signature household points, “Beau Is Afraid” was praised by some and deemed to be Aster’s career-ending work by others.

Whereas Aster’s earlier movies weren’t precisely simple to decipher (I’ve watched “Hereditary” 5 occasions and I’m nonetheless discovering new particulars), “Beau Is Afraid” straight units out to confuse its unhappy, paranoid protagonist and the viewers together with him. 

Not solely does the plot twist and switch, however the visuals change into an increasing number of absurd, a seemingly drug-induced hallucination paying homage to “Midsommar.” Nonetheless, when one will get too absorbed into deciphering these occasions, one can lose sight of the meant total complicated viewing expertise.

The movie relies on Aster’s quick movie “Beau” (2011), which begins with Beau (Billy Mayo) indefinitely delayed in visiting his mom as a result of his keys are stolen, and progresses right into a sequence of horrifically banal but unusual incidents. The movie ends when Beau calls his mom to select him up, his expression very similar to that of a scared little one. On the different finish of the receiver, we’re proven a monstrous creature with a bushy again (presumably Beau’s mom) toying with a sequence of keys. She had orchestrated the trial all alongside.

“Beau Is Afraid” leans closely into Beau’s excessive mommy points. The primary particular person to enter the body is Beau’s therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who then opens the door to disclose Beau, his arms hanging awkwardly at his facet like a baby. Instantly, Beau is established as a personality whom issues occur to — somebody pressured to behave beneath the management of others.

Because the remedy session continues, Beau reveals that he hasn’t seen his mom, Mona (Patti LuPone) in a number of months, to which his therapist asks: “And are you feeling responsible about that?” When Beau is unable to reply, the therapist writes the phrase Responsible in huge, cursive letters in his in any other case empty notepad. 

Whereas this might need garnered fun within the theater, the burden of the phrase grows all through the film with Beau’s more and more failed makes an attempt to go dwelling and see his mom. With every new and extra ridiculous delay in Beau’s journey (Beau dropping his keys, being hit by a truck and being pressured to take medicine by a teenage woman), Phoenix’s wonderful efficiency showcases Beau’s intensifying guilt and concern. 

On the similar time, there looms the query of how a lot Mona deliberate for Beau’s misfortunes. Wanting on the absolute paranoid-mess of a protagonist, we are able to safely say Mona’s over-controlling parenting strategies have created a personality continually afraid of the world round him. 

When Beau lastly makes it dwelling, he’s greeted by Mona’s admonishing remark: “You make everybody do it for you. You suppose that makes you harmless?” And thus emerges the central battle between Beau and Mona: Beau’s guilt and gradual realization that his mom was abusive, and Mona’s denial of his innocence. The end result of this battle has arguably been decided for the reason that inscription of the phrase “responsible.”

I wouldn’t suggest “Beau Is Afraid” to everybody. All I can say is, whether or not you hate or find it irresistible, A24 and Ari Aster have stayed true to their inventive visions, irrespective of how gut-wrenchingly disturbing it’s.

Editor’s Notice: This text is a overview and contains subjective ideas, opinions and critiques.