I thought the movie insinuated that Beau's psychosis was a result of his Mother using him as a guinea pig for all of the drugs that made her rich. The whole film I was confused to how she was so successful and he was living in the gutter. Then you see the scene of him walking through the house and seeing himself in all of the framed medicine ads for all of her drugs. And you realize his mother is a monster who used him, drove him crazy (drugs and mentally abusive), and you see why Beau is afraid
Connor thanks for stopping by! Your interpretation and perspective was fun to think about. The particular scene about the framed medicine ads and your attention to this was great! Your framework for understanding the Why was also interesting. I think movies and stories in general attempt to create a way for us as the viewers to understand emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The way you put together a reasonable pathway for understanding Beau's emotions and stance in the film was thought provoking. Thanks for sharing your interpretation and thoughts!
I think her Mona Wasserman “MW logo” was even on the “Erectus Ejectus” building next to the apartment where Beau lived. I felt as though she had interests in pharmaceuticals, real estate, and even the microwave food that he ate. MW enriched herself by investments or ownership of necessities. It, in my opinion, demonstrated her control and power.
Zaharra Lane Thank you for your comment! I hadn't even noticed that, so wonderful, astute observation you had. Yes, your perspective and interpretation of control and power in the movie is a great idea to think about. Thanks for stopping by!
A lot of people are missing out the main symbolism in the whole movie: The WATER It is everywhere all the time in almost all the scenes Psychologically water represents the feminine aspect and also the unconscious. The first scene is Beau being born and you can hear and see the water he is coming from. He dies swallowed by water. He is afraid of the bathtub when kid. He needs water urgently to swallow the pills. There is a flood in his dream. There is a constant aspect of there being TOO MUCH WATER and sometimes NO WATER, which for me indicates the overwhelming and smothering aspect of being swallowed by a narcissistic mother which love bombs you(too much water) and then denies you (no water) which is a trauma by itself for an infant. The devouring mother is represented constantly in this movie as the water. Watch it again and notice that
Also, Beau and his mother have the last name Wassermann, which means "water man" in German! The town that the mother lives in is called Wasserton, which again includes Wasser, water.
Considering that water is also a theme in The Truman Show and that Truman is afraid of water because he witnessed his dad drowning, I think BIA is almost a TS remake but with an extreme intensification of the absurd comedy and especially the paranoid horror that both come with that concept. The surveillance theme is also very similar to TS. Mona Wasserman is essentially Christof, the Ed Harris character here, only more evil. TS is already a very subtle creepy horror comedy at times, so if you need those genre elements dialed up to 11, BIA is the right film for you
Love the ending. There are people who need and ask for help like Beau, but instead we judge them, then just watch them, again like Beau, drowning and died.
Phoenix Playground, thanks for your comment. Yes, this idea of judgement is interesting. I think the question that comes to my after reading your comment was: How much are we judging ourself when we could be showing ourself more self compassion? If we want to have more self compassion towards others, it first starts by having more self compassion towards ourself. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
This comment just bumped up to a 5/5 (previously 4). Literally on a burning shaking boat, and we just watched til he died. Then everyone just left the auditorium
I believe Ari Astor made that comment about the whole time we’re watching beau struggle However after a second watch beau actually sees that same scene on the cctv his mother literally put on a show for us to see from her perspective
I'm always intrigued by how Ari Aster utilizes mental health in his storytelling. Yes, the movies could be seen as just horror, but at their core, there is a very stark exploration of trauma and how it manifests. Thank you for your insight!
Kassandra, thanks for your comment and contribution! I agree, there are many mental health undertones, so thank you for pointing that out! I liked your use of the word intrigue as well, it brings such a compassionate curiosity stance towards the world. Having curiosity about oneself and the world with compassion, rather than judgement is so important, in my opinion. Thank you for stopping by!
Another big theme I took from the film was gender dynamics. Beau is shown to be subconsciously impacted by the absence of a "masculine" role model in his life, through his obsession with his missing father. The picture of his father he keeps shows him as a "builder", which is what Beau imagines he could strive to become if he could escape the chains of his mother. Mona seeks to punish/discourage all of Beau's "masculine" urges (not to be essentialist myself, just going with the themes of the film). It is clear that Mona has deep insecurities about men/masculinity, implied by the penis monster in the attic. It may be that her own mother instilled this in her, or perhaps Beau's father mistreated her in some way as well. It's not entirely confirmed in the film. With that said, I think it is very intriguing that Amy Ryan forced Beau to take Toni's room. Beau is this "emasculated" male character, who when "adopted" by this new family, takes the place of their neglected daughter. To me, that part alone speaks volumes about each of the characters' psychology. Beau is being crammed into this feminized box against his will, due to not conforming to the masculine role model (the dead son). Toni is so devalued by her parents for not being a boy (perhaps even hinted that they thought she would be by her name), that a literal man replaces her as the family's surrogate "daughter." Beau and Toni sort of mirror each other, in a cruelly ironic way. Ultimately, I think the film is very critical of both gender paradigms. Beau is a fundamentally incomplete character, with one part of himself (the part that stood up for himself & defied his mother) trapped and malnourished in Mona's attic. I don't think we're ultimately meant to see what remains of Beau as "feminine" but perhaps the film questions why we label these behaviors as masculine or feminine. The implication being that there is a "wholeness" of character that is deprived from each of us by the rigid gender roles we inhabit.
Cameron, thanks for your comment. I appreciated your thoughtful and detailed dialogue here. I also thought it was intriguing how Grace put Beau in Toni's room. That was fun to think about honestly. Your perspective on gender paradigms as it correlates to this narrative we have (either in this film or in society) was also deep and wonderful to think about. Good stuff, thank you for stopping by!
Great analysis through gender paradigms! I love these perspectives and this is one of the freshest that actually satisfies my curiosity about the giant dick monster and Beau's brother.
I feel like I need to see this movie a few dozen more times before I've even started to understand it. I love how it relates to Ari Aster's other movies. Hereditary and Midsommar highlights the devastating effects of losing family, and Beau is Afraid shows the devastating effects of holding onto family no matter how much they hurt us. I think Aster's work is at its most horrifying when it shows that the people who are supposed to love us are also the most capable of destroying us.
Oreo, thanks for your comment! The idea you brought up about love and destruction was a nice highlight and fascinating to think about. I agree, I believe revisiting creative works can lead way to further exploration. Appreciate you stopping by and thanks for contributing!
To me the movie is largely about emotional incest. The mom shared a bed with Beau when asking him about the little girl he likes. It has a sexual romantic tone to it that is abnormal
I think Amy Ryan’s character could possibly play a role symbolizing someone in Beau’s life who can see what’s going on with him and try to give him understanding. But yet Beau is so deeply confused and controlled by his mother that he can’t recognize it. The scene where she passes him the note and the scene where she sits next to him on the couch and tells him “I can never understand what you’re going through but-“ and she gets him to switch to channel 73 shows this. I also think people like Beau, who have others in his life try to help him, tend to be too difficult to deal with and end up hurting others by accident which leads them to turn their backs on him. Very much like the paint scene where Amy Ryan ends up sending the Veteran to hunt him down.
Will thank you for your interpretation of this particular relationship. I liked your view of control and also the symbolic meaning of other mother characters. Your particular comment about understanding was noteworthy. Thank you for this perspective!
To me, the first hour felt like the EMBODIMENT of what ptsd felt like to me. Violent flashes of images. Paranoid, irrational fear of the people around you. Nonlinear understanding of the events around you . Everything feels fuzzy and jumbled together. General sense of confusion and dissociation. Disconnection from body aka the body and self feel very separate from the events occurring around you. The lines of mental fear blurred with physical reality. Then, in the family’s house, that character, whatever his name was, was literally a war veteran and had a scene where he ran after beau shooting a gun. I was like omg.. yeah many war veterans have ptsd. My assessment of this resonating with my experience of ptsd must be correct.
a c thanks for commenting. Thank you for sharing your experience, perspective, and interpretation. You are completely valid in your experience and you did a wonderful job depicting some important and powerful topics. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
My interpretation is that beau who *spolier* Was dropped on his head as a baby as they say in the opening scene then goes on to have some sort of developmental disorder. The symptoms would assume some low level autism and/or schizophrenia (the paranoia, the psycho sexual artwork sene in the beginning of the film). On top of this his mother is extremely emotionally abusive (possibly even sexually). Everything that happens before the call from his mother is his interpretation of the world and the dangers in it due to his condition. Everything afterwards is in his head because he took pills and died in the bath tub. The final scene is commentary on society watching as people who are suffering from mental health issues are literally drowning in their own minds as we and our governments and the world are silent and do nothing.
Shinz_Mnky thank you for your comment! I enjoyed your interpretation and especially your comment about the final scene. I appreciate your clear exploration within yourself about what this creative art means and how you make sense of it. Keep it up, so cool. Thanks for stopping by!
Beau is Scared is 3 hours and exhausting to the viewer. I think the Director successfully simulated a hallucinatory nightmare with a constantly evolving construct. I definitely had a sense of being trapped in theater similarly to being trapped in a long grueling nightmare. In a deep long nightmare the dreamer is not self aware and helplessly being swept along in the narrative. After a runaway nightmare we wake up tense and exhausted. It is hard to tell when the nightmare narrative plot starts. It could be the entire movie, it could be where Beau fills up the bathtub, it could be when he was hit by the car. After reflecting a bit, I decided the chaotic street scenes in Beau's neighborhood could be exaggerated hyper-reality as perceived by Beau's anxious, hyper sensitive (or schizophrenic) mind. In other words even Beau's conscious perceptions are a form of unreliable narrative as shown to the viewer.
Andrew thank you for perspective and thoughtful comment! I resonated with your comment about identifying when the nightmare narrative plot starts. What a fascinating concept to think about. This idea of unreliable narrative that you brought to the table has been fun to think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I love it when the movie and the reality of the audience is blurred, and we are unconsciously participating in what the director wanted us to see and feel. Perhaps not everyone would be keen to be “subjected” by such intentional participation which makes me think that not everyone is readily comfortable yet for this movie.
I was exhausted after the 3-hour viewing. Then I spent 3 hours watching reviews and explanations, discussing, contemplating, and writing about the movie. As art, that is a success story.
The Attic is like a dungeon of suppression/repression where Mona banishes anything Beau's that threatens her dominance of his being. Beau's father, Beau's stunted sexuality (the giant humanoid penis and balls creature), expressions of curiosity, attempts at adult individuation
This guy gets it. There are freudian and kafkaesque themes in this movie. And the ending was brilliant. Almost an allegory of the cave theme. The way he enters the cave and the images are shown to the people as a representation of beau. And beau can’t see the screen from the angle. Shows he entered the cave and died rather than escaping it.
Haven’t seen any other videos explaining the movie. Saw it yesterday and was interested to see what everyone else was thinking. Glad that you posted this as soon as possible!
Hey there, thank you for stopping by! I like to see others have this curiosity about external entities, and hopefully spark curiosity about oneself. Hopefully you are able to value your own interpretations as well! Thanks again for watching
One of my takes: The image of him on the spiral stair case is when he was on the phone with the UPS man receiving the news about his mothers death. His mother was capturing the moment that he was supposed to be utterly destroyed by her supposed loss of life because it made her feel control, which is how she has been managing her reception of love due to generational trauma established by her own mother.
iiiTechnoDuckxX thank you for your comment! I did not catch that when watching it so thank you for bringing this up! I enjoyed reading your perspective. Thanks for stopping by!
Loved this video so much I peeped your channel and saw this was the only video. If this was your first video…damn, did you hit the ground running. Please please please make more videos where you provide a psychoanalytic critique of a film. Very few channels successfully do this and most of them only give a general, shallow take. This was great!
Antony, thanks for your kind words, much appreciated. I am actually quite introverted, but I just have a strong passion for understanding people and helping people to understand themselves. Living in LA and being around the industry has also brought me closer to these types of creative works. Luckily, we have been given a wonderful platform (that being this film) to jump off and explore some really wonderful topics together. I'll take your kind words and certainly be intentional with this channel and how I can engage with people in a meaningful and productive way. Thanks for sharing and stopping by!
Einveru thank you very much for your encouragement and stopping by. I'll try my best to give some good information out there and to produce some quality material. Thanks for contributing!
Mona is not just the domineering force in Beau’s life but seemingly everyone around him (including us). During the opening credits, among the production company logos (A24, etc.), the MW (Mona Wasserman) logo is among them, letting us know that she produced what we are about to see. This is reinforced near the end, when the photo mosaic of Mona’s face is made up of her employees (Nathan Lane among them, and once it comes to Blu Ray, I’m sure when paused, we’ll see many others who have joined Beau on his journey; he just stood out with his glasses and mustache). This photo mosaic is very similar to a promotional poster for The Truman Show. Rather than being a picture of Ed Harris, the puppet master of that movie, the photos make up the image of Jim Carrey, who was the victim of a lifelong social experiment wherein he is being surveilled 24/7. Mona, in that regard, sees herself as a victim of Beau being such a horrible child, a projection of her own abuse toward Beau. She has made every attempt (successfully) to make sure that Beau is, indeed, afraid. He soon watches the evening news, in which the stories are so ridiculous that they’re barely an exaggeration of real news (Birthday Boy Stab Man, described as a circumcised white male, will stab you in the neck and guts). Onto the mental health theme: I believe Beau was conditioned to be have a litany of mental health problems by Mona, or that, at the very least, stemmed from her abuse. When Elaine and Beau are in the buffet line as kids, and he’s talking about this food being bad for that reason and that food causing cancer, it seems a direct result of Mona’s conditioning that ejaculation will kill him (seemingly among other things). Beau lives in an apartment building owned by Mona, eats food with the MW logo on it, and takes meds that have the same logo, provided by a doctor who whose only job seems to be breaking his Hippocratic oath by giving every recording of their sessions to Mona. Beau is literally surrounded by his mother, even when she’s not around, even when she “dies.” I think it would be easy to say that Beau is a psychotic hypochondriac who suffers from anxiety and depression, but I think this film, more fascinatingly, shows us that these mental conditions are the result of conditioning, not necessarily a chemical imbalance or something physical like a TBI. Mona is clearly a narcissist who is heading up a lifelong Munchausen experiment. She is also the personification for what is flawed in the way we consume media. Her disappointments concerning Beau at the trial sequence are silly and genuinely out of context, at least from what we’ve seen, showing that we can’t always believe what we see in videos because the media will not contextualize their meaning and at even edit the videos so that we can’t contextualize their meaning. For instance, we see that Beau, after what appears to be a hide and seek prank, did not come out of hiding, even when his mother was injured. A man in the crowd during the trial (sounded to be his defense attorney, whose voice was not magnified like the prosecutor’s) comes to Beau’s defense and says that he was just young and scared, and that’s why he didn’t come out, not because he’s evil. For this logical reasoning, the defense attorney is thrown from the balcony onto the rocks below a la Midsommar. Compare this to real life out-of-context videos. Remember those Covington Catholic School kids? It would appear this little shit in a MAGA hat was disrespectfully inching toward a Native American with a cocky, condescending smirk on his faces as the man performed a drumming ritual native to his people. This was the media’s trickery. MAGA had years of being given a bad name, whether one supports Trump or not, so anything this kid did was already thought to be guilty, and it was viewed that way by pundits, late night hosts, etc. until the context came out that the Native American man had not only instigated the standoff but was the one inching toward the boy and the not the other way around. The media had the full video at the onset but only played the clip that made the kid look bad. Even though the kid sued various networks for their dishonest coverage, his defense had already been thrown over the balcony. The out of context story was already much more amplified than the the real one. People had made up their minds, some of them people who could’ve helped this kid out, but chose to go with the narrative that confirmed what they already felt about people in MAGA hats, and many of them paid a price for it. But no one remembers any apologies or news stories dedicated directly to this boy’s unfair trial in a court of public opinion. They remember that horrible image of the smirking boy in the Trump hat, much like the audience at the end of this film remember that horrible image of Mona hurting her ankle as she fell in distress. That horrible Image of Beau peeking out from behind the pillar because he was horrified of the trouble he now faced. Same thing with Beau’s gift of the For the Boys soundtrack and how he’d gotten it for her two years in a row. Slight side note that will make sense: my own mother had this soundtrack and she loved it. She went through a range of emotions while singing along with Bette Midler. Some songs were upbeat and fun, others were somber, and she sang along accordingly. But my mother more or less hated the film because of one scene: Bette Midler’s character watches her own son get killed in Vietnam and holds his bloody corpse in her lap while she screams and cries. Perhaps Mona and Beau watched this film together. Perhaps Mona loved the music and Beau actually watched her go through a range of emotions while hearing the music. Snapping and clapping to the fun ones, crying at the sad ones, etc. He thought the album was meaningful, like watching the movie with her all over again. But, perhaps the same with my mother, she was in love with the soundtrack but absolutely horrified of the film for the same reason. Maybe Mona stopped listening to the soundtrack just to wipe the image from her memory of a mother violently losing her son. Perhaps young Beau thought she’d lost the album or maybe he just wanted to remind her to start feeling something, anything again. We don’t know because the only context we get is Mona opening the same gift twice and feigning joy the second time she gets it. I don’t know the reason Ari Aster chose the For the Boys soundtrack as Beau’s seemingly thoughtless gift, but I do know a lot of people, women in particular my mother’s age and older, who wouldn’t watch it again or would never watch it a first time when they heard about that scene. The prosecutor goes on to say that Beau made horrible excuses not to visit Mona. I think having your apartment invaded and destroyed due to a lack of a means to lock it (the missing keys) and not having any luggage to take with you is a good enough reason to stay home until things can be settled. Beau doesn’t appear to have much, so having his clothes, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc. stolen is a big deal. That brings me to my interpretation of the pink/blue. Beau’s almost complete lack of anything masculine due to no father or father figure in his life seemed intentionally set up by Mona. Likely she knew what a lack of a strong male presence would do. Beau’s apartment shows no evidence of hobbies or interests. No deer head on the wall below the rifle that killed it. No tool chest with a near-finished project nearby, no model airplanes or cars. Just a couch, bed, TV, and microwave. Very bland and empty, save for the blurry image of Beau’s “father,” in which Moan’s face is superimposed, also blurry but definitely there when I watched it a second time. No one with a male perspective to talk girls with. No one to inspire a love of sports. Due to this overwhelming female presence his entire life, Beau may question his sexuality. In the play sequence, for reasons that seem unknown, sometimes Beau’s wife “will look like a man,” much like the portrait of Mona’s mother hanging in her house. The lines are blurred for Beau, masculine or feminine, fat or straight, etc., perhaps why Toni wrote his name in pink on the wall of someone who typified masculinity, a handsome, chiseled soldier, a war hero who has a sword hanging on his wall. Beau cannot distinguish between who he is attracted to, if anyone other than Elaine, until he meets the pregnant orphan of the forest. She is a mother to be and treats Beau very much like a caring mother. This is why he projects her outfit, her look, into his version of the play. She bears his children because he knows she can. He raises the children with her because she is more caring and nourishing, much better maternal instincts than Mona. Ari Aster has done it again, possibly the best he’s ever done in terms of getting people talking and interpreting his work. I’ll see it a third time at some point, and I’m sure there’ll be even more to discuss. Until then, thank you for this review/analysis.
Brandos, what a thoughtful and thorough comment! I really enjoyed reading this and your perspective. You touched on many different perspectives. I particularly fancied your discussion about the pink/blue scene. Thank you for being so thoughtful and clearly spending time to understand your perspective, and then sharing this in such a distinct and expansive manner. Great stuff, thank you for stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist Thank you for the warm welcome . I’ll certainly be back. You’ve definitely earned a sub just for covering this very divisive film. It’s sure to be a masterpiece in time, if it’s not being viewed as an instant classic already.
Wow I really love your thorough thoughts about the film and I agree this may be his absolute best film he's ever done. Never thought I'd say that after seeing Hereditary which up to now was my favorite film by Ari Aster.
An even earlier instance of being watched is a camera pointed at Beau on the therapists office desk. My general interpretation is that most if not all of what we saw was solely Beaus experience. Nothing is truely objectively real and details like the camera, the savages on the streets, or his mothers logo popping up litteraly everywhere (it's even among the production companies in the opening) are manifestations of his paranoia and anxiety, same goes for all the information we receive and the information that blows right over Beaus head (missing fragments and weird pauses in conversations). Beau reacted badly to the new meds and his mothers death pushed him over the edge. Somewhere soon after he went completely lost in his delusions and that is what we experience with him.
Jens M thank you for your comment! I enjoyed reading your perspective of surveillance and particularly your comment about what we experience with him. That was powerful and fun to read. Good stuff, thanks for stopping by!
I really enjoyed your analysis, even though I did not agree with everything. I think one of the main goal of this movie was to explore the subjectivity of mental health. By making every scene so ambiguous in what is real and what isn’t, it brings the audience to question their reality and the reality of the movie. It also sparks discussion a posteriori, which is always a sign of success
Zig thanks for your comment and interpretation! Your stance on subjectivity in mental health brings up so much to digest and explore. We each have our own journey and making sense of that for ourself is so important. How one person experiences, for example, sadness, may be different from others. So learning how to familiarize ourself with our own experience, and then validate is an essential part of understanding who we are. I suppose it depends on how we define mental health. I'm using that term to encompass not just decline in mental health, but also stability and improvement, and overall the range in health. Your particular attention towards ambiguity was also fun to think about. Outside of pathology, how does one define reality? Where do we draw the line between real and not? Your comment made me think of the idea: Subjective reality vs objective reality. But yea, really cool and fun stuff to explore and think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Best breakdown so far. I have ptsd and get psychosis and extreme paranoia sporadically since the trauma happened. It’s great to see a psychiatrist’s view on the movie, I felt most people wouldn’t understand how well they paint these mental struggles. The feeling of being watched at all times and judgment abs fear. I felt so lucky to see this movie opening week with only one other person in the audience with me. I felt so seen I cried so much honestly.
d thank you for your comment! Thank you for sharing your experience with mental health. I enjoyed reading your perspective. Your experience is certainly valid. Thank you for stopping by!
This video is wonderful and made me think about this movie it a completely different way. I thought the scenes in this movie were all visualizations of his fears and anxiety. Not hallucinations, just visualizations for the audience to understand whats going on in his mind. This might be me projecting because I have an anxiety disorder and often think of surreal situations happening that frighten me. But those thoughts are often rooted in a past memory that did happen or trauma. Similar to when Beau’s friends as a kid raided his mothers room which he felt guilt for and the scene when the people from the street raided his home. 👀
Austin, thanks for your thoughtful comment and reflection. I liked your perspective and framework. Definitely valid. Thank you for sharing about your mental health. Your awareness of how certain experiences may affect your view of the world was so on point and relevant. Many theorists spoke at length about the importance of self awareness and how this ongoing process can bring wonders to our life. I also have struggled with anxiety, and through therapy and seeking care with my own psychiatrist, I have learned to understand more about myself, about acceptance, tolerance and how to have more self compassion towards myself and the outside world. So know that you are a not alone. I enjoyed your comment and interpretations. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you kindly and thank you for stopping by! I believe we all have a unique perspective and individually each one of our opinion matters. Thanks for commenting and contributing!
Jjmo, thanks for your comment and stopping by! Thank you for the recommendation. I honestly thought about this and definitely want to do something on Infinity Pool in the future. I did enjoy that movie and lots of stuff in there, and Mia Goth, jeez, was phenomenal. Thanks for the suggestion and I'll do my best to keep this channel active!
Yea I understand the emotions that one may experience, thanks for sharing! You are allowed to feel how you feel, so validating that is very important in my opinion. I'm glad you stopped by and thanks for watching!
I really appreciated your take on this movie, specially the references to conservatorship and psychiatric hospitals. (The whole "negotiation" as to when he can leave, insurance companies, the whole act when he's in her - and his? - house etc). Great points
alexkiddonen, thank you for your comment. I appreciate your kind words. Hopefully this sparked some conversation within yourself as well! Thanks again for stopping by and contributing!
I think the last scene was a nod to Freud's personality theory, where Beau is this tiny little helpless ego that can't save himself. And it's like his mom is his inner critic. Her voice is instilled as the critic in his head that he can't escape, and his wise mind is completely overpowered. In the end, he just succumbs to her and his unconscious (the water).
Thank you for your comment. I enjoyed thinking about your interpretation of ego, unconscious as it pertains to these characters. Thanks for contributing!
. I would love to hear someone give thoughts on the corporatization aspects of the film, I think those play into the theory of Beau not being able to care for himself. It’s his mothers initials on the microwaveable food he eats, pictures of people who had surveilled him that make up his mothers face in the home, his mother owned the building in which he lived. All speaking on that idea of his perceived inability to care for himself. Great video man, most of all I agree with the premise of Ari’s intentionality. There is far too much care within the project, and respect for the viewers intelligence. Also, I think that the attic scene is some sort of allegory about humans and the way we perceive threats. The audience will leave and likely still be talking about the “monster” and yet it does no harm to beau and is of far less significance then many of the other obstacles he would have faced
Thank you kindly for your thoughtful comment! This is a wonderful example of expanding and giving some great perspectives. I did not even realize the initials on the food. Great eye! I had to sit and think for a moment to take that in. The idea of ingestion and being inside the body has many different theories and ideas. The fact that it was his mother's corporate business that provided him food, makes me think of the idea that the food represents an extension of her. In other words, her desire to be inside him. But not only that, your wonderful observation about mother owning the building speaks to (if we follow the same theory) her desire to encapsulate him on the outside as well. Just fascinating perspective you brought, thank you. I liked your comment about the allegory of humans and threats, very interesting. Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed thinking about this. And thank you kindly for stopping by!
Ernest Garcia, thank you for your comment. I’m glad I was able to give some perspective, and I hope through this exploration it may have sparked further discussion within yourself. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I really liked your analysis. I had a few theories I wanted to hear your thoughts on. I interpreted that whole"play" between Beau and his journey as Ari sort of saying you should break out from under whatever is controlling you, whether it be your mom or religion or whatever circumstances, and to live your life. Ari tells this play of a beautiful and eventful life that beau can experience, and it ends with his "sons" saying, but if you never had sex how did you have us. And I interpreted that as Ari saying, if you never try to live your life or try to do things or be happy, then you'll never experience happiness or those results. He's saying if you don't try, it'll never happen. Which I found to be beautiful and touching as I watched. Another thing I kind of put together with your help is the fact that Moana is so controlling over beau. And that can possibly be due to the fact of her lack of control over Beau's father and the fact that she couldn't;t make him love her or be under her control. Therefore she dedicates her life to taking control of everything with her business, and going on to control beau's life with her manipulation of him. She tells him this wild fantasy of beau's dad dying from sex, to make Beau afraid of having sex, this further helps Moana keep beau to herself and restrain him from making any sexual or loving relationships with another woman. Maling Moana the only woman in Beau's life. Obviously Beau's "twin" and father in the form of a penis is just a metaphor for Moana "hiding" or restringing Beau's "touch" and brace side as well as Beau's father who Moana thinks is a "dick", which is why he's in the form of a penis. I'd like to hear your thoughts on these theories as well as what you thought about the film as a whole. Is beau's mother actually this rich successful woman who hired all these people? Or is that also apart of Beau's apparent medication overdose, and this is all just a figment of his imagination. Overall I loved this movie and Ari is one of my favorites.
I appreciate you stopping by and expressing such a thoughtful comment! I very much have a passion for helping others explore themselves and the world around them, so it's wonderful to hear about your thoughts. The idea of control that you bring up is fascinating. So control and our desire to control can have themes and models in our lives. I think learning how to "break out" from this, as you are suggesting, can have some wonderful consequences for us, in positive ways. Meaning, we don't have control over how people thinking, feel or behave, we only have control over how we think, feel and behave. Your comment about this was, indeed, beautiful, so thanks for this. Your interpretation of the role the relationship between mother and father was very interesting and valid. Although the film did not explore so much of that relationship, it's an interesting one to think about in terms of modeling. I believe around 8-10 years old, give our take for most people, we begin to understand triadic relationships. We understand we have a relationship with one parent, a relationship with another parent, and then we understand that there is a relationship between parent A and parent B, and that this relationship is independent of us. Your comment makes me think about how the film didn't explore this aspect as much, and makes me think of the independent nature of this relationship outside of the dyadic nature we have with the other entities. With that lens you eloquently showed, it's fascinating to see how that plays out. The important thing is that even though we have models and constructs in our lives from our parents or society, we can choose a different framework or model for ourselves. And through exploration of oneself, we can achieve these things. Your question about what is reality and what is a figment of his imagination is, I think, an essential part of the commentary in the film. So much in this film speaks about questioning reality, and questioning oneself or the external world. I think at the end of the day, what really matters, is that we, individually, get to decide and make sense on our own through our own journey and understanding. Not society, not organizations, not parents. But us, individually. Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad this sparked some wonderful commentary for yourself!
I think the attic scene plays a big part in it. When we hear Beaus therapy sessions, he says something along the lines “there’s another me, a braver me, and my mother locks him in the attic”. When he goes up he says “I’ve been here before” and his mom says “because it’s a memory”. I think that it symbolizes where he has been hiding the brave version of himself and his ability to love other women of his life up there in the form of the monster pen*s. I think also the attic symbolizes a place in which his mother holds him sheltered almost like a prisoner until he goes up there himself and faces his reality of his caged self.
Will thank you for your comments! Wonderful perspective and really interesting take on symbolism regarding attic, bravery, hiding and relationships externally as well as internally. I enjoyed thinking about that. Thank you for that and thanks for stopping by!
joenathan9231, thanks for your comment. Ooohh, yea I didn't even think about this or remember this until I read your comment just now. What a fascinating connection you pointed out. Good stuff. The boat could represent so many different things, as you alluded. Wouldn't it be neat if the very thing that keeps him afloat, teaches him to stay afloat, even in the face of "storms." Thanks for bringing this up, it was cool to think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I found the beginning to be very much like my mental imagery around social anxiety/agoraphobia with it being such a big deal to just walk to my car and the intrusive fear thoughts of being perceived, approached, interrupted, taken advantage of, etc. I waited until i was in a better mood to see this movie because that's something i'm struggling with as well as a stalker. Lots of it was relatable for me including some psychotic episodes I once had from medications
Authentistic, thank you for your comment! Thank you for sharing your experience with your mental health. It's important to be able to have honest conversations in meaningful ways, so thank you for being open. I think you did a wonderful job adjusting your behaviors to anticipate and manage your emotions in productive ways (reference to your actions of waiting to see the movie). Keep up the good work, and thanks for stopping by!
I’d argue that this movie addresses the single most important and misunderstood issue for our generation which is mental health. As a society in the US we no longer take care of those who suffer from undiagnosed mental health conditions, and this movie puts us in the shoes of someone suffering from schizophrenia
DirtyDinner64, thank you for comment and perspective. Things can look differently depending on where you sit at the table. I think creative works, films, books, etc. can really help others sit at different seats, so to speak. Then, being able to put a mirror in front of ourselves and ask hard questions can ultimately, IMO, lead to positive change in oneself and then within the world. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Barry thanks for stopping by and contributing! I'm glad you enjoyed my video and that it was a mild catalyst for your further exploration! I had not expected such a positive response to my video, so thank you kindly and I will do my best to be intentional, inclusive and thought provoking in this channel.
You are welcome! Yea, definitely I navigated my own sense of confusion as well. I wonder if part of the confusion that we feel was how Ari Aster envisioned for the audience member to experience. Many times in the movie Beau is confused of his situation, his engagement with external entities, and possibly even his engagement with himself. There is a term coined by Melanie Klein: Projective Identification, which comes to mind in terms of how the movie as an entity views us. But yea, thanks for stopping by!
B atlikinan, thanks for your comment! I liked how you and your partner were able to have a dialogue together about this and explore this together. How wonderful. The afterlife idea is interesting to think about definitely. Thanks for stopping by!
Callum Heatherly thank you for your comment! I'm right there with you. I need to watch it again as well. It certainly a journey. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
That Bill Hader cameo also points to that statement about being a comedy and I thought Beau could also have Agoraphobia ontop of everything else he could possibly have.
Loofy101 and Stop ASMR, thanks for your comments. I quite enjoy Bill Hader! I did not know that was him by just his voice on the phone. It's interesting, now that I think about it, it almost appears that his character was attempting to question his own reality by having Beau hang up, as if having a wish fulfillment. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist No, thank you! I didn't know it was him until I saw the news report and he was looking away. Couldn't help but laugh a little knowing who Bill is. And at first I thought that maybe some of those people that got into his apartment were some of his subconscious archetypes (that Carl Jung talks about in his works) that manifested through his psychosis or whatever he was suffering from.
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist also a commentary on the current social, political, and economic situation in the USA. But the perspective on this objective context is Kafkaesque (listen to me, I sound like my former college self).
Ya know the one part of the movie where I was struggling to fit it into the overall narrative was part 2 in the house and your interpretation actually makes a lot of sense to me. Now it fits much more cleanly for me with the other acts. Thanks for the video!
I find it fascinating that so many people found this movie funny. They describe it as a dark comedy and I truly can't see the humor in it at all. Even in its most wild moments im like "Yeah, that makes sense. That's exactly what that feels like." I found the movie surreal, but never absurd. I totally related to Beau which is probably not a good thing lol
Coolal13 thank you for your comment. Your experience is completely valid. What we relate to and understand through our own eyes is important to recognize and bring awareness to. I don't think there is anything necessarily "not good" about relating to certain characters. It's what we do with that information that is important. I liked your introspection, keep it up! Thanks for stopping by, much appreciated!
I just started your video, so I'm not sure if you'll touch on this too, but this movie felt like an example of what it's like to grow up with a parent with untreated bpd
Hi Murr Murr! Thanks for stopping by! I believe you are right on target. I went into this a little bit during video, and particularly at 24:45 timestamp. Hope that helps. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for contributing!
THIS MOVIE CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE WITH A NARCISSISTIC MOTHER. IT SHOWS EXACTLY HOW UNSAFE YOUR LIFE FEELS UNTIL YOU FIGURE IT OUT AND LET GO. Everything that destroys his feeling of safety is how you feel and what you fear happening all the time without any explanation because you are convinced you are loved and shamed when you question it. When you realize that it is exactly like the Truman Show where everything was a lie
I like this style of analysis, one of the things that came to mind whilst watching, is that of the attic space representing the headspace of Beau, with the Id Ego and Super Ego being represented by creature/doppleganger inside - which again, is attacked by outside forces.
Sam Davies, thanks for your comment. I enjoyed reading your perspective of the “headspace.” That was fun to think about. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
i really interpreted the movie as a commentary on specifically anxiety, and how in some cases with anxiety, your mind will jump to the absolute worst case scenario. throughout the movie beau goes through a pattern, finding himself in a seemingly amazing situation, (ex. toni driving him home when he wants to go home), and having that situation going the absolute worst possible way it could go (toni and her friend making him smoke an unknown substance and attempt to blackmail him). just a really awesome movie overall.
lyri5968 thanks for stopping by. I totally agree that this movie was awesome. I haven't seen something like this in awhile. I appreciate your interpretation of catastrophization, especially as it pertains to the character at hand. I do wish there were some techniques discussed in the film to depict how someone would learn how to navigate catastrophization in a healthy, productive manner. Because these parts of anxiety, as well as other emotions, while valid, can play out in much more productive and meaningful ways. Thanks for your comment and contributing!
there's a lot to take in on the shot of beau in toni's bed. on the surface, it's just a typical teenage girl's room but given the symbolism regarding relationships in act two, you can delve a little deeper. Posters: "Only1", i see this as having two meanings here: we have the name of the band itself, Toni desires to be the only one her parents care about. if you notice, there are two posters of this band. I believe the duo of the same band's posters symbolize both toni and her brother, the wer supposed to be the only children in their parents lives. her brother is dead and beau is an infantalized old man who she sees as encroaching upon their peaceful lives. we have a block of a word cut off to spell the word "ear", survailence themes. here's something i noticed while writing this, you look to the left side of the shot, and you see an empty corner with a lone bookbag and the posters above it, nothing to speak of for morning routines on the dresser. however the right side is a chaotic mess of beauty products and vanity items. her favorite band members form a spiral right next to her mirror implying this is a cyclical habit of hers. the professor marvelous final exam poster drawing foreshadowing to her comment about "beau failing his little test" which i still don't quite understand the meaning behind.
Beau and his psych’s exchange about his new meds, I thought, like a lot of the movie, was probably very much from his own inner perspective, so I’m not sure we can take it at face value that the medication wasn’t explained, or that his provider betrayed him. Those are both sort of ecstatic truths for Beau, but probably not actually linear events. For Beau, the only thing that stands out to him is “always with water,” and he doesn’t register or care about anything else that might have been said, in my opinion.
Mona, Beau’s Mother, is a CEO of a Mega-Corporation; she controls every aspect of Beau’s life in a “staged reality show” like fashion. Her company’s logo is on everything in Beau’s apartment; including on Beau himself. Mona being a narcissist and/or a person with antisocial personality disorder; treat all relationships like objects and tools to be used, which includes her own children. Abuse from people with these types of personality disorders happens in a cycle; in which over time, it causes their victim’s personal identity to be eroded, their emotions disconnected, and it leaves them doubting their own reality. The victim’s personal boundaries and free will in these toxic relationships are considered “incriminating.” Beau spends the whole film “incriminating” himself; until he’s finally pleading with Mona to take him back. Starting that cycle of malignant narcissistic abuse over again. Completely cutting contact with these toxic people is the only way out of this complex abuse. Which is what Beau’s older brother and “big dick” father did to Mona; in return, she holds that guilt and shame over Beau. Essentially strengthening that trauma bond over each other. Beau is ultimately trapped in this cycle of abuse until he can learn to escape it.
Bo Seager, thank you for perspective and comment! This idea of control is such a powerful theme. I also thought your depiction of cycling was noteworthy. Your comments made me think about the dialogue a creator has with the audience members and the intended emotions/thoughts we may have as a result. Gotta say, you are a great writer, which is likely a reflection of being well read. Thanks for your comments and thanks for stopping by!
As someone whose basically a walking dsm (ptsd, cptsd, bpd with audio hallucinations and slight psychosis, medicine resistant depression, GAD, Panic disorder) it’s been difficult seeing all these movies recently basically « personifying » mental illnesses. I get it helps create convo about mental illness. But my life is not a horror movie. My life is hell, but it’s not horror. It’s not something I would ever want to go pay money and experience. It’s pure trauma, emptiness, and anxiety so bad I vomit all day and have to check my heart rate and benzos therefore forgetting parts of my life. Prob just me but this, Smile, resurrection, men, and Skinnamarink (which sent me to the psych hospital because it triggered my ptsd so bad I hyperventilated and passed out) frustrate me as a horror lover.
Britt thank you for your comment and response. I am sorry about what you have gone through and I commend you for having the courage to speak about your story and your mental health journey. Thank you for this. Your experience is absolutely valid. Thank you for contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist what’s your opinion as the these movies? Do you think THIS type of representation and portrayal (which is something we def need more of) further stigmas as mental health is so nuanced with different “functioning levels” and how everybody’s experience is different. Or is it bringing these things to be more normalized and awareness. I think for me the fact it’s seen as horror ie to be afraid of, and often violence. Also what is your input on the psyche of “normal” ppls with these films?
Britt thank you for your inquiry. I believe you bring up a wonderful point about mental health portrayal. I think the reality is that mental health can be quite individualized. How an individual experiences emotions, thoughts and behaviors can be specific and unique. I think it can be quite difficult to portray, accurately, the generic understanding of mental health, because mental health is not generic, it's unique to everyone. There are general guidelines of how we understand pathology, disorder and treatments. However, I firmly believe that mental health is not just about when we decline and cannot function. Mental health encompasses the times when we are improved and functioning well also. I think that there are parts of the world the are more open to having conversations about mental health, and parts of the world that are less open. I don't necessarily believe in the word normal. I think there is such a broad range and spectrum of personalities, traits, characteristics, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, etc. I think there can be a reasonable range for us individually, and it's up to the individual to understand their range and to know when they are outside that range as a clue to any type of pathology. I believe that the film/music/creative industry attempts to explain their experience of the world and show the audience one perspective. It is not the perspective. I appreciate when the artist allows for interpretation, as if giving a space for us to have conversations about our own stories so that we can make sense of the world, but most importantly ourself. Thank you for your inquiry Britt and conversation regarding this important matter. Much appreciated!
Focused AL thank you for your kind words! I will do my very best to grow this space to something meaningful and productive and to keep this a safe space for everyone to contribute in positive ways! Thanks for stopping by and contributing and I'm glad you enjoyed!
Sasquatch Wizard, thank you for comment and perspective. I really liked your viewpoint of DNA. That's so interesting to bring up. As if an echo from his other movies, and also a commentary regarding relationships and genetics in the current movie. Super cool. Thank you for stopping by!
mrddcass, thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry to hear your experience was this way. That's not fair to you IMO. I believe it's the patient's right to have all the information they can to make the best decision for themselves. That includes side effects, risk benefit ratio, relevant drug drug interactions, etc. Ultimately it's your health, so physicians ought to help you make a decision, and not withhold meaningful information from you. Thanks for your comment and stopping by.
Your interpretation of Beau watching himself and fastforwarding is funny because I missed that scene in the bathroom. Thankfully my wife was able to fill me in.
Lambdaleth, thanks for your comment! How funny! I can imagine that hilarious interaction between you and your wife regarding this topic. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Beau was dropped on his head when he was born. If I recall correctly the doctor has to lift him by his legs to get the water out of his lungs. Plus you can hear his moms manic paranoia right away asking if he’s okay or something the very SECOND he’s out of the womb.
Thanks for your comment. Great attention to detail to that scene and absolutely agree that the beginning of one's life can have ripple effects later on. Thanks for contributing!
I’m of the impression that much of it was symbolic of Beau’s thoughts and fears - the mother was narcissistic and controlling, that is clear but I get the impression that a lot of what we see symbolically represents his thoughts about her control and not necessarily the actual reality. That being said, it’s very different to distinguish what’s really happening to Beau and what is in his mind. The ending is particularly baffling… did she really die? Did she really set him up to test him or was that just an exaggeration of how he was feeling… in the beginning of the film he asked her what he should do on the phone and she told him to decide the right thing to do in a very loaded manipulative way, was her death and the set-up and guilt around that just his inner dialogue about not getting to his mother on time? It’s a very difficult film to unpack from a conventional plot perspective.
GPlewright, thanks for your comment! I enjoyed reading your interpretation and perspective, it was fun to think about. Your comment about distinguishing external vs. internal is so powerful. That topic has many wonderful golden nuggets when explored on a personal level. Thanks again for stopping by and contributing! Much appreciated.
Lily thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you were able to engage in some interesting perspectives, so thank you. I agree, I would love to sit down and have a meaningful conversation with him. I reached out to his organization and hopefully something will come to fruition. Glad you enjoyed!
Would really like to see you do a movie called the chum scrubber. It’s not the best movie ever made, it does have Glenn Close main character of Schindler‘s list. And just a plethora of A-list actors, if I remember right, it’s directed or made by Steven Spielberg‘s long time coproducer it’s like the only film she’s ever made. But that form is deeply psychological. it’s about a guy finds his best friend dad and doesn’t tell anyone, his dad is a psychiatrist, he’s addicted to pills, and a whole town and all the, teenagers are on some type of Acacian, it was very of its time, and maybe even more prevalent today. As I said before, it’s not anything, that’s going to be up for an Oscar… But as far as psychology, I think there’s a Lotta talk about. If anything you can’t rip it apart, it may be totally factually in accurate
RobbyRockaholic, thanks for your comment. I appreciate your intention and suggestion regarding creative arts and a perspective I may hold. I like how you thought about a creative work that sparked some deeper engagement within yourself! That's awesome. While I haven't seen this particular work, I'll be sure to look it up! I'll do my best here to have some interesting perspective, and hopefully in the process, encourage others to validate their own perspective and continue/begin to have a meaningful conversation about how we think and what's important to us. Thanks so much for stopping by and contributing!
For me the biggest mindf*ck was the ending. What am I supposed to make of Beau being judged and then, in a way, sentenced to death? It didnt seem like he deserved it. Idk why it just bothers me that i dont really understand the last scene or why he had to die. Can anyone explain? Edit: oh I also need an explanation for Beau having a double being locked in the attic with his father who happens to be a... Penis monster? What is this supposed to mean?
The stadium scene reminded of Pink Floyd The Wall movie courtroom scene and the crescendo where they "tear down the wall". There is a bit of heavenly judgement or Greek chorus present too.
Matthew thanks for stopping by! Yea the ending scene was certainly thought provoking. Your particular notion and experience of the last scene perhaps was in line with how the film suggests one to experience. Having an experience and evoking an emotional and thoughtful stance, I believe, was intentional by Ari. How we understand, individually, death and what that means can be quite personal and unique. Perhaps on some level, the film provokes us to come to our own interpretation, because at the end of the day, your opinion is valid. I agree completely that it seems quite unfair for him to be judged in this manner and die. That internal and external struggle we see play out can speak on many layers to how we all have some internal/external conflict, and learning how to navigate this in ways we want is a big part of our own story. I do like your thoughtful inquiry and curiosity. Thank you for contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist thanks for the reply, that actually makes a lot of sense. I'm an anxious guy and this was the first film I've ever watched in theaters alone. It was pretty surreal. That ending hit me kinda hard. Thought about the movie and had brain fog for the rest of the day lol
Not sure if this has already been mentioned. I tried to read all the comments but ran out of steam lol, or maybe I missed it in this video, but did anyone else notice that when Beau was lying in that pink bedroom there was a big chandelier dangling above him? That's gotta mean something
Papawheelie thank you for your comment! Yea there's definitely a whole organism that's constantly evolving in this comment section. But I'm glad you came by and contributed! This is designed to be a safe space for people to interact in whatever way they want in order to understand and explore this wonderful movie, and then also hopefully understand themselves a little more. Great catch with the chandelier. I didn't notice it the first time I saw the movie, so yea, thank you for bringing that up! I thought perhaps some foreshadowing, but on a deeper level, gosh how interesting. Themes of class, pressure/stress, beauty held above, and death come to mind. But yes, definitely intentional. Thanks for stopping by!
Hmmm well at that point we think his mother was killed by a chandelier and then there is a pink chandelier above him...as if ready to fall and crush him. Like perhaps him and his mother are linked or perhaps his mother is the pink chandelier in his life looming over him and crushing him. My immediate thoughts.
isdnil thanks for your comment, much appreciated! The paint scene was definitely my favorite part of the movie. Hopefully my view can spark further conversation for yourself. Thanks for stopping by!
PLOT TWIST: Beau died in the bathtub. It was suic*dal. Speaking about the ending, the boat where Beau is, it symbolizes the bathtub. Wonder why he got glued to the boat? It means that he can't escape from the bathtub since he was in his last breath at that time. And when the boat capsizes, that's when he dies. Beau died early in the film and those following scenes after the bathtub are merely what Beau thinks as he was dying - from thinking that there is someone at the ceiling, to thinking that there are some people who would help him just like what Roger and Grace did (but everything then went haywire so he fled into the woods), to thinking about having a family (but later separated by a flood), to meeting Ellaine in his mother's house (but Ellaine later died when he was the one who supposed to die), to overthinking that his mother is alive and just faking everything, to seeing his braver self and his father in the attic wherein he believes to what his mom said - saying that his dad is a massive jerk, and so his dying brain visualizes a big penis monster. Those are merely the adventure of Beau's dying mind just like what's stated in the trailer - 'comes a big adventure'. When Beau goes onto the boat and found himself in a stadium, that's when he is in his last breath in the bathtub. He saw his mother still alive tho she already died after Beau choke him - just means that no matter what Beau does, his mother will always be there- checking on his life, abusing him nonstop and not treating him as a son. Wonder why the sequences after he lies down in the bathtub have gotten exaggerated, hypothetical or quite off? Well, that's how a dying brain is supposed to work. Beau thinks of Just so you know, Beau was the guinea pig of his mother's pharmaceutical experiments. Those pills he takes or those pills the therapist prescribes are experimental, and he has been taking different kinds of those pills for years. Apparently, it affects his mental health more - causing mental disorders like anxiety and paranoia, hence the title Beau Is Afraid. The place where he lives is a rehab facility, that's why you can see insane people out there. And it is owned by her mother, so, his mother literally considers Beau mentally ill,. Beau became anxiety-driven merely because of his mother. No doubt, his mother is the mere villain of the movie.
Thank you for stopping by and contributing. I enjoyed thinking about your interpretation of the boat and the bathtub. That was fun to think about. Thanks again for your comment!
To me, this is a coming-of-age story. Up until the day of his travel, he has lived as a boy, afraid of everything, but suddenly he had to confront so many things... The guy he thought was going to kill him, the fear of leaving his home unattended, the fear of leaving by himself when the new family took him in, the fear of having a life that meant nothing which he had to suffer in his hallucination in the theater, the fear of dying, the fear of having sex. He fouth all of his “demons” The last thing was to “kill” his mom and free himself from everything that kept him captive and finally he had to die.
Lina Marcela, thanks for your comment. I enjoyed thinking about your perspective of confrontation. Being able to confront ourselves can be one of the most powerful things. External confrontation skills can stem from internal confrontation strengthening. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Poor Beau was BORN doomed to a life that he has no control over and lives permanently in the subsequent fear that accompanies that, hence, is afraid. However, he's such an endless creation/Eiffel Tower of misery metaphors, that as they accumulate, he can start to lose some degree of human substance, a kind of cipher that we start to feel a bit distanced from, even if we can totally relate to some of his issues. OTOH Beau's still very interesting and entertaining as he merrily proceeds through the 8 Rings of Hell. His later in life (and not always linear/sometimes disjointed) journey on his way to accidentally sort a few crucial things out about his existence, as unlikely precipitated by his mother's manufactured personal crisis, was sometimes EXTREMELY engaging, unnerving, thoughtful, and deviously creatively wrought by director Aster. For the visual treats: Shades of Kubrick 2001: King of Oz/Puppet Master Mother's silent, expansive, dangerously overpowering and sinister, austere multi million dollar MCM lair. Bergman: Psychologically intense facial closeups with long silences and minimal dialogue at times. Lynchian/Fellini fever dream/scenes of freakish people and monsters in familial settings. Bunuel/Polanski blood and guts, jump scare visceral gore. Scorsese/Tarantino ultra absurd violence re sociological narratives. Cocteau/Grimm Brothers/Stephen King sinister fairytale fantasy/simple European folklore sequences laced with dread and beautiful, childlike whimsy/niaf artwork.
Rob Thank you for your thoughtful and engaging comment. Your perspective on topics of control and fear are noteworthy. I also appreciated your references towards other works and inspirations. I think that speaks to your wide ranging network of ideas and creative works and how they interplay with each other. That was wonderful. Very well said/written. Thanks for stopping by!
I find Beau Was Afraid a brilliant movie. depends on how you understand it. For me, it was Us. Us who are living on the shadows if the past, the shadows of our family that wants to protect us ending up controlling us, the society that we're surrounded, and everything that happens to our life that sometimes doesn't always on our favor even if we know what we did was right, in the end you'll be judged by the society based on what they've seen and heard.. and you living with the truth but doesn't have voice to tell what's true nd your feelings and your pain. That's life. That's our life. That is how I understand the movie. I can't recommend it. since I think it was only for those who are willing to understand it.
Thank you for your comment. I enjoyed hearing your perspective and thinking about your thought process. Wonderful stuff. I think if people are willing to understand and be compassionate to oneself, then there is a beautiful world to be explored. This was a reference to your comment about "willing to understand it." Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Hey man, since you mentioned Jung, I have to put to you. Most of the psychologists I know don't hold him with any regard. And he's either taken as shyster or prophet in that weird spiritual trend (new age, psychedelics, etc.). My particular opinion is that people get him up to his early work on personality, later when he gets conceptual nobody really gets it because its too introverted. So, what's your take? Thanks for your wonderful work!
Gabriel Orville, thanks for stopping by! I think that things look differently depending on where you sit at the table. I'll make a general comment about theory. There are so many different stances on the mind and psyche. There are themes as well. From my perspective, I think that any earlier work and subsequent ideas can create a platform for ongoing discussion and exploration, not just of the external ideas, but also of internal (self) ideas. Life is dynamic. So different perspective may be meaningful to an individual at different stages in one's life. I think we take perspectives here and there, and then form our own to make sense of life. We don't have to agree with each perspective, but I don't know if that's necessarily the point. I think if we are able to understand and engage with different perspectives and theories, we can then begin to create, learn and engage with ourself in ways that are so much more multidimensional than if we had fewer perspectives. I don't believe in invalidating other people's views. Rather, I see them, acknowledge it, understand it to the best of my ability, and then take what pieces I find meaningful from it to formulate my own opinion of the topic, and ultimately my own opinion of myself and my vision. I think the overall message is: so many people/organizations/societies can have so many different opinions on one topic--so why can't each person then decide on their own what they think of that topic, themselves, the world and what they value? And just because we agree or don't agree, it doesn't change our own inherent value. It's just about learning from each other which can help us learn about ourselves. Thanks for your wonderful topic and thank you for contributing!
What is the song in the movie "Beau is afraid" that plays during the forest scene , when they're about to play the piece of theatre. It sounded like it's from the 80's and funky. Asking for a reddit
Just finished watching this film and your video. Still processing, but wanted to comment on your take about how the psychiatrist handled the new therapy and didn't provide him with the proper information. I am thinking that this is connected to how that man was working for Beau's mom, and not really concerned with Beau's best interests.
Connor Rohan thanks for stopping by! Your thoughts about the mother's interactions with the psychiatrist and his overall vision for interaction with Beau was noteworthy. I could see how that would play out in the unfortunate "nightmare" that Beau was experiencing. Thanks for bringing this up!
I think the medication that he was prescribed (which you mention toward the end of the video) was potentially a driving force behind his journey to his mother's house - hence why they may have left its side effects and such intentionally vague. If he was having visual hallucination from psychosis (and other medication he was taking), I could imagine that his journey from city to suburban to forest to home was also in itself a symbolic side effect to him being on this new medication. But, I'm still trying to make sense of all of the wild symbolism, haha.
Trevor thank you for your comment! I appreciated your position and perspective. The topic of medication and how we view it is such a powerful one. I'm happy to hear about your process in making sense of the symbolism. Wonderful stuff. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I really liked your analyses, I agree with you on many things, but did I waited for you to talk about a very important thing in the film which was, the first and last scene, which was Beaus mother screaming and crying for fear about her new born baby who was dropped by the doctor I think its an important point because in my opinion I think that thats where Beau started to be afraid. Also I dont know if it occured to you or not, that Beau is a psychotic Puer Aeternus? I hope you can reply on this.
feresachour5610 thank you for your thoughtful comment! I enjoyed thinking about the concepts you brought up. I agree that how one initially experiences life can have resulting themes that recur consistently. I believe that with awareness, and engagement with oneself in a meaningful way, people can redefine their themes and live the vision for their life that they want. The story does speak a lot about a character who is seeking some autonomy in his life, but perhaps is tied to the emotional connection of an external figure (mother). Your brilliant correlation with some of Jung's work and the Puer Aeternus was fascinating to think about. Your particular shading of that concept as it pertains to psychosis was interesting. My perspective is that while this story shows a character who hasn't developed completely (as you suggested with this reference), I hold hope out there that with the right tools, engagement and awareness, that he could break from recurrent themes, and evolve from peter pan to something more meaningful in his life. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
i have thoughts on beau’s therapist not describing the pros and cons of the new medication given at the beginning of the movie. I believe that this was done purposely because due to how his mother controls everything in his life (including the therapy sessions) in a sense, much of his life was fictitious because it was all controlled by his mom. i dunno i don’t think he was trying to misrepresent the prescription of these medications, just added to his mom’s omnipotent control
Malia Thanks for your comment. The topic of control is certainly and pertinent and powerful one. Thanks for sharing your perspective and thank you for stopping by!
I get serious anxiety when I see people having sex or naked on film. Is this movie riddled with it? Or is it just in a scene or 2? Sorry for such a specific question. I’m just very excited for this movie and want to be prepared beforehand
No need to be sorry at all. There is only one sex scene and it is towards the latter half of the movie. There is nudity in the first section of the movie and in the last section of the movie. I hope this gives you adequate information that will help you. You are allowed to feel how you feel, and I completely recognize how this may bring up certain emotions as you mentioned. I think that was wonderful how you advocated for yourself and you got the necessary information that you need to navigate things in the way that you want! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are able to have a meaningful experience.
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist thank you so much for the thoughtful reply. I will definitely be watching the movie and looking forward to your next video!
954QuitumbePazmiño593 Thank you for being kind and standing up for others in the community. This is designed to be a safe place to discuss how we think, feel and experience the world and ourselves. So thank you for being a kind individual!
Trublu72 Lewis, thanks for stopping by! Thanks for the feedback, I'll keep this in mind and adjust to give you and other viewers a better experience. Thank you!
Drunk Dad, thanks for stopping by. I'm not aware of this person you are referring to. However I am hopeful that any explanation of the content will spark some inner exploration for yourself. Thanks for contributing!
Just as a viewer note, we don’t need a “coming up” segment in a TH-cam video, especially if it’s under an hour. Its not needed and I see a lot of people doing it. We already clicked on the video, we don’t need you to convince us to watch it. I’m just saying though no hate
Unfortunately this movie was made for psychology students, not for normal humans. Btw a psychology degree is not indicative of one's IQ. Throughout this movie I found myself checking, continuously, how much time was remaining, wishing it could be over.
Right now i found this movie impossible to watch more than 50 minutes - not saying it was bad but it was hard - we got to watch 3 hours and with this movie is not an easy task - cause is very tough and hard and heavy and mad, all togheter - so you really have to be in a goog mood , wich may sound as nonsense cause is furious madness going on - again, this was tough to finish for me cheers
Spettro Family, thank you for your comment. I completely agree. It was not an easy task at all to engage with this movie in a meaningful way. There was just so much going on. I don't think you sound with non sense at all. I hope you can be kind to yourself. Your perspective is completely valid. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
But why did his father take the form of a penis monster. That was my only question, and was it a twin brother, or was that rather an amalgamation of his mother's perspective of her own family
HOT GLASS FILMS, thanks for your comment. I like your inquiry. That's a great start. Having questions about external entities can also help us to reflect and inquire about ourselves, internally. I think so much of this movie was left to interpret in whatever way makes sense to you and is meaningful to you. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I thought the movie insinuated that Beau's psychosis was a result of his Mother using him as a guinea pig for all of the drugs that made her rich. The whole film I was confused to how she was so successful and he was living in the gutter. Then you see the scene of him walking through the house and seeing himself in all of the framed medicine ads for all of her drugs. And you realize his mother is a monster who used him, drove him crazy (drugs and mentally abusive), and you see why Beau is afraid
I don’t know how I didn’t put that together, but that totally makes sense!
Connor thanks for stopping by! Your interpretation and perspective was fun to think about. The particular scene about the framed medicine ads and your attention to this was great! Your framework for understanding the Why was also interesting. I think movies and stories in general attempt to create a way for us as the viewers to understand emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The way you put together a reasonable pathway for understanding Beau's emotions and stance in the film was thought provoking. Thanks for sharing your interpretation and thoughts!
I think her Mona Wasserman “MW logo” was even on the “Erectus Ejectus” building next to the apartment where Beau lived. I felt as though she had interests in pharmaceuticals, real estate, and even the microwave food that he ate. MW enriched herself by investments or ownership of necessities. It, in my opinion, demonstrated her control and power.
Zaharra Lane Thank you for your comment! I hadn't even noticed that, so wonderful, astute observation you had. Yes, your perspective and interpretation of control and power in the movie is a great idea to think about. Thanks for stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist Thank you 😊
A lot of people are missing out the main symbolism in the whole movie: The WATER
It is everywhere all the time in almost all the scenes
Psychologically water represents the feminine aspect and also the unconscious.
The first scene is Beau being born and you can hear and see the water he is coming from. He dies swallowed by water. He is afraid of the bathtub when kid. He needs water urgently to swallow the pills. There is a flood in his dream. There is a constant aspect of there being TOO MUCH WATER and sometimes NO WATER, which for me indicates the overwhelming and smothering aspect of being swallowed by a narcissistic mother which love bombs you(too much water) and then denies you (no water) which is a trauma by itself for an infant. The devouring mother is represented constantly in this movie as the water. Watch it again and notice that
F Amaya, thank you for your comment! I enjoyed reading your perspective about water, that was really fun to think about. Thanks for stopping by!
Also, Beau and his mother have the last name Wassermann, which means "water man" in German! The town that the mother lives in is called Wasserton, which again includes Wasser, water.
I was trying to figure out what the water symbolizes. Thank you for this! I love this interpretstion
Damm this is good!
Considering that water is also a theme in The Truman Show and that Truman is afraid of water because he witnessed his dad drowning, I think BIA is almost a TS remake but with an extreme intensification of the absurd comedy and especially the paranoid horror that both come with that concept. The surveillance theme is also very similar to TS. Mona Wasserman is essentially Christof, the Ed Harris character here, only more evil. TS is already a very subtle creepy horror comedy at times, so if you need those genre elements dialed up to 11, BIA is the right film for you
Love the ending. There are people who need and ask for help like Beau, but instead we judge them, then just watch them, again like Beau, drowning and died.
Phoenix Playground, thanks for your comment. Yes, this idea of judgement is interesting. I think the question that comes to my after reading your comment was: How much are we judging ourself when we could be showing ourself more self compassion? If we want to have more self compassion towards others, it first starts by having more self compassion towards ourself. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
This comment just bumped up to a 5/5 (previously 4).
Literally on a burning shaking boat, and we just watched til he died. Then everyone just left the auditorium
I believe Ari Astor made that comment about the whole time we’re watching beau struggle
However after a second watch beau actually sees that same scene on the cctv his mother literally put on a show for us to see from her perspective
I'm always intrigued by how Ari Aster utilizes mental health in his storytelling. Yes, the movies could be seen as just horror, but at their core, there is a very stark exploration of trauma and how it manifests. Thank you for your insight!
Kassandra, thanks for your comment and contribution! I agree, there are many mental health undertones, so thank you for pointing that out! I liked your use of the word intrigue as well, it brings such a compassionate curiosity stance towards the world. Having curiosity about oneself and the world with compassion, rather than judgement is so important, in my opinion. Thank you for stopping by!
Another big theme I took from the film was gender dynamics. Beau is shown to be subconsciously impacted by the absence of a "masculine" role model in his life, through his obsession with his missing father. The picture of his father he keeps shows him as a "builder", which is what Beau imagines he could strive to become if he could escape the chains of his mother. Mona seeks to punish/discourage all of Beau's "masculine" urges (not to be essentialist myself, just going with the themes of the film). It is clear that Mona has deep insecurities about men/masculinity, implied by the penis monster in the attic. It may be that her own mother instilled this in her, or perhaps Beau's father mistreated her in some way as well. It's not entirely confirmed in the film.
With that said, I think it is very intriguing that Amy Ryan forced Beau to take Toni's room. Beau is this "emasculated" male character, who when "adopted" by this new family, takes the place of their neglected daughter. To me, that part alone speaks volumes about each of the characters' psychology. Beau is being crammed into this feminized box against his will, due to not conforming to the masculine role model (the dead son). Toni is so devalued by her parents for not being a boy (perhaps even hinted that they thought she would be by her name), that a literal man replaces her as the family's surrogate "daughter." Beau and Toni sort of mirror each other, in a cruelly ironic way.
Ultimately, I think the film is very critical of both gender paradigms. Beau is a fundamentally incomplete character, with one part of himself (the part that stood up for himself & defied his mother) trapped and malnourished in Mona's attic. I don't think we're ultimately meant to see what remains of Beau as "feminine" but perhaps the film questions why we label these behaviors as masculine or feminine. The implication being that there is a "wholeness" of character that is deprived from each of us by the rigid gender roles we inhabit.
Cameron, thanks for your comment. I appreciated your thoughtful and detailed dialogue here. I also thought it was intriguing how Grace put Beau in Toni's room. That was fun to think about honestly. Your perspective on gender paradigms as it correlates to this narrative we have (either in this film or in society) was also deep and wonderful to think about. Good stuff, thank you for stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist thanks, I really enjoyed your perspective and analysis as well. Thanks for taking the time to read!
Great analysis through gender paradigms! I love these perspectives and this is one of the freshest that actually satisfies my curiosity about the giant dick monster and Beau's brother.
Amazing insight!
I feel like I need to see this movie a few dozen more times before I've even started to understand it. I love how it relates to Ari Aster's other movies. Hereditary and Midsommar highlights the devastating effects of losing family, and Beau is Afraid shows the devastating effects of holding onto family no matter how much they hurt us. I think Aster's work is at its most horrifying when it shows that the people who are supposed to love us are also the most capable of destroying us.
Oreo, thanks for your comment! The idea you brought up about love and destruction was a nice highlight and fascinating to think about. I agree, I believe revisiting creative works can lead way to further exploration. Appreciate you stopping by and thanks for contributing!
To me the movie is largely about emotional incest. The mom shared a bed with Beau when asking him about the little girl he likes. It has a sexual romantic tone to it that is abnormal
Right on
Probably actual incest, in my opinion. Aster made a short film about incest.
I think Amy Ryan’s character could possibly play a role symbolizing someone in Beau’s life who can see what’s going on with him and try to give him understanding. But yet Beau is so deeply confused and controlled by his mother that he can’t recognize it. The scene where she passes him the note and the scene where she sits next to him on the couch and tells him “I can never understand what you’re going through but-“ and she gets him to switch to channel 73 shows this.
I also think people like Beau, who have others in his life try to help him, tend to be too difficult to deal with and end up hurting others by accident which leads them to turn their backs on him. Very much like the paint scene where Amy Ryan ends up sending the Veteran to hunt him down.
Will thank you for your interpretation of this particular relationship. I liked your view of control and also the symbolic meaning of other mother characters. Your particular comment about understanding was noteworthy. Thank you for this perspective!
Channel 78 :)
To me, the first hour felt like the EMBODIMENT of what ptsd felt like to me. Violent flashes of images. Paranoid, irrational fear of the people around you. Nonlinear understanding of the events around you . Everything feels fuzzy and jumbled together. General sense of confusion and dissociation. Disconnection from body aka the body and self feel very separate from the events occurring around you. The lines of mental fear blurred with physical reality.
Then, in the family’s house, that character, whatever his name was, was literally a war veteran and had a scene where he ran after beau shooting a gun. I was like omg.. yeah many war veterans have ptsd. My assessment of this resonating with my experience of ptsd must be correct.
a c thanks for commenting. Thank you for sharing your experience, perspective, and interpretation. You are completely valid in your experience and you did a wonderful job depicting some important and powerful topics. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
My interpretation is that beau who *spolier*
Was dropped on his head as a baby as they say in the opening scene then goes on to have some sort of developmental disorder. The symptoms would assume some low level autism and/or schizophrenia (the paranoia, the psycho sexual artwork sene in the beginning of the film).
On top of this his mother is extremely emotionally abusive (possibly even sexually). Everything that happens before the call from his mother is his interpretation of the world and the dangers in it due to his condition. Everything afterwards is in his head because he took pills and died in the bath tub.
The final scene is commentary on society watching as people who are suffering from mental health issues are literally drowning in their own minds as we and our governments and the world are silent and do nothing.
Shinz_Mnky thank you for your comment! I enjoyed your interpretation and especially your comment about the final scene. I appreciate your clear exploration within yourself about what this creative art means and how you make sense of it. Keep it up, so cool. Thanks for stopping by!
This whole movie is just so good. Ari and Joaquin made magic.
Charles Ouellette thank you for your comment. Yea I agree, pure magic!
Beau is Scared is 3 hours and exhausting to the viewer. I think the Director successfully simulated a hallucinatory nightmare with a constantly evolving construct. I definitely had a sense of being trapped in theater similarly to being trapped in a long grueling nightmare. In a deep long nightmare the dreamer is not self aware and helplessly being swept along in the narrative. After a runaway nightmare we wake up tense and exhausted.
It is hard to tell when the nightmare narrative plot starts. It could be the entire movie, it could be where Beau fills up the bathtub, it could be when he was hit by the car.
After reflecting a bit, I decided the chaotic street scenes in Beau's neighborhood could be exaggerated hyper-reality as perceived by Beau's anxious, hyper sensitive (or schizophrenic) mind. In other words even Beau's conscious perceptions are a form of unreliable narrative as shown to the viewer.
Andrew thank you for perspective and thoughtful comment! I resonated with your comment about identifying when the nightmare narrative plot starts. What a fascinating concept to think about. This idea of unreliable narrative that you brought to the table has been fun to think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I love it when the movie and the reality of the audience is blurred, and we are unconsciously participating in what the director wanted us to see and feel. Perhaps not everyone would be keen to be “subjected” by such intentional participation which makes me think that not everyone is readily comfortable yet for this movie.
I was exhausted after the 3-hour viewing. Then I spent 3 hours watching reviews and explanations, discussing, contemplating, and writing about the movie. As art, that is a success story.
The Attic is like a dungeon of suppression/repression where Mona banishes anything Beau's that threatens her dominance of his being. Beau's father, Beau's stunted sexuality (the giant humanoid penis and balls creature), expressions of curiosity, attempts at adult individuation
This guy gets it. There are freudian and kafkaesque themes in this movie. And the ending was brilliant. Almost an allegory of the cave theme. The way he enters the cave and the images are shown to the people as a representation of beau. And beau can’t see the screen from the angle. Shows he entered the cave and died rather than escaping it.
Daddy J thanks for comment. Great references, thanks for sharing your perspective and stopping by, appreciate it!
Haven’t seen any other videos explaining the movie. Saw it yesterday and was interested to see what everyone else was thinking. Glad that you posted this as soon as possible!
Hey there, thank you for stopping by! I like to see others have this curiosity about external entities, and hopefully spark curiosity about oneself. Hopefully you are able to value your own interpretations as well! Thanks again for watching
One of my takes: The image of him on the spiral stair case is when he was on the phone with the UPS man receiving the news about his mothers death. His mother was capturing the moment that he was supposed to be utterly destroyed by her supposed loss of life because it made her feel control, which is how she has been managing her reception of love due to generational trauma established by her own mother.
iiiTechnoDuckxX thank you for your comment! I did not catch that when watching it so thank you for bringing this up! I enjoyed reading your perspective. Thanks for stopping by!
Spiral staircase = DNA
Reading down the thread, I see someone else mentioned this.
@@charlesbailey5579 sure, I was just pointing out the photo
Loved this video so much I peeped your channel and saw this was the only video. If this was your first video…damn, did you hit the ground running. Please please please make more videos where you provide a psychoanalytic critique of a film. Very few channels successfully do this and most of them only give a general, shallow take. This was great!
Antony, thanks for your kind words, much appreciated. I am actually quite introverted, but I just have a strong passion for understanding people and helping people to understand themselves. Living in LA and being around the industry has also brought me closer to these types of creative works. Luckily, we have been given a wonderful platform (that being this film) to jump off and explore some really wonderful topics together. I'll take your kind words and certainly be intentional with this channel and how I can engage with people in a meaningful and productive way. Thanks for sharing and stopping by!
Please continue uploading to this channel!!!!
Einveru thank you very much for your encouragement and stopping by. I'll try my best to give some good information out there and to produce some quality material. Thanks for contributing!
Congrats on your first vid! Excited to see this channel grow. Amazing video btw
Thank you kindly for your nice words and encouragement! Stay tuned, and thank you for stopping by!
Mona is not just the domineering force in Beau’s life but seemingly everyone around him (including us). During the opening credits, among the production company logos (A24, etc.), the MW (Mona Wasserman) logo is among them, letting us know that she produced what we are about to see. This is reinforced near the end, when the photo mosaic of Mona’s face is made up of her employees (Nathan Lane among them, and once it comes to Blu Ray, I’m sure when paused, we’ll see many others who have joined Beau on his journey; he just stood out with his glasses and mustache). This photo mosaic is very similar to a promotional poster for The Truman Show. Rather than being a picture of Ed Harris, the puppet master of that movie, the photos make up the image of Jim Carrey, who was the victim of a lifelong social experiment wherein he is being surveilled 24/7. Mona, in that regard, sees herself as a victim of Beau being such a horrible child, a projection of her own abuse toward Beau. She has made every attempt (successfully) to make sure that Beau is, indeed, afraid. He soon watches the evening news, in which the stories are so ridiculous that they’re barely an exaggeration of real news (Birthday Boy Stab Man, described as a circumcised white male, will stab you in the neck and guts).
Onto the mental health theme: I believe Beau was conditioned to be have a litany of mental health problems by Mona, or that, at the very least, stemmed from her abuse. When Elaine and Beau are in the buffet line as kids, and he’s talking about this food being bad for that reason and that food causing cancer, it seems a direct result of Mona’s conditioning that ejaculation will kill him (seemingly among other things). Beau lives in an apartment building owned by Mona, eats food with the MW logo on it, and takes meds that have the same logo, provided by a doctor who whose only job seems to be breaking his Hippocratic oath by giving every recording of their sessions to Mona. Beau is literally surrounded by his mother, even when she’s not around, even when she “dies.” I think it would be easy to say that Beau is a psychotic hypochondriac who suffers from anxiety and depression, but I think this film, more fascinatingly, shows us that these mental conditions are the result of conditioning, not necessarily a chemical imbalance or something physical like a TBI.
Mona is clearly a narcissist who is heading up a lifelong Munchausen experiment. She is also the personification for what is flawed in the way we consume media. Her disappointments concerning Beau at the trial sequence are silly and genuinely out of context, at least from what we’ve seen, showing that we can’t always believe what we see in videos because the media will not contextualize their meaning and at even edit the videos so that we can’t contextualize their meaning. For instance, we see that Beau, after what appears to be a hide and seek prank, did not come out of hiding, even when his mother was injured. A man in the crowd during the trial (sounded to be his defense attorney, whose voice was not magnified like the prosecutor’s) comes to Beau’s defense and says that he was just young and scared, and that’s why he didn’t come out, not because he’s evil. For this logical reasoning, the defense attorney is thrown from the balcony onto the rocks below a la Midsommar. Compare this to real life out-of-context videos. Remember those Covington Catholic School kids? It would appear this little shit in a MAGA hat was disrespectfully inching toward a Native American with a cocky, condescending smirk on his faces as the man performed a drumming ritual native to his people. This was the media’s trickery. MAGA had years of being given a bad name, whether one supports Trump or not, so anything this kid did was already thought to be guilty, and it was viewed that way by pundits, late night hosts, etc. until the context came out that the Native American man had not only instigated the standoff but was the one inching toward the boy and the not the other way around. The media had the full video at the onset but only played the clip that made the kid look bad. Even though the kid sued various networks for their dishonest coverage, his defense had already been thrown over the balcony. The out of context story was already much more amplified than the the real one. People had made up their minds, some of them people who could’ve helped this kid out, but chose to go with the narrative that confirmed what they already felt about people in MAGA hats, and many of them paid a price for it. But no one remembers any apologies or news stories dedicated directly to this boy’s unfair trial in a court of public opinion. They remember that horrible image of the smirking boy in the Trump hat, much like the audience at the end of this film remember that horrible image of Mona hurting her ankle as she fell in distress. That horrible Image of Beau peeking out from behind the pillar because he was horrified of the trouble he now faced. Same thing with Beau’s gift of the For the Boys soundtrack and how he’d gotten it for her two years in a row. Slight side note that will make sense: my own mother had this soundtrack and she loved it. She went through a range of emotions while singing along with Bette Midler. Some songs were upbeat and fun, others were somber, and she sang along accordingly. But my mother more or less hated the film because of one scene: Bette Midler’s character watches her own son get killed in Vietnam and holds his bloody corpse in her lap while she screams and cries. Perhaps Mona and Beau watched this film together. Perhaps Mona loved the music and Beau actually watched her go through a range of emotions while hearing the music. Snapping and clapping to the fun ones, crying at the sad ones, etc. He thought the album was meaningful, like watching the movie with her all over again. But, perhaps the same with my mother, she was in love with the soundtrack but absolutely horrified of the film for the same reason. Maybe Mona stopped listening to the soundtrack just to wipe the image from her memory of a mother violently losing her son. Perhaps young Beau thought she’d lost the album or maybe he just wanted to remind her to start feeling something, anything again. We don’t know because the only context we get is Mona opening the same gift twice and feigning joy the second time she gets it. I don’t know the reason Ari Aster chose the For the Boys soundtrack as Beau’s seemingly thoughtless gift, but I do know a lot of people, women in particular my mother’s age and older, who wouldn’t watch it again or would never watch it a first time when they heard about that scene.
The prosecutor goes on to say that Beau made horrible excuses not to visit Mona. I think having your apartment invaded and destroyed due to a lack of a means to lock it (the missing keys) and not having any luggage to take with you is a good enough reason to stay home until things can be settled. Beau doesn’t appear to have much, so having his clothes, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc. stolen is a big deal.
That brings me to my interpretation of the pink/blue. Beau’s almost complete lack of anything masculine due to no father or father figure in his life seemed intentionally set up by Mona. Likely she knew what a lack of a strong male presence would do. Beau’s apartment shows no evidence of hobbies or interests. No deer head on the wall below the rifle that killed it. No tool chest with a near-finished project nearby, no model airplanes or cars. Just a couch, bed, TV, and microwave. Very bland and empty, save for the blurry image of Beau’s “father,” in which Moan’s face is superimposed, also blurry but definitely there when I watched it a second time. No one with a male perspective to talk girls with. No one to inspire a love of sports. Due to this overwhelming female presence his entire life, Beau may question his sexuality. In the play sequence, for reasons that seem unknown, sometimes Beau’s wife “will look like a man,” much like the portrait of Mona’s mother hanging in her house. The lines are blurred for Beau, masculine or feminine, fat or straight, etc., perhaps why Toni wrote his name in pink on the wall of someone who typified masculinity, a handsome, chiseled soldier, a war hero who has a sword hanging on his wall. Beau cannot distinguish between who he is attracted to, if anyone other than Elaine, until he meets the pregnant orphan of the forest. She is a mother to be and treats Beau very much like a caring mother. This is why he projects her outfit, her look, into his version of the play. She bears his children because he knows she can. He raises the children with her because she is more caring and nourishing, much better maternal instincts than Mona.
Ari Aster has done it again, possibly the best he’s ever done in terms of getting people talking and interpreting his work. I’ll see it a third time at some point, and I’m sure there’ll be even more to discuss. Until then, thank you for this review/analysis.
Brandos, what a thoughtful and thorough comment! I really enjoyed reading this and your perspective. You touched on many different perspectives. I particularly fancied your discussion about the pink/blue scene. Thank you for being so thoughtful and clearly spending time to understand your perspective, and then sharing this in such a distinct and expansive manner. Great stuff, thank you for stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist Thank you for the warm welcome . I’ll certainly be back. You’ve definitely earned a sub just for covering this very divisive film. It’s sure to be a masterpiece in time, if it’s not being viewed as an instant classic already.
Wow I really love your thorough thoughts about the film and I agree this may be his absolute best film he's ever done. Never thought I'd say that after seeing Hereditary which up to now was my favorite film by Ari Aster.
@@dbgreene9020 I thank you.
An even earlier instance of being watched is a camera pointed at Beau on the therapists office desk. My general interpretation is that most if not all of what we saw was solely Beaus experience. Nothing is truely objectively real and details like the camera, the savages on the streets, or his mothers logo popping up litteraly everywhere (it's even among the production companies in the opening) are manifestations of his paranoia and anxiety, same goes for all the information we receive and the information that blows right over Beaus head (missing fragments and weird pauses in conversations). Beau reacted badly to the new meds and his mothers death pushed him over the edge. Somewhere soon after he went completely lost in his delusions and that is what we experience with him.
Jens M thank you for your comment! I enjoyed reading your perspective of surveillance and particularly your comment about what we experience with him. That was powerful and fun to read. Good stuff, thanks for stopping by!
The paint scene was lost on me yet it was such a simple message.
Charles Ouellette, it was certainly my favorite scene in the movie. Lots of stuff in there. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I really enjoyed your analysis, even though I did not agree with everything. I think one of the main goal of this movie was to explore the subjectivity of mental health. By making every scene so ambiguous in what is real and what isn’t, it brings the audience to question their reality and the reality of the movie. It also sparks discussion a posteriori, which is always a sign of success
Zig thanks for your comment and interpretation! Your stance on subjectivity in mental health brings up so much to digest and explore. We each have our own journey and making sense of that for ourself is so important. How one person experiences, for example, sadness, may be different from others. So learning how to familiarize ourself with our own experience, and then validate is an essential part of understanding who we are. I suppose it depends on how we define mental health. I'm using that term to encompass not just decline in mental health, but also stability and improvement, and overall the range in health.
Your particular attention towards ambiguity was also fun to think about. Outside of pathology, how does one define reality? Where do we draw the line between real and not? Your comment made me think of the idea: Subjective reality vs objective reality. But yea, really cool and fun stuff to explore and think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Best breakdown so far. I have ptsd and get psychosis and extreme paranoia sporadically since the trauma happened. It’s great to see a psychiatrist’s view on the movie, I felt most people wouldn’t understand how well they paint these mental struggles. The feeling of being watched at all times and judgment abs fear. I felt so lucky to see this movie opening week with only one other person in the audience with me. I felt so seen I cried so much honestly.
d thank you for your comment! Thank you for sharing your experience with mental health. I enjoyed reading your perspective. Your experience is certainly valid. Thank you for stopping by!
This video is wonderful and made me think about this movie it a completely different way. I thought the scenes in this movie were all visualizations of his fears and anxiety. Not hallucinations, just visualizations for the audience to understand whats going on in his mind. This might be me projecting because I have an anxiety disorder and often think of surreal situations happening that frighten me. But those thoughts are often rooted in a past memory that did happen or trauma. Similar to when Beau’s friends as a kid raided his mothers room which he felt guilt for and the scene when the people from the street raided his home. 👀
Austin, thanks for your thoughtful comment and reflection. I liked your perspective and framework. Definitely valid. Thank you for sharing about your mental health. Your awareness of how certain experiences may affect your view of the world was so on point and relevant. Many theorists spoke at length about the importance of self awareness and how this ongoing process can bring wonders to our life. I also have struggled with anxiety, and through therapy and seeking care with my own psychiatrist, I have learned to understand more about myself, about acceptance, tolerance and how to have more self compassion towards myself and the outside world. So know that you are a not alone.
I enjoyed your comment and interpretations. Thanks for stopping by!
Subscribed immediately for already having a breakdown, and your unique perspective
Thank you kindly and thank you for stopping by! I believe we all have a unique perspective and individually each one of our opinion matters. Thanks for commenting and contributing!
Very nice analysis man, keep em coming!! Another movie from this year you could potentially look at is Infinity Pool.
Jjmo, thanks for your comment and stopping by! Thank you for the recommendation. I honestly thought about this and definitely want to do something on Infinity Pool in the future. I did enjoy that movie and lots of stuff in there, and Mia Goth, jeez, was phenomenal. Thanks for the suggestion and I'll do my best to keep this channel active!
Great video, watched this yesterday. Never felt so anxiety riddled even one whole hour after having watched the movie. Definitely an experience
Yea I understand the emotions that one may experience, thanks for sharing! You are allowed to feel how you feel, so validating that is very important in my opinion. I'm glad you stopped by and thanks for watching!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist no problem. Interested to see the growth of the channel in the future!
I really appreciated your take on this movie, specially the references to conservatorship and psychiatric hospitals. (The whole "negotiation" as to when he can leave, insurance companies, the whole act when he's in her - and his? - house etc). Great points
alexkiddonen, thank you for your comment. I appreciate your kind words. Hopefully this sparked some conversation within yourself as well! Thanks again for stopping by and contributing!
I think the last scene was a nod to Freud's personality theory, where Beau is this tiny little helpless ego that can't save himself. And it's like his mom is his inner critic. Her voice is instilled as the critic in his head that he can't escape, and his wise mind is completely overpowered. In the end, he just succumbs to her and his unconscious (the water).
Thank you for your comment. I enjoyed thinking about your interpretation of ego, unconscious as it pertains to these characters. Thanks for contributing!
. I would love to hear someone give thoughts on the corporatization aspects of the film, I think those play into the theory of Beau not being able to care for himself. It’s his mothers initials on the microwaveable food he eats, pictures of people who had surveilled him that make up his mothers face in the home, his mother owned the building in which he lived. All speaking on that idea of his perceived inability to care for himself. Great video man, most of all I agree with the premise of Ari’s intentionality. There is far too much care within the project, and respect for the viewers intelligence.
Also, I think that the attic scene is some sort of allegory about humans and the way we perceive threats. The audience will leave and likely still be talking about the “monster” and yet it does no harm to beau and is of far less significance then many of the other obstacles he would have faced
Thank you kindly for your thoughtful comment! This is a wonderful example of expanding and giving some great perspectives. I did not even realize the initials on the food. Great eye! I had to sit and think for a moment to take that in. The idea of ingestion and being inside the body has many different theories and ideas. The fact that it was his mother's corporate business that provided him food, makes me think of the idea that the food represents an extension of her. In other words, her desire to be inside him. But not only that, your wonderful observation about mother owning the building speaks to (if we follow the same theory) her desire to encapsulate him on the outside as well. Just fascinating perspective you brought, thank you. I liked your comment about the allegory of humans and threats, very interesting. Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed thinking about this. And thank you kindly for stopping by!
No lie about a week after watching this film I wished a therapist or something of the sort would dissect this film. Bravo!
Ernest Garcia, thank you for your comment. I’m glad I was able to give some perspective, and I hope through this exploration it may have sparked further discussion within yourself. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and professional information!! Make me even enjoy the movie more. Good work!
Natalie thank you for the kind words and for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed.
I really liked your analysis. I had a few theories I wanted to hear your thoughts on. I interpreted that whole"play" between Beau and his journey as Ari sort of saying you should break out from under whatever is controlling you, whether it be your mom or religion or whatever circumstances, and to live your life. Ari tells this play of a beautiful and eventful life that beau can experience, and it ends with his "sons" saying, but if you never had sex how did you have us. And I interpreted that as Ari saying, if you never try to live your life or try to do things or be happy, then you'll never experience happiness or those results. He's saying if you don't try, it'll never happen. Which I found to be beautiful and touching as I watched.
Another thing I kind of put together with your help is the fact that Moana is so controlling over beau. And that can possibly be due to the fact of her lack of control over Beau's father and the fact that she couldn't;t make him love her or be under her control. Therefore she dedicates her life to taking control of everything with her business, and going on to control beau's life with her manipulation of him. She tells him this wild fantasy of beau's dad dying from sex, to make Beau afraid of having sex, this further helps Moana keep beau to herself and restrain him from making any sexual or loving relationships with another woman. Maling Moana the only woman in Beau's life. Obviously Beau's "twin" and father in the form of a penis is just a metaphor for Moana "hiding" or restringing Beau's "touch" and brace side as well as Beau's father who Moana thinks is a "dick", which is why he's in the form of a penis.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on these theories as well as what you thought about the film as a whole. Is beau's mother actually this rich successful woman who hired all these people? Or is that also apart of Beau's apparent medication overdose, and this is all just a figment of his imagination. Overall I loved this movie and Ari is one of my favorites.
Not sure if I agree, but appreciate your thoughts.
I appreciate you stopping by and expressing such a thoughtful comment! I very much have a passion for helping others explore themselves and the world around them, so it's wonderful to hear about your thoughts.
The idea of control that you bring up is fascinating. So control and our desire to control can have themes and models in our lives. I think learning how to "break out" from this, as you are suggesting, can have some wonderful consequences for us, in positive ways. Meaning, we don't have control over how people thinking, feel or behave, we only have control over how we think, feel and behave. Your comment about this was, indeed, beautiful, so thanks for this.
Your interpretation of the role the relationship between mother and father was very interesting and valid. Although the film did not explore so much of that relationship, it's an interesting one to think about in terms of modeling. I believe around 8-10 years old, give our take for most people, we begin to understand triadic relationships. We understand we have a relationship with one parent, a relationship with another parent, and then we understand that there is a relationship between parent A and parent B, and that this relationship is independent of us. Your comment makes me think about how the film didn't explore this aspect as much, and makes me think of the independent nature of this relationship outside of the dyadic nature we have with the other entities. With that lens you eloquently showed, it's fascinating to see how that plays out. The important thing is that even though we have models and constructs in our lives from our parents or society, we can choose a different framework or model for ourselves. And through exploration of oneself, we can achieve these things.
Your question about what is reality and what is a figment of his imagination is, I think, an essential part of the commentary in the film. So much in this film speaks about questioning reality, and questioning oneself or the external world. I think at the end of the day, what really matters, is that we, individually, get to decide and make sense on our own through our own journey and understanding. Not society, not organizations, not parents. But us, individually.
Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad this sparked some wonderful commentary for yourself!
@@brianng8350 thank you, I’d like to hear some of your thoughts too if you don’t mind!
I think the attic scene plays a big part in it. When we hear Beaus therapy sessions, he says something along the lines “there’s another me, a braver me, and my mother locks him in the attic”. When he goes up he says “I’ve been here before” and his mom says “because it’s a memory”. I think that it symbolizes where he has been hiding the brave version of himself and his ability to love other women of his life up there in the form of the monster pen*s. I think also the attic symbolizes a place in which his mother holds him sheltered almost like a prisoner until he goes up there himself and faces his reality of his caged self.
Will thank you for your comments! Wonderful perspective and really interesting take on symbolism regarding attic, bravery, hiding and relationships externally as well as internally. I enjoyed thinking about that. Thank you for that and thanks for stopping by!
One detail I love is the lil boys toy boat flipping over earlier in the film when his mother scolds him.
joenathan9231, thanks for your comment. Ooohh, yea I didn't even think about this or remember this until I read your comment just now. What a fascinating connection you pointed out. Good stuff. The boat could represent so many different things, as you alluded. Wouldn't it be neat if the very thing that keeps him afloat, teaches him to stay afloat, even in the face of "storms." Thanks for bringing this up, it was cool to think about. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I found the beginning to be very much like my mental imagery around social anxiety/agoraphobia with it being such a big deal to just walk to my car and the intrusive fear thoughts of being perceived, approached, interrupted, taken advantage of, etc. I waited until i was in a better mood to see this movie because that's something i'm struggling with as well as a stalker. Lots of it was relatable for me including some psychotic episodes I once had from medications
Authentistic, thank you for your comment! Thank you for sharing your experience with your mental health. It's important to be able to have honest conversations in meaningful ways, so thank you for being open. I think you did a wonderful job adjusting your behaviors to anticipate and manage your emotions in productive ways (reference to your actions of waiting to see the movie). Keep up the good work, and thanks for stopping by!
I’d argue that this movie addresses the single most important and misunderstood issue for our generation which is mental health. As a society in the US we no longer take care of those who suffer from undiagnosed mental health conditions, and this movie puts us in the shoes of someone suffering from schizophrenia
DirtyDinner64, thank you for comment and perspective. Things can look differently depending on where you sit at the table. I think creative works, films, books, etc. can really help others sit at different seats, so to speak. Then, being able to put a mirror in front of ourselves and ask hard questions can ultimately, IMO, lead to positive change in oneself and then within the world. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Theres so much to take from this movie truly one of a kind great video subscribed cant wait to see what you got next
Thank you for your kind words! Much appreciated and I will see you in the next one for sure!
this was super inciteful and helped me think about a lot of things regarding the movie i hadn't noticed before, please keep it up!
Barry thanks for stopping by and contributing! I'm glad you enjoyed my video and that it was a mild catalyst for your further exploration! I had not expected such a positive response to my video, so thank you kindly and I will do my best to be intentional, inclusive and thought provoking in this channel.
This really cleared up a lot of confusion i had after seeing this movie, thank you!
You are welcome! Yea, definitely I navigated my own sense of confusion as well. I wonder if part of the confusion that we feel was how Ari Aster envisioned for the audience member to experience. Many times in the movie Beau is confused of his situation, his engagement with external entities, and possibly even his engagement with himself. There is a term coined by Melanie Klein: Projective Identification, which comes to mind in terms of how the movie as an entity views us. But yea, thanks for stopping by!
At the end my bf suggested that he died and was being judged in the afterlife in the stadium. But it's probably more symbolic
B atlikinan, thanks for your comment! I liked how you and your partner were able to have a dialogue together about this and explore this together. How wonderful. The afterlife idea is interesting to think about definitely. Thanks for stopping by!
Bro ur explained details make me feel that this movie will b a classic, ive noticed that alot of people like it, I have to c this again. Great vid
Callum Heatherly thank you for your comment! I'm right there with you. I need to watch it again as well. It certainly a journey. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist no problem, I watched midsommer since seeing ur vid and thought that movie was great too.
That Bill Hader cameo also points to that statement about being a comedy and I thought Beau could also have Agoraphobia ontop of everything else he could possibly have.
I also wondered if there was commentary about agoraphobia. All the wacky antics in the street HAD to be a figment of his imagination.
Loofy101 and Stop ASMR, thanks for your comments. I quite enjoy Bill Hader! I did not know that was him by just his voice on the phone. It's interesting, now that I think about it, it almost appears that his character was attempting to question his own reality by having Beau hang up, as if having a wish fulfillment. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist No, thank you! I didn't know it was him until I saw the news report and he was looking away. Couldn't help but laugh a little knowing who Bill is. And at first I thought that maybe some of those people that got into his apartment were some of his subconscious archetypes (that Carl Jung talks about in his works) that manifested through his psychosis or whatever he was suffering from.
The movie reminds me of an articulated fever dream. It's very expressionistic and is very elemental in its symbology.
Mr. Man, thanks for your comment. I enjoyed thinking about your perspective. Thanks for stopping by!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist also a commentary on the current social, political, and economic situation in the USA. But the perspective on this objective context is Kafkaesque (listen to me, I sound like my former college self).
Ya know the one part of the movie where I was struggling to fit it into the overall narrative was part 2 in the house and your interpretation actually makes a lot of sense to me. Now it fits much more cleanly for me with the other acts. Thanks for the video!
Very Late and Tired, Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you found this helpful. Thanks for stopping by! Also, get some rest when possible.
I find it fascinating that so many people found this movie funny. They describe it as a dark comedy and I truly can't see the humor in it at all. Even in its most wild moments im like "Yeah, that makes sense. That's exactly what that feels like." I found the movie surreal, but never absurd. I totally related to Beau which is probably not a good thing lol
Coolal13 thank you for your comment. Your experience is completely valid. What we relate to and understand through our own eyes is important to recognize and bring awareness to. I don't think there is anything necessarily "not good" about relating to certain characters. It's what we do with that information that is important. I liked your introspection, keep it up! Thanks for stopping by, much appreciated!
I just started your video, so I'm not sure if you'll touch on this too, but this movie felt like an example of what it's like to grow up with a parent with untreated bpd
Hi Murr Murr! Thanks for stopping by! I believe you are right on target. I went into this a little bit during video, and particularly at 24:45 timestamp. Hope that helps. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for contributing!
THIS MOVIE CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD BY THOSE WITH A NARCISSISTIC MOTHER. IT SHOWS EXACTLY HOW UNSAFE YOUR LIFE FEELS UNTIL YOU FIGURE IT OUT AND LET GO. Everything that destroys his feeling of safety is how you feel and what you fear happening all the time without any explanation because you are convinced you are loved and shamed when you question it. When you realize that it is exactly like the Truman Show where everything was a lie
I like this style of analysis, one of the things that came to mind whilst watching, is that of the attic space representing the headspace of Beau, with the Id Ego and Super Ego being represented by creature/doppleganger inside - which again, is attacked by outside forces.
Sam Davies, thanks for your comment. I enjoyed reading your perspective of the “headspace.” That was fun to think about. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
i really interpreted the movie as a commentary on specifically anxiety, and how in some cases with anxiety, your mind will jump to the absolute worst case scenario. throughout the movie beau goes through a pattern, finding himself in a seemingly amazing situation, (ex. toni driving him home when he wants to go home), and having that situation going the absolute worst possible way it could go (toni and her friend making him smoke an unknown substance and attempt to blackmail him). just a really awesome movie overall.
lyri5968 thanks for stopping by. I totally agree that this movie was awesome. I haven't seen something like this in awhile. I appreciate your interpretation of catastrophization, especially as it pertains to the character at hand. I do wish there were some techniques discussed in the film to depict how someone would learn how to navigate catastrophization in a healthy, productive manner. Because these parts of anxiety, as well as other emotions, while valid, can play out in much more productive and meaningful ways. Thanks for your comment and contributing!
Fascinating breakdown, thanks for this man. Seeing it tomorrow I’m hyped
You are welcome! I hope you have an enjoyable experience and at the very least, a thought provoking one. Thanks for stopping by!
there's a lot to take in on the shot of beau in toni's bed. on the surface, it's just a typical teenage girl's room but given the symbolism regarding relationships in act two, you can delve a little deeper.
Posters: "Only1", i see this as having two meanings here: we have the name of the band itself, Toni desires to be the only one her parents care about. if you notice, there are two posters of this band. I believe the duo of the same band's posters symbolize both toni and her brother, the wer supposed to be the only children in their parents lives. her brother is dead and beau is an infantalized old man who she sees as encroaching upon their peaceful lives.
we have a block of a word cut off to spell the word "ear", survailence themes.
here's something i noticed while writing this, you look to the left side of the shot, and you see an empty corner with a lone bookbag and the posters above it, nothing to speak of for morning routines on the dresser. however the right side is a chaotic mess of beauty products and vanity items.
her favorite band members form a spiral right next to her mirror implying this is a cyclical habit of hers.
the professor marvelous final exam poster drawing foreshadowing to her comment about "beau failing his little test" which i still don't quite understand the meaning behind.
Beau and his psych’s exchange about his new meds, I thought, like a lot of the movie, was probably very much from his own inner perspective, so I’m not sure we can take it at face value that the medication wasn’t explained, or that his provider betrayed him. Those are both sort of ecstatic truths for Beau, but probably not actually linear events. For Beau, the only thing that stands out to him is “always with water,” and he doesn’t register or care about anything else that might have been said, in my opinion.
Beau is Afraid was released on Patti LuPones(Mona/Mom) birthday. i think that was definitely deliberate .
Mona, Beau’s Mother, is a CEO of a Mega-Corporation; she controls every aspect of Beau’s life in a “staged reality show” like fashion. Her company’s logo is on everything in Beau’s apartment; including on Beau himself. Mona being a narcissist and/or a person with antisocial personality disorder; treat all relationships like objects and tools to be used, which includes her own children. Abuse from people with these types of personality disorders happens in a cycle; in which over time, it causes their victim’s personal identity to be eroded, their emotions disconnected, and it leaves them doubting their own reality. The victim’s personal boundaries and free will in these toxic relationships are considered “incriminating.” Beau spends the whole film “incriminating” himself; until he’s finally pleading with Mona to take him back. Starting that cycle of malignant narcissistic abuse over again. Completely cutting contact with these toxic people is the only way out of this complex abuse. Which is what Beau’s older brother and “big dick” father did to Mona; in return, she holds that guilt and shame over Beau. Essentially strengthening that trauma bond over each other. Beau is ultimately trapped in this cycle of abuse until he can learn to escape it.
Bo Seager, thank you for perspective and comment! This idea of control is such a powerful theme. I also thought your depiction of cycling was noteworthy. Your comments made me think about the dialogue a creator has with the audience members and the intended emotions/thoughts we may have as a result. Gotta say, you are a great writer, which is likely a reflection of being well read. Thanks for your comments and thanks for stopping by!
As someone whose basically a walking dsm (ptsd, cptsd, bpd with audio hallucinations and slight psychosis, medicine resistant depression, GAD, Panic disorder) it’s been difficult seeing all these movies recently basically « personifying » mental illnesses. I get it helps create convo about mental illness. But my life is not a horror movie. My life is hell, but it’s not horror. It’s not something I would ever want to go pay money and experience. It’s pure trauma, emptiness, and anxiety so bad I vomit all day and have to check my heart rate and benzos therefore forgetting parts of my life.
Prob just me but this, Smile, resurrection, men, and Skinnamarink (which sent me to the psych hospital because it triggered my ptsd so bad I hyperventilated and passed out) frustrate me as a horror lover.
Britt thank you for your comment and response. I am sorry about what you have gone through and I commend you for having the courage to speak about your story and your mental health journey. Thank you for this. Your experience is absolutely valid. Thank you for contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist what’s your opinion as the these movies? Do you think THIS type of representation and portrayal (which is something we def need more of) further stigmas as mental health is so nuanced with different “functioning levels” and how everybody’s experience is different. Or is it bringing these things to be more normalized and awareness. I think for me the fact it’s seen as horror ie to be afraid of, and often violence. Also what is your input on the psyche of “normal” ppls with these films?
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist i think this would be a very informative yet important video
Britt thank you for your inquiry. I believe you bring up a wonderful point about mental health portrayal. I think the reality is that mental health can be quite individualized. How an individual experiences emotions, thoughts and behaviors can be specific and unique. I think it can be quite difficult to portray, accurately, the generic understanding of mental health, because mental health is not generic, it's unique to everyone. There are general guidelines of how we understand pathology, disorder and treatments. However, I firmly believe that mental health is not just about when we decline and cannot function. Mental health encompasses the times when we are improved and functioning well also. I think that there are parts of the world the are more open to having conversations about mental health, and parts of the world that are less open. I don't necessarily believe in the word normal. I think there is such a broad range and spectrum of personalities, traits, characteristics, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, etc. I think there can be a reasonable range for us individually, and it's up to the individual to understand their range and to know when they are outside that range as a clue to any type of pathology.
I believe that the film/music/creative industry attempts to explain their experience of the world and show the audience one perspective. It is not the perspective. I appreciate when the artist allows for interpretation, as if giving a space for us to have conversations about our own stories so that we can make sense of the world, but most importantly ourself.
Thank you for your inquiry Britt and conversation regarding this important matter. Much appreciated!
This is a great channel helpful and informational, wish you a lot of growth!
Focused AL thank you for your kind words! I will do my very best to grow this space to something meaningful and productive and to keep this a safe space for everyone to contribute in positive ways! Thanks for stopping by and contributing and I'm glad you enjoyed!
His mother is a stand-in for society as a whole, and a representation how young men are medicated, shamed, and constantly made to feel guilty.
Thank you for your comment and stopping by! I enjoyed thinking about this perspective you brought. Many thanks!
Keep making new videos pls, if this is your first video on yt, you are fucking amazing man. Keep making more
Luis thank you for the kind words and encouragement! Much appreciated. New video is up in the channel!
Watch Beau actually knowing what’s coming next and it’s a far different experience.
Totally. I, myself, need to sit down and have another viewing. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
The grieving family and particularly the paint scene broke me
Edit: the sprial staircase looked like DNA to me
Sasquatch Wizard, thank you for comment and perspective. I really liked your viewpoint of DNA. That's so interesting to bring up. As if an echo from his other movies, and also a commentary regarding relationships and genetics in the current movie. Super cool. Thank you for stopping by!
The scene where the father got stabbed was particularly hard for me .
That was a brilliant breakdown. I loved this movie I'm glad I'm allowed to laugh at these horrible situations in this film
Mathew, thanks for your kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed!
Please make more videos, this was a pleasure to listen to.
Blair, thank you for kind words and encouragement. New video is up in the channel! Thanks for stopping by!
beau's character brought the joker to mind a few times for me, Aster definitely makes every single choice with an intention.
Marcela Thanks for your comment. Yea definitely. I enjoyed Joaquin's work in that movie as well. Thanks for stopping by!
From my experience I never had a medical doctor go over side effects of drugs or treatments without me asking.
mrddcass, thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry to hear your experience was this way. That's not fair to you IMO. I believe it's the patient's right to have all the information they can to make the best decision for themselves. That includes side effects, risk benefit ratio, relevant drug drug interactions, etc. Ultimately it's your health, so physicians ought to help you make a decision, and not withhold meaningful information from you. Thanks for your comment and stopping by.
Your interpretation of Beau watching himself and fastforwarding is funny because I missed that scene in the bathroom. Thankfully my wife was able to fill me in.
Lambdaleth, thanks for your comment! How funny! I can imagine that hilarious interaction between you and your wife regarding this topic. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Beau was dropped on his head when he was born. If I recall correctly the doctor has to lift him by his legs to get the water out of his lungs. Plus you can hear his moms manic paranoia right away asking if he’s okay or something the very SECOND he’s out of the womb.
Thanks for your comment. Great attention to detail to that scene and absolutely agree that the beginning of one's life can have ripple effects later on. Thanks for contributing!
I’m of the impression that much of it was symbolic of Beau’s thoughts and fears - the mother was narcissistic and controlling, that is clear but I get the impression that a lot of what we see symbolically represents his thoughts about her control and not necessarily the actual reality. That being said, it’s very different to distinguish what’s really happening to Beau and what is in his mind. The ending is particularly baffling… did she really die? Did she really set him up to test him or was that just an exaggeration of how he was feeling… in the beginning of the film he asked her what he should do on the phone and she told him to decide the right thing to do in a very loaded manipulative way, was her death and the set-up and guilt around that just his inner dialogue about not getting to his mother on time? It’s a very difficult film to unpack from a conventional plot perspective.
GPlewright, thanks for your comment! I enjoyed reading your interpretation and perspective, it was fun to think about. Your comment about distinguishing external vs. internal is so powerful. That topic has many wonderful golden nuggets when explored on a personal level. Thanks again for stopping by and contributing! Much appreciated.
Wow.. very interesting. I would like to hear what Ari Aster thinks if he sees this video.
Lily thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you were able to engage in some interesting perspectives, so thank you. I agree, I would love to sit down and have a meaningful conversation with him. I reached out to his organization and hopefully something will come to fruition. Glad you enjoyed!
Would really like to see you do a movie called the chum scrubber. It’s not the best movie ever made, it does have Glenn Close main character of Schindler‘s list. And just a plethora of A-list actors, if I remember right, it’s directed or made by Steven Spielberg‘s long time coproducer it’s like the only film she’s ever made. But that form is deeply psychological. it’s about a guy finds his best friend dad and doesn’t tell anyone, his dad is a psychiatrist, he’s addicted to pills, and a whole town and all the, teenagers are on some type of Acacian, it was very of its time, and maybe even more prevalent today. As I said before, it’s not anything, that’s going to be up for an Oscar… But as far as psychology, I think there’s a Lotta talk about. If anything you can’t rip it apart, it may be totally factually in accurate
RobbyRockaholic, thanks for your comment. I appreciate your intention and suggestion regarding creative arts and a perspective I may hold. I like how you thought about a creative work that sparked some deeper engagement within yourself! That's awesome. While I haven't seen this particular work, I'll be sure to look it up! I'll do my best here to have some interesting perspective, and hopefully in the process, encourage others to validate their own perspective and continue/begin to have a meaningful conversation about how we think and what's important to us. Thanks so much for stopping by and contributing!
9:37 if i remember correctly the release date of 'Beau...' coincides with Mona's birthday. definitely intentional. 😁
For me the biggest mindf*ck was the ending. What am I supposed to make of Beau being judged and then, in a way, sentenced to death? It didnt seem like he deserved it. Idk why it just bothers me that i dont really understand the last scene or why he had to die. Can anyone explain?
Edit: oh I also need an explanation for Beau having a double being locked in the attic with his father who happens to be a... Penis monster? What is this supposed to mean?
My take is that he has been drowning in guilt
The stadium scene reminded of Pink Floyd The Wall movie courtroom scene and the crescendo where they "tear down the wall".
There is a bit of heavenly judgement or Greek chorus present too.
Matthew thanks for stopping by! Yea the ending scene was certainly thought provoking. Your particular notion and experience of the last scene perhaps was in line with how the film suggests one to experience. Having an experience and evoking an emotional and thoughtful stance, I believe, was intentional by Ari. How we understand, individually, death and what that means can be quite personal and unique. Perhaps on some level, the film provokes us to come to our own interpretation, because at the end of the day, your opinion is valid. I agree completely that it seems quite unfair for him to be judged in this manner and die. That internal and external struggle we see play out can speak on many layers to how we all have some internal/external conflict, and learning how to navigate this in ways we want is a big part of our own story. I do like your thoughtful inquiry and curiosity. Thank you for contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist thanks for the reply, that actually makes a lot of sense. I'm an anxious guy and this was the first film I've ever watched in theaters alone. It was pretty surreal. That ending hit me kinda hard. Thought about the movie and had brain fog for the rest of the day lol
Not sure if this has already been mentioned. I tried to read all the comments but ran out of steam lol, or maybe I missed it in this video, but did anyone else notice that when Beau was lying in that pink bedroom there was a big chandelier dangling above him? That's gotta mean something
Papawheelie thank you for your comment! Yea there's definitely a whole organism that's constantly evolving in this comment section. But I'm glad you came by and contributed! This is designed to be a safe space for people to interact in whatever way they want in order to understand and explore this wonderful movie, and then also hopefully understand themselves a little more. Great catch with the chandelier. I didn't notice it the first time I saw the movie, so yea, thank you for bringing that up! I thought perhaps some foreshadowing, but on a deeper level, gosh how interesting. Themes of class, pressure/stress, beauty held above, and death come to mind. But yes, definitely intentional. Thanks for stopping by!
Hmmm well at that point we think his mother was killed by a chandelier and then there is a pink chandelier above him...as if ready to fall and crush him. Like perhaps him and his mother are linked or perhaps his mother is the pink chandelier in his life looming over him and crushing him. My immediate thoughts.
Fantastic synopsis and analyzation. 👌
Thank you for your comment and stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed
great viewpoint on the paint scene.
isdnil thanks for your comment, much appreciated! The paint scene was definitely my favorite part of the movie. Hopefully my view can spark further conversation for yourself. Thanks for stopping by!
Main theme is the devouring mother syndrome, and how it shaped Beau's anxiety driven world. This was filmed from Beau's perspective, not reality.
PLOT TWIST: Beau died in the bathtub. It was suic*dal. Speaking about the ending, the boat where Beau is, it symbolizes the bathtub. Wonder why he got glued to the boat? It means that he can't escape from the bathtub since he was in his last breath at that time. And when the boat capsizes, that's when he dies. Beau died early in the film and those following scenes after the bathtub are merely what Beau thinks as he was dying - from thinking that there is someone at the ceiling, to thinking that there are some people who would help him just like what Roger and Grace did (but everything then went haywire so he fled into the woods), to thinking about having a family (but later separated by a flood), to meeting Ellaine in his mother's house (but Ellaine later died when he was the one who supposed to die), to overthinking that his mother is alive and just faking everything, to seeing his braver self and his father in the attic wherein he believes to what his mom said - saying that his dad is a massive jerk, and so his dying brain visualizes a big penis monster. Those are merely the adventure of Beau's dying mind just like what's stated in the trailer - 'comes a big adventure'. When Beau goes onto the boat and found himself in a stadium, that's when he is in his last breath in the bathtub. He saw his mother still alive tho she already died after Beau choke him - just means that no matter what Beau does, his mother will always be there- checking on his life, abusing him nonstop and not treating him as a son. Wonder why the sequences after he lies down in the bathtub have gotten exaggerated, hypothetical or quite off? Well, that's how a dying brain is supposed to work. Beau thinks of Just so you know, Beau was the guinea pig of his mother's pharmaceutical experiments. Those pills he takes or those pills the therapist prescribes are experimental, and he has been taking different kinds of those pills for years. Apparently, it affects his mental health more - causing mental disorders like anxiety and paranoia, hence the title Beau Is Afraid. The place where he lives is a rehab facility, that's why you can see insane people out there. And it is owned by her mother, so, his mother literally considers Beau mentally ill,. Beau became anxiety-driven merely because of his mother. No doubt, his mother is the mere villain of the movie.
Thank you for stopping by and contributing. I enjoyed thinking about your interpretation of the boat and the bathtub. That was fun to think about. Thanks again for your comment!
Great analysis! Please turn on auto subtitles for non-english speakers.
jordail, thank you for your comment. I will defin look into this. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
To me, this is a coming-of-age story. Up until the day of his travel, he has lived as a boy, afraid of everything, but suddenly he had to
confront so many things... The guy he thought was going to kill him, the fear of leaving his home unattended, the fear of leaving by himself when the new family took him in, the fear of having a life that meant nothing which he had to suffer in his hallucination in the theater, the fear of dying, the fear of having sex. He fouth all of his “demons” The last thing was to “kill” his mom and free himself from everything that kept him captive and finally he had to die.
Lina Marcela, thanks for your comment. I enjoyed thinking about your perspective of confrontation. Being able to confront ourselves can be one of the most powerful things. External confrontation skills can stem from internal confrontation strengthening. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Thanks for this!
You are welcome! Thank you for stopping by and contributin!
Great video, cheers!!
Thank you kindly for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed this!
Poor Beau was BORN doomed to a life that he has no control over and lives permanently in the subsequent fear that accompanies that, hence, is afraid. However, he's such an endless creation/Eiffel Tower of misery metaphors, that as they accumulate, he can start to lose some degree of human substance, a kind of cipher that we start to feel a bit distanced from, even if we can totally relate to some of his issues.
OTOH Beau's still very interesting and entertaining as he merrily proceeds through the 8 Rings of Hell. His later in life (and not always linear/sometimes disjointed) journey on his way to accidentally sort a few crucial things out about his existence, as unlikely precipitated by his mother's manufactured personal crisis, was sometimes EXTREMELY engaging, unnerving, thoughtful, and deviously creatively wrought by director Aster.
For the visual treats: Shades of Kubrick 2001: King of Oz/Puppet Master Mother's silent, expansive, dangerously overpowering and sinister, austere multi million dollar MCM lair. Bergman: Psychologically intense facial closeups with long silences and minimal dialogue at times. Lynchian/Fellini fever dream/scenes of freakish people and monsters in familial settings. Bunuel/Polanski blood and guts, jump scare visceral gore. Scorsese/Tarantino ultra absurd violence re sociological narratives. Cocteau/Grimm Brothers/Stephen King sinister fairytale fantasy/simple European folklore sequences laced with dread and beautiful, childlike whimsy/niaf artwork.
Rob Thank you for your thoughtful and engaging comment. Your perspective on topics of control and fear are noteworthy. I also appreciated your references towards other works and inspirations. I think that speaks to your wide ranging network of ideas and creative works and how they interplay with each other. That was wonderful. Very well said/written. Thanks for stopping by!
I find Beau Was Afraid a brilliant movie. depends on how you understand it. For me, it was Us. Us who are living on the shadows if the past, the shadows of our family that wants to protect us ending up controlling us, the society that we're surrounded, and everything that happens to our life that sometimes doesn't always on our favor even if we know what we did was right, in the end you'll be judged by the society based on what they've seen and heard.. and you living with the truth but doesn't have voice to tell what's true nd your feelings and your pain. That's life. That's our life. That is how I understand the movie. I can't recommend it. since I think it was only for those who are willing to understand it.
Thank you for your comment. I enjoyed hearing your perspective and thinking about your thought process. Wonderful stuff. I think if people are willing to understand and be compassionate to oneself, then there is a beautiful world to be explored. This was a reference to your comment about "willing to understand it." Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
Hey man, since you mentioned Jung, I have to put to you. Most of the psychologists I know don't hold him with any regard. And he's either taken as shyster or prophet in that weird spiritual trend (new age, psychedelics, etc.). My particular opinion is that people get him up to his early work on personality, later when he gets conceptual nobody really gets it because its too introverted. So, what's your take?
Thanks for your wonderful work!
Gabriel Orville, thanks for stopping by! I think that things look differently depending on where you sit at the table. I'll make a general comment about theory. There are so many different stances on the mind and psyche. There are themes as well. From my perspective, I think that any earlier work and subsequent ideas can create a platform for ongoing discussion and exploration, not just of the external ideas, but also of internal (self) ideas.
Life is dynamic. So different perspective may be meaningful to an individual at different stages in one's life. I think we take perspectives here and there, and then form our own to make sense of life. We don't have to agree with each perspective, but I don't know if that's necessarily the point. I think if we are able to understand and engage with different perspectives and theories, we can then begin to create, learn and engage with ourself in ways that are so much more multidimensional than if we had fewer perspectives. I don't believe in invalidating other people's views. Rather, I see them, acknowledge it, understand it to the best of my ability, and then take what pieces I find meaningful from it to formulate my own opinion of the topic, and ultimately my own opinion of myself and my vision.
I think the overall message is: so many people/organizations/societies can have so many different opinions on one topic--so why can't each person then decide on their own what they think of that topic, themselves, the world and what they value? And just because we agree or don't agree, it doesn't change our own inherent value. It's just about learning from each other which can help us learn about ourselves.
Thanks for your wonderful topic and thank you for contributing!
What is the song in the movie "Beau is afraid" that plays during the forest scene , when they're about to play the piece of theatre. It sounded like it's from the 80's and funky. Asking for a reddit
This is a great question, I myself am not sure. Hopefully someone in the comments will be able to shed some light. Thanks for stopping by!
Can you make a video on Hereditery?
Yes, fine, you’re right. FFS stop asking me to validate what you’re saying every three seconds 😡
🤣🤣🤣 Only messing; ask away, good sir.
Good vid, man.
Thank you for stopping by and contributing! Much appreciated.
Just finished watching this film and your video. Still processing, but wanted to comment on your take about how the psychiatrist handled the new therapy and didn't provide him with the proper information. I am thinking that this is connected to how that man was working for Beau's mom, and not really concerned with Beau's best interests.
Connor Rohan thanks for stopping by! Your thoughts about the mother's interactions with the psychiatrist and his overall vision for interaction with Beau was noteworthy. I could see how that would play out in the unfortunate "nightmare" that Beau was experiencing. Thanks for bringing this up!
I think the medication that he was prescribed (which you mention toward the end of the video) was potentially a driving force behind his journey to his mother's house - hence why they may have left its side effects and such intentionally vague. If he was having visual hallucination from psychosis (and other medication he was taking), I could imagine that his journey from city to suburban to forest to home was also in itself a symbolic side effect to him being on this new medication. But, I'm still trying to make sense of all of the wild symbolism, haha.
Trevor thank you for your comment! I appreciated your position and perspective. The topic of medication and how we view it is such a powerful one. I'm happy to hear about your process in making sense of the symbolism. Wonderful stuff. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
I really liked your analyses, I agree with you on many things, but did I waited for you to talk about a very important thing in the film which was, the first and last scene, which was Beaus mother screaming and crying for fear about her new born baby who was dropped by the doctor I think its an important point because in my opinion I think that thats where Beau started to be afraid. Also I dont know if it occured to you or not, that Beau is a psychotic Puer Aeternus? I hope you can reply on this.
feresachour5610 thank you for your thoughtful comment! I enjoyed thinking about the concepts you brought up. I agree that how one initially experiences life can have resulting themes that recur consistently. I believe that with awareness, and engagement with oneself in a meaningful way, people can redefine their themes and live the vision for their life that they want. The story does speak a lot about a character who is seeking some autonomy in his life, but perhaps is tied to the emotional connection of an external figure (mother). Your brilliant correlation with some of Jung's work and the Puer Aeternus was fascinating to think about. Your particular shading of that concept as it pertains to psychosis was interesting. My perspective is that while this story shows a character who hasn't developed completely (as you suggested with this reference), I hold hope out there that with the right tools, engagement and awareness, that he could break from recurrent themes, and evolve from peter pan to something more meaningful in his life. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist Thank you so much
thanks even though i am not good at english but your explained is very impressive (but subtitles would have been more helpful for someone like me. 😅)
Thank you for your comment and stopping by. Thanks for letting me know about the subtitles!
But did it make you LAUGH, is the question I ask everyone I know who watches this.
RustinChole, thanks for your comment! Definitely had some comedic tones. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!
i have thoughts on beau’s therapist not describing the pros and cons of the new medication given at the beginning of the movie. I believe that this was done purposely because due to how his mother controls everything in his life (including the therapy sessions) in a sense, much of his life was fictitious because it was all controlled by his mom. i dunno i don’t think he was trying to misrepresent the prescription of these medications, just added to his mom’s omnipotent control
Malia Thanks for your comment. The topic of control is certainly and pertinent and powerful one. Thanks for sharing your perspective and thank you for stopping by!
I get serious anxiety when I see people having sex or naked on film. Is this movie riddled with it? Or is it just in a scene or 2? Sorry for such a specific question. I’m just very excited for this movie and want to be prepared beforehand
No need to be sorry at all. There is only one sex scene and it is towards the latter half of the movie. There is nudity in the first section of the movie and in the last section of the movie. I hope this gives you adequate information that will help you.
You are allowed to feel how you feel, and I completely recognize how this may bring up certain emotions as you mentioned. I think that was wonderful how you advocated for yourself and you got the necessary information that you need to navigate things in the way that you want! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are able to have a meaningful experience.
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist thank you so much for the thoughtful reply. I will definitely be watching the movie and looking forward to your next video!
There are a couple of scenes of nudity (Beau is nude couple of times and the is a naked character) and one sex scene and one animated 🍆
@@CarlosGomez-zo4jh quien sabe y que cvrvjx te importa bro
954QuitumbePazmiño593 Thank you for being kind and standing up for others in the community. This is designed to be a safe place to discuss how we think, feel and experience the world and ourselves. So thank you for being a kind individual!
When a sentence starts with like, i switch off.
Trublu72 Lewis, thanks for stopping by! Thanks for the feedback, I'll keep this in mind and adjust to give you and other viewers a better experience. Thank you!
I need this movie explained by Birthday Boy Stab Man.
Drunk Dad, thanks for stopping by. I'm not aware of this person you are referring to. However I am hopeful that any explanation of the content will spark some inner exploration for yourself. Thanks for contributing!
@@TheBeverlyHillsPsychiatrist He is a character in the beginning of the movie :p
@@drunkdad6639 ahhh yes! Thank you for reminding me. Yea what an interesting perspective that would be to get his take! Thanks for bringing this up.
Just as a viewer note, we don’t need a “coming up” segment in a TH-cam video, especially if it’s under an hour. Its not needed and I see a lot of people doing it. We already clicked on the video, we don’t need you to convince us to watch it. I’m just saying though no hate
Bitter thanks for your comment and feedback. I will be mindful of this for future videos. Thanks for stopping by!
Unfortunately this movie was made for psychology students, not for normal humans. Btw a psychology degree is not indicative of one's IQ. Throughout this movie I found myself checking, continuously, how much time was remaining, wishing it could be over.
Thank you for your comment and stopping by! I appreciate your perspective and thanks for contributing!
Right now i found this movie impossible to watch more than 50 minutes - not saying it was bad but it was hard - we got to watch 3 hours and with this movie is not an easy task - cause is very tough and hard and heavy and mad, all togheter -
so you really have to be in a goog mood , wich may sound as nonsense cause is furious madness going on -
again, this was tough to finish for me
cheers
Spettro Family, thank you for your comment. I completely agree. It was not an easy task at all to engage with this movie in a meaningful way. There was just so much going on. I don't think you sound with non sense at all. I hope you can be kind to yourself. Your perspective is completely valid. Thanks for contributing and stopping by!
This movie is very much like Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche New York but on meth and acid. If you haven't watched Synecdoche New York, You need to ASAP.
TRAGZ thanks for your comment and stopping by. Definitely a fan of recommendations so thank you kindly!
But why did his father take the form of a penis monster. That was my only question, and was it a twin brother, or was that rather an amalgamation of his mother's perspective of her own family
HOT GLASS FILMS, thanks for your comment. I like your inquiry. That's a great start. Having questions about external entities can also help us to reflect and inquire about ourselves, internally. I think so much of this movie was left to interpret in whatever way makes sense to you and is meaningful to you. Thanks for stopping by and contributing!