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Beau Is Afraid

  • 2023
  • R
  • 2h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
73K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,164
74
Joaquin Phoenix and Armen Nahapetian in Beau Is Afraid (2023)
In theaters April 21.
Play trailer0:46
10 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyPsychological DramaQuestTragedyComedyDrama

Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic odyssey back home.Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic odyssey back home.Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic odyssey back home.

  • Director
    • Ari Aster
  • Writer
    • Ari Aster
  • Stars
    • Joaquin Phoenix
    • Patti LuPone
    • Amy Ryan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    73K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,164
    74
    • Director
      • Ari Aster
    • Writer
      • Ari Aster
    • Stars
      • Joaquin Phoenix
      • Patti LuPone
      • Amy Ryan
    • 526User reviews
    • 260Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 32 nominations total

    Videos10

    Beau Is Afraid Offical Trailer 2
    Trailer 0:46
    Beau Is Afraid Offical Trailer 2
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:25
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:25
    Official Trailer
    Beau Is Afraid
    Trailer 0:46
    Beau Is Afraid
    Beau Is Afraid
    Trailer 2:25
    Beau Is Afraid
    Best of Slapstick Comedy in 2023
    Interview 1:02
    Best of Slapstick Comedy in 2023
    Beau Is Afraid: Bedroom
    Clip 0:50
    Beau Is Afraid: Bedroom

    Photos215

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    + 210
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    Top cast72

    Edit
    Joaquin Phoenix
    Joaquin Phoenix
    • Beau Wassermann
    Patti LuPone
    Patti LuPone
    • Mona Wassermann
    Amy Ryan
    Amy Ryan
    • Grace
    Nathan Lane
    Nathan Lane
    • Roger
    Kylie Rogers
    Kylie Rogers
    • Toni
    Denis Ménochet
    Denis Ménochet
    • Jeeves
    Parker Posey
    Parker Posey
    • Elaine Bray
    Zoe Lister-Jones
    Zoe Lister-Jones
    • Young Mona
    Armen Nahapetian
    Armen Nahapetian
    • Teen Beau
    Julia Antonelli
    Julia Antonelli
    • Teen Elaine
    Stephen McKinley Henderson
    Stephen McKinley Henderson
    • Therapist
    Richard Kind
    Richard Kind
    • Dr. Cohen
    Hayley Squires
    Hayley Squires
    • Penelope
    Julian Richings
    Julian Richings
    • Strange Man
    Bill Hader
    Bill Hader
    • UPS Guy
    Alicia Rosario
    Alicia Rosario
    • Liz
    James Cvetkovski
    James Cvetkovski
    • Boy Beau
    Catherine Bérubé
    Catherine Bérubé
    • Hero Beau's Wife
    • Director
      • Ari Aster
    • Writer
      • Ari Aster
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews526

    6.672.6K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    5parksiet

    Disappointing

    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.
    7aweynand96

    You Must Conform to Beau's Norm

    I remember seeing a headline a few weeks ago in which it was claimed that Ari Aster dropped some LSD before a premiere. I don't know if that's true or not, or whether he takes psychedelics at all, but the man walks around with an imagination that is perpetually, creatively tripping. Like a colorful virus, he infects audiences with "Beau is Afraid" - a mind-bending journey of a film which I wish many people would see, but could only realistically recommend to a short list of open-minded friends.

    This behemoth is a lot to digest in one sitting. It's not carried by its characters so much as it is by hypnagogic artillery fire of imaginative sets and set-pieces, most of which have rhyme and reason for existing but some, probably none. The actual plot consists of a paranoid man's surreal, Kafkaesque odyssey to appease his domineering mother. Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) lives in a world where his every decision is governed by assertive women, and every woman leads back to his mother. He's emasculated, directionless, and, as he points out himself, personality-less. The environments around him are nonsense to us. Strangers form theater troupes in the woods, seedy cities are filled with caricatures of real people; anyone's sentence can become a jarring non sequitur at any moment, and no event is guaranteed to be permanent. These depictions are of course exaggerated - but it's hard to separate what is and is not Beau's reality. It's like a strange dream, and the best comparisons I can make are to David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" or Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut."

    But I've only described what this movie is like, and not WHY it is like. Plenty is up for interpretation. At the bottom line, however, is a creative director exploring themes of perceived guilt in awesome, if not totally bonkers ways. Anybody with a narcissistic parent will relate to parts of the film, as well as anyone who is unsure of themselves, or frets over every action (and inaction) they take. I think of Tyrion Lannister's line in "Game of Thrones," defending himself in front of a father who hates him: "I've been on trial my WHOLE LIFE." Beau is literally put on trial for his whole life. There are people who feel this way about an extreme mother. I've got to believe Ari's speaking some personal truths here.

    People who saw it before me had mixed reactions - giddy, disturbed, exhausted, confused. I can empathize with all of these. Though Beau held my attention for the entire 3-hour runtime, his performance is draining. And it should be no surprise that the man behind "Midsommar," "Hereditary" and "The Strange Thing about the Johnsons" locks this in with a good deal of shock value. His brand includes bringing out emotion through whatever means necessary, and it will turn some people off. My best advice is to give yourself completely to the experience. Don't try to follow the discombobulated world of Beau too closely, or you'll fall off a cliff every time. Sit back, enjoy yourself, and laugh where you can; there's maybe never been a more twisted humorist at work here.

    7.5/10 for reminding me of the time my dad showed me "Mulholland Drive" and I spent a week trying to decipher it.
    6gabilumenati

    I'm still so confused

    After being so mesmerised by hereditary and midsommar I was really looking forward to seeing this. The acting was really good. Joaquin Phoenix never disappoints with his acting Patti LuPone was phenomenal in her scenes. Even Amy, Ryan and Nathan lane had some great moments, but the first hour of the movie, I was really confused the second hour of the movie, I thought okay maybe they will start to explain a little of what is going on the third hour when it all came together I was even more confused. I left the cinema in total confusion. I really want to like this movie. I neither hate it nor love it.
    9FeastMode

    I feel like I just got punched in the face

    What do I even say? I don't know. This movie broke my brain. I'm seriously stuck. It's been two hours and my mind is still racing.

    Like the headline, much of what I say may sound negative, but I mean it in the best possible way. This movie is indescribably weird, outlandish, absurd and insane. So many times I thought to myself, "What am I watching?"

    This is dark comedy at it's finest. It's so messed up. And I was cracking up. Like everything else in this movie, it takes it to the extreme.

    The directing, cinematography and music work together to fully hypnotize me. It's so creative and imaginative with so many things I've never seen or could possibly imagine.

    Beau Is Afraid feels like four movies combined into one. That seems like a terrible idea. But each one is amazing. And they all work together. I don't understand how he did it. Ari Aster is clearly way smarter than me.

    There are long scenes of dialogue but I was fully glued. And there is usually other stuff going on during those scenes, like something funny in the background or interesting details in the set design. It made me even more engaged as I tried to catch everything.

    In an age where so many movies fail to stand out in any way, Beau Is Afraid stands out in every way. It's not for the faint of heart. I think some people will hate it. But if you've seen Hereditary or Midsommar, you know what you're in for. It's very different from them. But just like those movies, it'll remind you how much a great movie can affect you.

    (3 viewings, early screening IMAX 4/18/2023, IMAX 4/26/2023, 4/28/2025)
    6bmalakwa

    Needs a few edits

    The movie lost money because it was too long, the first half of the movie was great , the second half lost me. The scene in the forest and all the imaginary cartoon effects should have been eliminated greatly reducing the cost of the movie, The ending was silly, keeping it realistic would have enhanced the movie compared to what transpired. I would rather have Beau go up to the attic and have the movie end leaving me to guess what was up there, anything would have been better than the nonsense the director came up with.

    The first half shows what the social decay in America is beginning to look like, that portrayal makes a real horror show..

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was initially described by director and writer Ari Aster as a "4-hour-long nightmare comedy." The runtime of the theatrical cut runs just one minute shy of three hours.
    • Goofs
      Elaine's body changes position between shots when seen in the ceiling mirror in Mona's bedroom.
    • Quotes

      Angel: Yes, push forward. Pray that you learn valor and be given luck. You will walk many miles. Dozens will become hundreds. Hundreds will become thousands. You will pass through countless villages. But finally, one village will speak to you. Some deep, essential part of you will recognize it, and you will say "This village is mine." You will learn a trade. And eventually, earn a living. You will know the pleasure of tasting fruit and bread and wine that is yours because you have earned it. You will find a plot of land and build a house with your own hands. You will cultivate the land. You will live off it. You will come to make new friends. One day, you will meet a woman. The story of your meeting will change, according to who tells it; that you were lost, that she helped you find your way, or that she was off course and you guided her home. She will see your fears and your pain and your dreams and your potential. And you will see hers. In finding your other half, the gifts of your life will multiply. Sometimes, she will look like a man to you. She will become pregnant because you have sex with her. You will have children, three sons. You will teach them what you know and you will tell them you love them every day. They will grow into handsome boys, blessed with courage and kindness and ambition. You will share your feelings of pride with your therapist. He will archive them. One day, a historic storm will sweep through your village and destroy your home. You will be carried away by a great flood. You and your family will be separated. And you will be deposited in a strange country. You will look for your family for days, then weeks, then months. So many months that you will come to lose count, but you will not find them. You will try to find work to support your continuing search but no one will speak your language. You will be treated like a criminal. Eventually, you will come upon a village wracked by an inexplicable plague. As you pass through, a man deranged by tragedy will identify you as the beast who burned down his home and replaced his children's feet with their hands. You will try to argue your innocence, but this will only make you sound more guilty. You will wonder yourself whether you are guilty. You will flee. Mad with vengeance, they will send an attack dog to pursue you. It will tear through the world to find you. You won't know this, but you will sense it. And you will keep a detailed record of these impressions in a log, and over time this log will become many logs. Your adventures will continue for years and years. You will learn to distinguish birds by their call and you will know every tree and plant by its name. Abandoning all comforts, you will condition your mind to new ways of seeing. You will experience great highs and profound lows, and you will look for your family until your life shrinks and fades into the dream of a ghost. You will come to wonder if they ever existed. Finally, when you are old and frail, you will collapse in exhaustion.

    • Crazy credits
      The end credits roll all throughout the last scene.
    • Connections
      Featured in Horrible Reviews: The Horrors Of 2023: Beau Is Afraid | Video review (2023)
    • Soundtracks
      Largo (Concerto Pour Clavecin En Fa Mineur)
      Written by Johann Sebastian Bach (as JS Bach)

      Arranged by Ward Swingle (as Ward Lamar Swingle)

      (Warren Chappell Music France SA (SACEM))

      Performed by The Swingles

      Courtesy of Decca Records France

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Beau Is Afraid?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 21, 2023 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • Finland
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • Official A24
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Beau Tiene Miedo
    • Filming locations
      • Montréal, Québec, Canada
    • Production companies
      • A24
      • Access Entertainment
      • IPR.VC
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,176,562
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $320,396
      • Apr 16, 2023
    • Gross worldwide
      • $12,337,378
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • IMAX 6-Track
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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