Beau Is Afraid

"From his darkest fears comes the greatest adventure."

2023 2h 59m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 1,426

ComedyAdventureFantasy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“From his darkest fears comes the greatest adventure.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Joaquin Phoenix
Beau Wassermann
Patti LuPone
Mona Wassermann
Amy Ryan
Grace
Nathan Lane
Roger
Kylie Rogers
Toni
Denis Ménochet
Jeeves
Parker Posey
Elaine Bray
Zoe Lister-Jones
Young Mona

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ari Aster
Writers: Tyler Gibb, Ari Aster, Ari Aster
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, Finland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 179 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 35% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Finland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ari Aster, shot by Pawel Pogorzelski. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bobby Krlic. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lucian Johnston shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joaquin Phoenix and Patti LuPone and Amy Ryan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ari Aster directs. Pawel Pogorzelski behind the camera. Bobby Krlic scores. Lucian Johnston cuts. A long sit — settle in. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America, Finland. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 179 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
2Earned back only 35% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 3 years ago.
4International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Finland.
5Directed by Ari Aster, shot by Pawel Pogorzelski. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Bobby Krlic. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Lucian Johnston shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Joaquin Phoenix and Patti LuPone and Amy Ryan carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "From his darkest fears comes the greatest adventure.".
10IMDB entry: tt13521006 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 33 themes, including "suicide", "nightmare", "funeral", "therapist".
12Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Pawel Pogorzelski
Original score: Bobby Krlic
Editing: Lucian Johnston
Production design: Fiona Crombie
Costume design: Alice Babidge
Makeup / hair: Félix Larivière
VFX supervisor: Louis Morin
Sound: Paul Hsu
Stunt coordinator: David McKeown
Runtime: 179 min · 2h 59m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $35,000,000
Box office: $12,337,378
Return: 35% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Also by

Ari Aster

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What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2023-05-03
★ 6/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/review-ari-asters-beau-is-afraid-warrants-the-love-hate-reception/ “Beau Is Afraid is by far Ari Aster's most complex, inaccessible film to date, although guilt, extreme anxiety, and a complicated mother-son relationship are clear themes deeply explored throughout five sections - the second is one of the most mesmerizing, visually stunning sequences of the year. The more I think about what I watched, the more I admire the unique, thought-provoking, overwhelmingly surreal storytelling by one of the most authentic voices working today. That said, the three-hour runtime feels really heavy, the analysis of the movie as a whole raises some issues, and while all the technical departments are award-worthy, stating "it's not for everyone" is a perfect description of one of the most divisive films you'll see for a while.” Rating: B-
Nathan2023-05-16
★ 4/10
Beau is Afraid certainly boasts an incredibly rich and intricate narrative, filled with a plethora of allegories, symbolisms, and thematic elements. However, one may question whether the complexity of the film is worth sacrificing entertainment value. In attempting to weave together these complex themes, Ari Aster has created a narrative that was very difficult for me to fully process. During the first hour of the movie, I found myself engrossed in the story, with tense scenes that blurred the lines between what is real and what is fake. However, as the film progressed, these surreal scenes became increasingly wild and disjointed, leaving me feeling disconnected from the narrative. I found myself constantly asking questions about what was happening, how we got there, and why things were unfolding the way they were. This detachment ultimately detracted from my overall enjoyment of the film. At three hours in length, Beau is Afraid can be a daunting task for audiences to undertake. While a well-paced film can fly by (Avatar: The Way of Water and Babylon for instance), this one felt like a slog at times, and I found myself frequently checking the clock to see how much time was left. However, despite these shortcomings, the technical execution of the film was truly exceptional. Aster's direction was brilliant, with stunning camera work and beautiful cinematography. The acting was also top-notch, with Joaquin Phoenix delivering what was arguably the best performance of the year so far. The supporting cast, including Amy Ryan, Patti LuPone, and Nathan Lane, also gave standout performances. All in all, Beau is Afraid was quite a letdown for me. While Aster undoubtedly has a brilliant mind and a talent for storytelling, this film may have suffered from a lack of restraint. Nonetheless, the technical prowess and stellar performances are certainly noteworthy and should not be overlooked. Score: 41% ❌ Verdict: Poor
CinemaSerf2023-05-21
★ 6/10
Right from the start we appreciate that "Beau" is going to have an hard time with life. Luckily we skip forwards forty years and find him living an almost siege existence in a lawless city where sirens and racket keep him awake for most of the night. It's after one such a lively night that he suddenly awakes realising that he must get to the airport to go and visit his wealthy mother. Suffice to say, events conspire and he doesn't quite make the trip... He calls to alert his mother only to get the UPS man on the phone standing over an headless corpse. His mother? Well he now has to make a journey - without a functioning credit card - in time for her funeral. What now ensue are a series of mildly entertaining but largely just too surreal escapades that marry fantasy and fiction on his trip. This is a very strong effort from Joaquin Phoenix as the gentle but almost permanently bamboozled "Beau". He gives himself fully to the part and engenders frustration and sympathy successfully as the story progresses - in fits and starts - towards it's conclusion. Nathan Lane chips in well - if completely over the top - too, as surgeon "Roger" and we save the best til last with a rather bizarre denouement that sees Patti LuPone (his mother, "Mona") in an whole new light. At times the writing can be witty but for me this is just way, way too long and episodic. It's as if Ari Aster had an accumulation of ideas for his character that he has, almost "Forrest Gump" style, stitched together in the hope that what emerges at the end has been enjoyable to watch. I'm not great at the outlandish. It's not that it needs a solid beginning, middle and end but somehow I prefer the plot to be rooted in something just a bit more tangible than this is. I am glad that I saw it in a cinema, but I can safely say I won't watch it again.