Beau tem Medo

Beau is Afraid is going to be hit or miss for a lot of people. It's the type of movie that many will praise and criticize for the exact same reasons. Some will find Ari Aster's visceral, nonstop, in-your-face shock and awe absolutely brilliant. Some will find it grotesque, some hilarious, and some will probably just find it plain monotonous. Regardless of where you land personally, I think fans and haters alike will admit it's easy to understand all of those opinions (and more) on the fever-dream, bad-trip, crisis-coaster that is Beau is Afraid.

There are some ideas in this movie that absolutely hit home. The central character, Beau's, downright Fredian psyche is thought provoking and forceful, if not overstated. The movie looks wonderful throughout and showcases phenomenal cinematography. There is also a fantastic black comedy element that I wasn't expecting - both the wry smile kind and laugh out loud type. Beau is Afraid is packed with amusing subtleties that make me want to rewatch the movie just to see what details I missed. On the surface level, this movie considerably richer than Aster's previous two; it feels as though there is so much more to explore here.

What falls short for me isn't any one glaring detail, it's the sum of all the film's parts. It's a rambling, full speed ahead journey it that lasts an excruciatingly long three hours (two hours and fifty-nine minutes, to be exact). This ride doesn't feel like a edge of your seat thriller, it feels like a highlight reel of nightmares loosely strung together. Frustrating, inarticulate, and logic resistant. At points it feels like Aster is openly testing the audience's limits and patience, fully leaning into the fact that many won't hang on until the end.

Kafka-esque is spot on. Beau is Afraid is largely without a plot; the viewer is forced to most of the legwork if they want to reconcile any sort of direction. This could have worked in a smaller dose, but after the two hour mark you start to wonder why there is still so much movie left. Aster's audience engagement leans heavily on visuals and surprises, and somewhere along the three hour journey you start to wonder if that's quite enough.

You don't know what's coming in Beau is Afraid, but as the formula reveals itself you do know that entire movie is about to be turned on its head. Again. And again. And again. Watching the story bounce from one introspective non-sequitur to the next is a rather unrewarding experience. Even though a resounding lack of closure is surely supposed to be a deliberate point of the film, I had to question if I was enjoying it.

There's a very good movie in buried somewhere in Beau is Afraid, but it's layered under a heavy, heavy dose of self indulgence. It doesn't need to be so long, or so frenzied, or so indirect. Aster's core message simply isn't as profound as he makes it out to be. But it's a new side of Ari that we've never seen before and, for many, that alone will make it worthwhile experience. And the movie isn't without a good deal of genuinely redeeming qualities that fans of the genre (if you can narrow it down to just one) will surely enjoy. It's a thought provoking, visually stimulating trip that you should really just experience for yourself. Though perhaps on-demand with the fast forward button within reach, just in case.

Couple things:

1. I don't like being negative about movies.

2. I love when filmmakers and creators take big risks and make original, creative movies that we haven't seen anything like before. Watching directors take huge swings, even when they miss, is infinitely more compelling than safe mediocrity.

That being said... I thought Beau is Afraid was terrible. I might even say... unwatchable.

And that really disappoints me. I love seeing big risks pay off and love to champion those films, and I really hate having to say I didn't like a movie. I'd usually give a wildly original film like this the benefit of the doubt for taking a big swing even if it doesn't fully pan out... but to me, Ari Aster missed the mark in every possible way with this film. The film felt like it was someone telling you all the unnecessary details of a nightmare they had as you slowly lose interest. The story had no rhyme or reason, and stuff just kept happening that never made sense to me. I really admire the originality and the skill behind the camera - it is still a technically well-made movie, and Joaquin Phoenix really commits to the role. The movie does do a good job of immersing you in the psyche of its protagonist. But overall, it just did not work.

This is a perfect example of when art-house cinema becomes too much - the movie is inaccessible. If I as a cinephile struggles to get through the third hour of the movie, I can't imagine what it must be like for a member of the general moviegoing public. Like, the first 45 minutes were promising, but everything after was almost unbearable. Nothing worked for me, and I even questioned whether I could sit through the rest of it. The movie is far too long and is a slog to get through. It is also so obnoxiously self-indulgent. I do need time to digest it and think about it, but overall my gut feeling is that this movie really did not work for me. To me, it was terrible, which is such a surprise since I thought Aster's previous films, Hereditary and Midsommar, were quite excellent (albeit disturbing).

I see why this film is so divisive, and I am very upset to say that I ended up on the negative side on this one. It's 100% an original and unique movie - I've never seen anything quite like it...

...but maybe that was a good thing.

A fascinating movie with an exceptional ending, can't tell how much I enjoyed the movie and the ending reminded me of another masterpiece the stranger by Albert Camus... Only this time the mother herself is the judge.

The thing that makes this movie precious is that we don't see young directors delivering these kinds of movies specially at this quality. Anyway I'm not a professional when it comes to movies and I'm not sure what to call the genre of Bea is afraid but for sure it's my favorite. The only bothering point is the length of the movie which makes it hard to be watched several times and at the same time it requires you to do so.

I truly don't know where to start with this one. I've become a fan of director Ari Aster. Hereditary and Midsommar are both great movies in my opinion, even though they're not for everyone. He has shown that his style is very much out there and he just does whatever he wants. I admire that in a filmmaker, so I was eagerly awaiting his next outing, Beau is Afraid. Well, it's now playing in theatres and I think it's Aster's best and worst work to date. There's no denying this film is brilliantly well-made, but the actual presentation (story wise) downright baffled me, in good and bad ways. Here's why I really enjoyed watching it, even though it will never be a film I recommend.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Beau, a man with an insane amount of anxiety. On the anniversary of his father's death, he has a plane ticket back home to visit his mother. Things prevent him from making his flight, which in turn leads to him slowly finding his way home anyways. That's the premise in a nutshell, but many other storylines are present as well. From confronting his demons through stage plays, crazy visuals, flashbacks, and some very creative practical effect work, Beau is Afraid is definitely one of the most unique films I've seen in a while. I loved watching this film, but didn't love it as a film overall.

The best way I can explain how much I actually liked it is to say that I think it's a 5-star film on a filmmaking level, but about a 2-star film when it comes down to how effective the story is. I was eating up everything this film was giving me. My jaw was on the floor from how they pulled off certain sequences. I just wish the story became more clear by the end. I was very engaged, but even when the film felt like it was delivering answers, they also felt far too vague. The film plays as if it's giving you all the answers, but I was well aware it wasn't. I never felt frustrated while watching it, because I was loving the journey, but afterwards, I really had to think about whether or not the experience was enough for me. It was, but I have to admit it's not a great movie as a whole.

Beau is Afriad isn't afraid to go all out in every scene. The studio that made this film (A24) also funded it as one of their most expensive films to date. The budget is used to its fullest potential here and the effort leaps off the screen. It's weird, visually stunning, and Phoenix's lead performance is stellar. Other than those aspects though, I was underwhelmed by the story. Still, if you're a film buff who likes to watch all movies, I recommend it, but to any casual viewer, I would say stay far, far away, it's probably not for you. It's a fantastic film to look at and follow along with, but it's simply not great otherwise in my opinion.

If you think of this movie as a nightmare it makes more sense. When you dream, your brain processes deep emotions and fears. Things like guilt, shame, childhood fears (spiders, strangers, water, the woods, etc.) and a lot of times the narrative is confusing and all over the place. This basically sums of the movie.

It's hard to review or summarize, but essentially it's a journey into Beau's subconscious. Fear of sex, mommy issues, shut down emotions, and unresolved trauma.

I sometimes gauge a movie based on how many times I think about it after I've seen it. For this one, I've been thinking about it all day. There are some really creative, artistic scenes and shots also that keep the viewer interested. Overall it's disjointed and way too long, and definitely not for everyone. 6/10.