When I first watched the trailer I thought “wow, finally a movie trailer that doesn’t reveal the whole plot or spoil anything.” But then I watched it and realized: no human being on earth could spoil this thing
A lot of people treat Beau as having generalized anxiety disorder but I want to posit that he actually has cPTSD. A key difference in GAD anxiety vs cPTSD anxiety is with cPTSD the anxiety isn’t from “what if” it comes from “what has happened” and the ability to recognize patterns.
Haven’t seen a lot of people with this take but I couldn’t agree more. As someone with cptsd and a csa survivor this film felt like it was speaking directly to me. Moving
There's also a scene where he imagines the Birthday Boy Stab Man breaking his door and frantically pushes the bed in front of it, including his fear of basically doing anything because of Mona. What do you think about it ? I'm not really well educated on this subject so I don't want to assume things directly
I think he has both? I didn’t finish the movie, but I’m pretty sure the whole town didn’t break into his house when he was a kid. That is definitely a “what if” anxiety.
Holy shit, the way you cut to the core w/what cPTSD centers on. I feel so scared that you understand it. But I absolutely agree. I was like, this guy is experiencing what I experienced, even though I couldn't say that I factually had Beau's experiences portrayed in the film. Like sure, he has anxiety, but dude, it's so much more than just GAD. There's shit that went down.
@@amyjones2063 its not simply an audacious act of the ups driver but a concoction of perception and emotional connections between him and Beau. they're both shocked, the ups driver is scared of being accused and Beau is painfully hoping that its not real. its beautiful because its candid and awkward like real life
What annoyed me about reviews is the claim that it "destroys Ari's credibility", like nah sometimes things can be made for ppl that aren't YOU (crazy given todays climate in film). I recommend it solely for the fact a theatrical experience like this might not happen ever again, or at least for a long long time. Also I watched it stoned and the first act almost gave me an anxiety attack I was shaking.
"like nah sometimes things can be made for ppl that aren't YOU" More people need to hear this. Like, you will have people who say stuff like "Oh, these 10 star reviews are CLEARLY fake" or "No, everyone else is just pretending to like this thing". Hey, dingus. Maybe they just enjoy something you don't. Almost like a differing perspective or something. Crazy, I know!
Saying a movie "sucked" or "you just didn't get it" are both lazy. I think Ari did everything he set out for. So while I'm sure this movie won't connect with everyone(or even most people), it was never supposed to. Niche movies used to be an understood thing, and I hope this makes people take more chances. But since it'll most likely lose money, I don't think any of the right lessons are gonna be learned
I also suffer from anxiety and have an overprotective mother so this film made me look at myself honestly and realize if I live my life in fear, I will waste my life. I feel so blessed I have not become Beau cause I very easily could've. I am also that specific person that Aster was speaking to and when I have had more time to digest it, I will write about it.
Beau screaming out in agony his confession of "I am a coward" and later "I thought I was going to die, my entire life!" are very profound and really hit home in such a personal way which is rare in modern cinema.
@@brentulstad3275 It is rare to feel things in modern cinema or to see yourself reflected in them if you don't fit the "norm." I've seen a lot of people online scratching their head and puzzled by what this film could be about, it's more than a "trippy, pretentious film about nothing" which is how I see some people reacting to it. It is also crazy how people distance themselves from Beau as well, like he is Ari's test subject, when in reality, it's a part of Ari. To me and many others, it is very clear what Beau is Afraid is about, but I'm glad so many people had happy childhoods I guess?
ehh idk if i would say that. first watch me and both my friends literally didnt know if it was good or bad because of how much it threw at us. both times i saw it in theaters when the end credits started rolling, there was just a cold silence and people were almost uncomfortable to get up and leave because i think it was hard for people to conclude if their reaction was positive or negative. first time i rated it a 2.5/5 stars, second time i bumped it up to a 4. WEIRD and challenging ass watch. but i think i decided i love it. unlike any other theater experience ive had before
"Connecting" with a piece of media is wildly overrated. I don't need to connect with it on some fundamental emotional level to judge it by its quality. To that end, even though I'm not Oedipus, the technical, visual masteries of the film and the performances alone are worth the experience.
@@KnarfStein I watched it with my girl, and I loved it. I think I got the gist of what he was trying to say but yes, I was interested in it for the creative filmmaking and Joaquin, and it didn't disappoint. That being said, the part where he sees his sons in the play made my girl break down and cry. I think we interpreted the scene the same, it just had a real impactful emotional response with her. I think that's gonna be common with this film. People like me and you can appreciate it for the creative, and technical marvel it is, but I think its really going to resonate with some people
@@KnarfSteini agree its not necessary to see how good a movie really is, but some people genuinely cant see the good things about a movie without connecting to it. I am very grateful that i am able to do both cuz that makes the experiences really great for me personally. I can enjoy a lot of movies that are too weird for others
I love that man, he is not the typical “hot actor” but the you see everything in his eyes. Do you know how many words he uttered in this 3 hours movie? It’s mostly only “why?” And “help”, that’s crazy how little dialogue he says but yet he carries the movie all by himself.
@@packedentertainment2866 And what says even more is that Joaquin has already committed to his next project, Eddington. People love this guy, I really think he’s a generation-defining filmmaker.
@@packedentertainment2866 Martin Scorsese has recently said that Ari is one of the greats. Already, after 3 films. That is some serious props from a 50 year movie making veteran.
As someone who suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I felt both seen and on edge the entire time. People definitely thought my twin sister and I were insane with how much we laughed during the relatable bits. Ari Aster remains the master of manipulating his audience's emotions!
I could not for the life of me get over the name for the serial killer being "Birthday Boy Stab Man" because it is the exact terminology I would probably see in one of my nightmares. Where in the dream it's the most horrifying string of words you've ever heard but then when you wake up you're like "Why the fuck would anyone be afraid of someone called Birthday Boy Stab Man???" Like he really knew the exact thing to call the serial killer that would evoke the best combination of comedy and relatable dreamlike terror.
I have never cried at a movie before. I am rarely moved, limited in my emotional range or my empathy. When I watched this movie within the very first sequence I was floored. The intense paranoia, distrust, a motif of a world fraught with danger. Never have I seen a movie that so accurately yet so bizarrely captured how the world looks to me everyday. Leaving the theatre after over 3 hours, and yet not the least bit drained. My favorite movie of any by far and I doubt it’ll ever be beat out.
You said it. Regardless of his flaws, ari aster has always been a master of trauma. Understanding it and inflicting it. His movies are explorations and ruminations on trauma, it's not at all surprising to hear that what seems like his passion project is that put to film.
I'm lowkey scared to watch this film, because usually all these descriptions being used from different peoples reviews wouldn't bother me, but hereditary still sticks with me, so I'm very hesitant haha
It was absolutely beautiful, but there were some scenes that were very very graphic and off putting, right off the bat the film puts you into a anxiety induced state. But beautiful performances, color scheme and transition we're awesome
If your a movie buff and a Joaquin phoenix fan you will enjoy it in my opinion it’s a fun ride and I have no bad feelings towards the film and I think it’s a movie best experience in theaters with no food or drinks since its 3 hours long and it’s really creative and it really had me in the 2 hour mark the final act was alright but still enjoyable because it still kept me watching till the very end and that’s saying something because I walked out in the joker movie and justice league lol but that’s a story for another time
If it helps, Beau stays with you in a different way. I think Beau Is Afraid sparks more conversation because of its structure and themes whereas Hereditary had those horror moments that stick with you (the silent moment near the end still gets me - iykyk). Beau has some disturbing scenes and visuals but their purpose is different than Hereditary.
Hereditary sticks more but Beau is something else, not as impactful and memorable as Hereditary but is quite the ride and a few scenes will stick with you but it's absolutely worth a watch.
Forget about projection----this movie is THREE HOURS LONG. Unless the pacing is constructed so that people's interest is maintained, a lot of people are going to have trouble with a movie like this, which might actually be better suited for a format where you can hit the pause, fast-forward, or eject/return buttons.
Literally everything Ari Aster makes is like him speaking directly to the type of person I am, my fascination with the occult, human condition and psychology, trauma, magick, nature, non binary thinking, etc, I have a feeling he is making movies to a certain group while still being talented enough to gather public praise, like the old saying, “even if you don’t like me, you will respect me.”
I saw this movie almost completely by myself, literally only 2 other people in the theatre, and I couldn't decide if I was blown away or furious when the movie ended.
One thing that did occur to me while watching this movie was this-----how was Beau, who arguably lives in the worst apartment in the worst neighborhood in the world----able to get a bathtub while I only have a shower stall in my bathroom?
It looked to me like a luxury apartment that had been cheaply made and went to shit very fast. It was large and had hardwood floors and big windows, but it was run down.
Yes… maybe the “reality” you thought you are living it right now is someones else’s choreography. Joking aside this is the most original movie I have ever seen after last year EEAO.
Thank you for verbalizing why Aster's endings don't work for me. Beau was my favorite movie I till the subtext became the text then it was made very clear to me that this movie is for Ari Aster and his mom almost exclusively.
I think you hit it on the spot, many people are not gonna appreciate it the way you or I might because of experiences in our lives that allow us to project ourselves in this film. I believe it was genius (just my opinion) because the impact it had on the things I’ve learned about myself this past year seemed to allow myself to connect to Beau on a personal level during the film.
I watched this movie alone, with only three other people all spaced out from each other in the theater. It triggered my every phobia and trauma, it made me shiver from anxiety, it made me cry, it made me deeply relate to the main character (anxiety and a very strange mother), and then it made me sit in shock for the entirety of the credits. Me and the other audience members sat in silence and watched together, and the theater workers kept poking their heads in to check on us. After the screen went dark, I simply said ‘holy fuck’, and we all shared a nervous chuckle. I was in a daze, deep in thought about this movie for the next two full days. I couldn’t tell if I enjoyed the movie until I fully processed it days later. I decided it was a phenomenal movie, but not a fun movie experience, like Aster’s previous works. Personally, if I were a director that made films like this, I would consider a reaction like mine an absolute win. It seems like a passion project that Ari Aster has been cooking for years, and I’m delighted that he got to make it.
Great video, I’ve seen it in theaters twice and it holds up great on a rewatch, in fact, it got better. I did miss the utter shock factor of the first watch but was immediately comforted by the catharsis of watching the discomfort. This is my favorite Aster film!
Being inspired by something isn't a "fatal flaw". What a reductive way of looking at creativity. Nothing under the sun is original; you can always trace the seed of an idea back as far as you want as long as you're willing to make the logical abstractions. Clearly Hereditary has more going for it than being a "remake" of Rosemary's Baby. It does so much more with that formula than Rosemary's Baby could at the time of its release. It is not the same experience.
I don't think that's what he was saying, I can't speak for him but I did agree with his points and not bc I think inspiration is bad at all but bc Hereditary didn't personally move me bc its usage of Paimon and the demon cult felt like it undercut what made the movie so good. But anyway I think he was just pointing out how those films didn't really surpass what inspired them and relied a little too heavily on them, not that it was bad of them to be inspired at all
I had mixed feelings about Beau, but I think it was cool to see what captures Aster’s ‘style’ beyond horror, like what elements carried over between all three films (instead of just comparing 1 to 1). That said, he is a masterful director. The dreamlike scene of him running out his apartment is VERY similar to a recurring nightmare of mine, and I felt validated by that.
I watched this movie literally 2 days after a therapy session where I discussed the realization and acceptance that as an adult we are in charge of our relationships, and there are limitations we can place based on how we are treated by those people. This came after a specific event that triggered this realization, and evoked a ton of emotions. And ultimately there may come a time where you admit other’s changing their behavior is not a possibility and it is not my responsibility. Hit me HARD. Especially the final scene - it was like looking inside my head and watching the mean inner voice fight against my true, innocent self.
3:42 I think it’s intentional that the demonic story in hereditary took away the impact of the family tragedy. The scene in the classroom where the teacher is going a Greek myth then asks at the end: does the story being a decided fate take away the tragedy?
I left the theatre thinking the EXACT same thing as you. After the film, I was having a discussion with my daughter about the length of the film. Me, "That was a fast 3 hours!" Her, "No it was not Dad. It just kept going and going..." (She loved it...or thinks she did) I think the thing that rings true of your initial incite on the film, is that some people who have experienced these types of fears and trauma will love it and others, will just not get it. Great film! I need to watch it through the eyes of Beau next time and not myself...
Ari’s movies are all about the subtext and the downward spiral into obscurity. It’s not for everybody, but I’ve always really connected with his films. I remember watching Midsommar at the same time I was going through a break up. It’s relatable and showcases some of the feelings that come with the end of a relationship. Mushrooms also make people do some crazy things 🤣
I feel like the dream like quality to this film is to point to the idea that all of Beau's/our fears are illusions. I loved that this movie felt like one big nervous laugh. We, as the audience were invited on this balancing act of seeing the absurdity of Beau's anxiety while feeling empathy for him. Its similar to anxiety in real life. Your rational brain can understand that something like say: flying is safe, technically its safer than driving a car, still your panicking. Whenever I get panic attacks I can understand rationally there is nothing to be afraid of, yet there I am sweating and shaking, trying to breathe. It is absurd while being equally and legitimately terrifying.
"Beau is Afraid" is what you'd get if "The 40 year old Virgin" was 3 hours long and directed by Charlie Kaufman and/or David Lynch. I was confused by it. I was unsettled by it. I was moved by it. It almost gave me a (multiple) panic attack(s) (like his last two movies) I loved it. In case "By the director of "Hereditary" and "Midsommar"" scares you, it's not a horror film. (Though ironically, it IS about a character who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder.) There ARE disturbing scenes and/or subject matter, but this time the emphasis is decidedly on the dark humor (though I hesitate to call it a comedy)... Again, I fucking loved it! I love that Ari Aster had the balls to do something different! I love that A24 had the balls to support him! I love balls!
I read the original script ari wrote for beau, from 2014. I loved this film. If you read the script its definitely different from the film but has some similarities, mainly the beginning sequence and some of the end stuff. I think I love the script more, but also loved new things added. I would love a mix of both.
This movie grabbed my anxiety and dragged it out of me, unravelled it and pinned it to a screen for 3 hours, and then shoved it back into me. I loved it
The funny thing about this movie is that I didn’t think much about it before and during the first time I watched. It’s only become obsession after the movie long finished, after talking and discussing about it with people, and it stays in my mind for a week already making me itch to rewatch it again. It’s that kind of movie that is obsessively sticky.
this has been the only review that has put into words how I feel about the movie. I'd love to see a more in depth longer video about it since you mentioned it at the end!
I enjoyed it a lot. Could have cut about 15 mins out, but I really enjoyed it. I have not seen his other films because I'm not into horror, but as someone who suffers from anxiety and who is estranged from their father who has severe panic disorder and agoraphobia I felt I needed to see it. Based on the trailer I was expecting a more straight forward narrative (was I the only person who though the blonde chick and Nathan Lane were his parents??) but was pleasantly surprised when my expectations were nuked. I didn't walk away with any new insight or feelings as I am 31 and have been in therapy since I was 10. So a lot of this was old hat for me but very interesting to see someone else's perspective on their feelings that are similar to mine. (I personally see this as the value of film). I personally would like to hear more on how you personally connected with it. You never know, through talking it out you may alleviate your symptoms and help others in the process.
I've seen it once, and I'm already considering going to the movies to see it again. It's the first time an Ari Aster film made me want to watch it again almost immediately, because hereditary and midsommar (despite both being really good) were a bit too uncomfortable for me to watch again so soon. This movie I think balances upsetting and genuinely funny moments really well.
@@mintyhippo8125 I guess just the overall absurdity of it. The scene where the guy tells Beau to call his mom's contact to make sure he has the right number, and Beau hangs up only for it to show that he was just talking to his mom's contact but calls it again anyway, and the guy immediately saying "I'm so sorry" was really funny to me.
Along with the films you compared it to, I would also compare it to Enemy, Eyes Wide Shut, Inherent Vice, The Green Knight, Eraserhead (and a lot of other Lynch works, especially Inland Empire but with Twin Peaks’ dark absurdist humor), and even The Lighthouse to a degree. It’s like The Big Lebowski except the Dude took acid and became deeply paranoid instead of stoned. Idk, man, this is one of the craziest movies I’ve ever seen.
Beau, Babylon, Bardo, and Blonde form a quadrilogy of very ambitious, very polarizing, very long, auteurist visions released in the last year starting with the letter B. Mileage may vary for all of these, but I think it's cool that stuff this bold is getting made.
I agree about the movies being vehicles for projection, but I love that about them. Hereditary and Beau both were somehow so personal for me. Aster is able to communicate some emotions through film that I have never seen so perfectly reflected in any other movie, to me, except for Everything Everywhere All At Once. For me, though, I find Hereditary incredibly cathartic, while Beau was kind of traumatic. I think I would like to revisit Beau sometime. But it was so hard to watch.
I do not suffer from ANY of these issues yet I was able to emotionally connect and be impacted by the film and characters ASWELL as appreciate the rlly good writing and STRUCTURING that went into it, which I do think both were part of and important to my enjoyment of the film. Of course a lot of good writing can be emotional rather than logical, but I think in a few ways this film is well made and pretty clever logically aswell even though individual abstract pieces and moments of film aren’t always necessarily as logically sound or 100% digestable.
Yyeeeaaahhh but I still think Hereditary is one of the best horror movies ever made. Maybe not totally original, but incredibly well done and deeply haunting. Beau is Afraid was also well done, haunting and was completely original, BUT not the kind of movie that left you wanting more IMO. At least I’d never want to watch it again😂
I love seeing people’s opinions about this movie, and this is definitely one of my favorite ones. I can’t wait to see this film for the 3rd time now lol
Bro idk who you are but I just stumbled across this video and it’s like you plucked my whole thought out of my head and made it into a video for me. You couldn’t be more right. I feel like we had the same exact experience. Great video. Love this.
When the movie finished I was pretty disappointed and unsatisfied. But it’s been a couple days and the more I think about it the more it makes sense and the more I get a sense of satisfaction from this movie. I really like this movie now I love how it lingers in your mind and you have to take away from it what you feel rather than the movie telling you when to be satisfied and as soon as the credits roll you don’t really think about it.
Beau is afraid in a way not everyone is. You clearly are, and so am I. It was the hardest review I've ever logged on Letterboxd - giving this masterpiece a 4.5 instead of a 5 - because even though it's not perfect in the way I think some films are, I love it more than almost any other film I've seen; I love this film like I love a person.
My main issue is that I was told this movie was going to be a journey, and without going into much there are too many stops that last for too long. I get what the film is about, I get who is it for (Mostly for Aster), I can relate to the trauma, but there are just so many filmd that do it better. Kudos to Ari for his stake in the mainstream audience.
This movie reminded me so much of my own trauma and your opinion of it as well as your opinions of hereditary and midsommar are basically exactly how I feel as well, I'm so glad I found this channel today
For everything this movie gave me, good and bad, I will be forever in it's debt. I'll always think of Beau and his apartment to remind me that I'm letting my anxiety get the better of me. And also to never go up to the attic, thanks Ari.
It's interesting, the feeling you described how you felt about Beau is how I feel about all of his films, so perhaps re-visiting those other films will help you understand how other's feel so enraptured by them.
Thank you for sharing what you did in this video. This was the first video I've seen from you and I could relate so much. After seeing the film on Tuesday by myself in the theatre I too had a lot to think about why this movie worked so well for me. The first hour and some later bits of it just hit very close to home. That, so I found out later, was what gave me a feeling of reassurance and warmth after walking out of the cinema. Beau is afraid and so am I but being recognized in a movie like this felt good and uncomfortable. Scarily accurate and completely over the top at the same time. I've seen people say they saw this movie as nothing but a tragic comedy and it didn't really touch them and as you said I thought to myself that it must be nice not to relate to Beau on a deeper level. Not to recognize the thought patterns and situations that trigger you in your own life. So while this movie is not perfect of course and there were moments that threw me off (basement thingy... lol) it really struck a very specific nerve that made me feel like the movie really resonanted with me. And that's why I'd say I'm also a person this movie was made for and that that's why it worked so well for me while for other people it's just an array of weird fever-dream like sequences without meaning.
I kinda agree and disagree, I love too many films that balance text and subtext with an experimental structure that better suits the text (Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, Nowhere) which left me appreciative of Beau but also feeling like Ari Aster kinda trolled me Andy Kaufman-style with that anticlimactic ending and lack of entertaining pacing. It’s not bad by any means, but as someone who also found it quite relatable I wish I liked it as much as you did!
"the film features a powerhouse performance by Joaquin Phoenix" .... do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Everything this man touches is a powerhouse performance.
What bummed me out for this film is the ending quarter particularly, I loved and was on board for the rest. The problem I have with it is that I actually think it works as a pretty solid puzzle box up until that last quarter where there are details and evidence to know what was literally occurring in the story and what were delusions or symbols. That ending stretch though nobody seems to know precisely what happened and what was real vs false. It’s so open ended that I felt the rest of movie duped me into thinking that everything was going somewhere and would be tied together. That is a bad feeling for people to leave your film with. This was my problem with the Lighthouse as well (though that wasn’t Ari). E.g. I loved it until the end where I went “What?” To this day after reading and reading about it I’m not convinced the film maker actually had a textual literal meaning in mind. Beau is like that by the end where it’s too much subtext without the, for me, required other half to make the movie work. Ari’s interviews haven’t given me confidence either since there was somewhere he asked directly what certain things meant (like the monster - it was an Indie Wire interview I think?) and he replied “I don’t know”. Now maybe he just doesn’t want to talk about it yet so as not to hamper speculation but then why would he say “I don’t know”? That worries me when I see film makers say things like that because it makes me worried they’re just leaving things vague and open ended intentionally then throwing beautiful visuals and symbols at the audience knowing that we will come up with their answer for them. For a separate example part of why David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive is a master piece is because it works for both text and subtext. There is a lot of evidence in that film to parse what is actually happening in the story and that’s why I love it so much. If Beau had stuck that last quarter it would probably be one of my favorite movies ever. As it is I liked it but I’m disappointed too.
As someone who agreed with 100% of your points in the midsommar/hereditary video, thank you for convincing me. This video made me book a ticket and bully my entire art group into going with me. We’ll see how it goes!
This is possibly the best review of this movie I have seen to date. I am a (Jungian) psychotherapist and also suffer from a (mild, compared to Beau) anxiety and „mommy issues”, so I absolutely loved it but I can completely understand why someone could hate this movie.
Everyone who really loves cinema should absolutely watch this. Its so unique and strange, i loved every second of this. I hope we get the 4 hours directors cut and i really hope you make you longer review to this instand-classic!
Great review! I disagree with your thoughts on Hereditary and Midsommar - I think they were masterfully done. I understand Beau is Afraid, but I think it’s over indulgent and pretentious and does not justify the excessive run time. I see no rewatch value for me.
I have Hereditary as a 10 (I accept your point about the ending but don’t agree) Midsommar as an 8 and Beau Is Afraid as a 9 atm. Like you said, needs a rewatch and I really don’t know how I might feel. The first scene we see Beau and he’s talking about how he thinks he swallowed mouth wash was the most I have ever related to a character. I also have OCD
Hate to be that guy but I disagree with you that hereditary became completely literal to the detriment of the subtext, and I also disagree midsommar ended so subtextyally it forgot about the literal. Both movies carry BOTH the textual and sub textual through to their conclusion. I just flat out completely disagree and I have to say that. Dani literally found a family at the end of Midsommar. Peter subtextually was possessed by the generational trauma making him only resemble his true self physically. EDIT completely agree with you on Beau is Afraid btw. Love your thoughts on it.
Thank you for this review! I want to see Beau is Afraid with my wife because I like Ari Aster and his films, but I'm wary of seeing it with her in the theater because we both have trauma and hers is deeply related to family. I sent her this so hopefully Sue can get an idea of what the movie is like and whether she wants to see it.
Did you end up seeing it? I was excited to see it for the artistic mental depictions, and I really didn’t like it. (Not because it’s poorly made, it just felt like torture).
Yesss, I went to see this with my boyfriend and he was so confused and didn’t like the movie. I was the opposite because I anxiety. I understood everything about the movie and loved it 😂
this movie feels like a giant homage to “what about bob” like it literally feels like the opening scene where he walks through narrow weird hallways but extended to a full release
I'm completely with you regards your thoughts on Aster's previous two films. Although I enjoyed them well enough, I also thought that they were highly flawed, and for the very reasons you outline here. However, I'm very much looking forward to seeing this - it does look highly original and bold, as well as simply being something too odd to miss!
I really appreciate your perspective. I commented on your other video that midsommar meant so much to me bc it was so relevant to my life at the time. It literally helped me break away from codependency in a toxic relationship. This film felt like it was continuously touching on things related to but not actually relevant to my baggage. Clinically diagnosed ocd and panic attacks esp as a kid but all to do with existential threats and more long term grappling with my and my family’s mortality Parental baggage but 100% on my dads side and expressed in a very different way So I was grasping for connection but always feeling just a bit off from it. I wanted more from it personally but still respected what it was and am glad it was able to hit this way for some like midsommar did for me.
@@mikaylarip4669 yeah that totally makes sense I guess it just feels different for me. And I don’t suffer the way I used to. I don’t quite know how to explain it that on one hand I could totally see ocd expressing itself in a way that feels the same as the film but the way it was for me was different. I always felt like I was just overwhelmed by the nothingness of the end of my own life. Not necessarily my immediate threats but more like why is anything worth doing if just to die. Ultimately I guess processing through that had led me to some kind of relief and acceptance but for a long time I couldn’t grapple with it and hyper fixated which feels related, but in a separate lane for me, than the film
okay so, I had kind of the opposite experience. I have panic attacks pretty bad and this movie (the way it was shot etc) was super triggering for me! I actually had to walk out of the theater only an hour in. I’ll finish it when its on streaming and I can take breaks, but yeah! I did really appreciate the craft of it, though. just wish it didn’t make me kinda freak out
I watched this movie on Acid and couldn't finish it in a single sitting. It took me about 5 hours to finish it, cause it made so little sense. But I couldn't give up on it for some reason. It's such a different experience. There's nothing like it, and I applaud the movie for that. I ended up loving the movie, and it makes me understand anxiety more. You get angry with people's irrational thoughts because they make so little sense to you, but that don't make the fears any less valid.
I think the attic scene lost me a bit... I don't understand how the literality of it adds to the movie at all (trying not to spoil said scene). I still can't formulate an actual opinion on this movie though... I liked it and am confused about it, all at the same time
I saw it when it came out and I’m still trying to figure out how I felt about it. 😂 from the second Hereditary and Midsommar stopped I knew I loved them, but this one is tricky for me. I truly have no idea if I loved this movie or not and that in itself is something to be said.
Love the video. My only take is that Midsommar is in my top three movies of all time, but I’m really against the director’s cut. I feel like Beau Is Afraid is a movie I really like, but it feels like the director’s cut of a a movie I would love so much more.
I think you will get out of a movie when you’re ready to put in. As a man raised by a woman who was narcissistic, controlling, gaslighting, and lived to guilt trip me and my brother, who was a VP at a large company and who would go to some pretty wild extremes to get her way, I felt connected to every moment of this film. The opening of the movie gives us a satirical world where anything that can go wrong does, which tells us how to read the rest of the film. It also gives us Beau talking to his therapist, feeling guilty and denying any ill will toward his mother, and being guilted for not making his flight on time. His neighbor tells him to turn his volume down but instead of confronting his neighbor to tell him he’s not playing music, he takes it on the chin. There’s a lot going on textually that tells us about the subtext and how to read it in the first 20 minutes of the movie. When we find out he’s got the mommy traumies, it all clicks. Every step of the journey makes sense. As someone who has that exact experience, I was ready for a movie to go there. I was ready to reopen those wounds and be taken back to that triggering experience. If you weren’t willing to go there and not ready to visit that as a viewer, I get it. I don’t fault you at all. Having that upbringing, as you know, is not something we like to sit in or acknowledge and that manifests in anxiety. But there’s a difference I think between the movie communicating something powerful, and the viewer being capable and ready to hear what it has to say. Your split take on it tells me that you’re teetering the line between confronting yourself to the traumas that you share with the filmmaker, and stepping back in to a safe space.
Bravo for this fucking video man I really really respected and loved this review of this movie you helped put in a lot of thought. I had about the movie in the words that I couldn’t put into words before this. This movie is so amazing.
great to know that someone felt like me, exactly, word for word. I watched this and posted that this movie a beautiful masterpiece and one of the best filmes I've ever seen, but also at the same time really really bad and I don't think I would recommend this to anyone I know
This! Beau is Afraid is to you as Hereditary is for family trauma and as Midsommar is to depression and being taken advantage of. I have that same awe-ful catharsis when I see those movies because Ari Aster knows what’s up.
I saw it opening night and it's crazy how much there is to this movie, both good and not so great. I really empathized with Beau as I also deal with anxiety that makes me feel like I'm losing it at times. There were times I was crazy frustrated with Beau's inability to do anything bc he was so afraid and I was seeing a bit of myself in how things feel during anxiety attacks. There's so much good to it but the movie's "randomness" was a bit off-putting and made anything it was saying only work in retrospect.
one of the stranger movies I think I've seen. I loved it. I don't see how it ever could have been commercially viable, but I'm so glad it got made. I don't think I've ever seen something so unapologetically commit to depicting a surrealist anxiety-nightmare to that degree. very much a "vibes" sort of movie. the "plot" is barely there, but Beau's emotional experiences are much more important. while most of us (hopefully) don't have _too_ much in common with Beau, I'd think that anyone who's struggled with anxiety or felt trapped in a one-sided, controlling relationship would be able to relate considerably.
Ari Aster takes BIG SWINGS and I will always love that. In a world of remakes and reboots, someone who always tries is someone I will respect. And I think Aster gets really nuanced and cool performances out of his casts, which is a really wonderful skill.
When I first watched the trailer I thought “wow, finally a movie trailer that doesn’t reveal the whole plot or spoil anything.” But then I watched it and realized: no human being on earth could spoil this thing
i literally read the wiki page before watching the movie and was still shocked lol
I thought the exact same thing, like if i were to tell the whole plot to someone they would still be surprised
A lot of people treat Beau as having generalized anxiety disorder but I want to posit that he actually has cPTSD. A key difference in GAD anxiety vs cPTSD anxiety is with cPTSD the anxiety isn’t from “what if” it comes from “what has happened” and the ability to recognize patterns.
Haven’t seen a lot of people with this take but I couldn’t agree more. As someone with cptsd and a csa survivor this film felt like it was speaking directly to me. Moving
There's also a scene where he imagines the Birthday Boy Stab Man breaking his door and frantically pushes the bed in front of it, including his fear of basically doing anything because of Mona. What do you think about it ? I'm not really well educated on this subject so I don't want to assume things directly
I think he has both? I didn’t finish the movie, but I’m pretty sure the whole town didn’t break into his house when he was a kid. That is definitely a “what if” anxiety.
This actually does make sense considering his mother purposely wanted to make him afraid of the world.
Holy shit, the way you cut to the core w/what cPTSD centers on. I feel so scared that you understand it.
But I absolutely agree. I was like, this guy is experiencing what I experienced, even though I couldn't say that I factually had Beau's experiences portrayed in the film.
Like sure, he has anxiety, but dude, it's so much more than just GAD. There's shit that went down.
i laughed so hard when the ups driver picked up the phone and said “i’m so sorry”
Bill hader
@@brooksvasquez1903 Bill Hader's back
Wtf
Me and my mate cackled. I actually couldn’t believe he did that 😂 can you imagine, the audacity
@@amyjones2063 its not simply an audacious act of the ups driver but a concoction of perception and emotional connections between him and Beau. they're both shocked, the ups driver is scared of being accused and Beau is painfully hoping that its not real. its beautiful because its candid and awkward like real life
The whole movie I was just saying “Beau is literally me” and it was both reassuring and terrifying
Yes! Where the kid is in the tub and the camera looks down at the reflection. We are the kid.
I hate how much this is true. I have recurring nightmares that are EXACTLY like the first part of the film.
What annoyed me about reviews is the claim that it "destroys Ari's credibility", like nah sometimes things can be made for ppl that aren't YOU (crazy given todays climate in film). I recommend it solely for the fact a theatrical experience like this might not happen ever again, or at least for a long long time.
Also I watched it stoned and the first act almost gave me an anxiety attack I was shaking.
"like nah sometimes things can be made for ppl that aren't YOU"
More people need to hear this. Like, you will have people who say stuff like "Oh, these 10 star reviews are CLEARLY fake" or "No, everyone else is just pretending to like this thing". Hey, dingus. Maybe they just enjoy something you don't. Almost like a differing perspective or something. Crazy, I know!
Saying a movie "sucked" or "you just didn't get it" are both lazy. I think Ari did everything he set out for. So while I'm sure this movie won't connect with everyone(or even most people), it was never supposed to. Niche movies used to be an understood thing, and I hope this makes people take more chances. But since it'll most likely lose money, I don't think any of the right lessons are gonna be learned
@@jeremyusreevu237 yeah I saw some people saying the movie was really pretentious and only film bros will pretend to like it to try and be cool.
Lmao that last part same
this film can only be seen alone in theater, its lewss of a movie and more of a personal experience that you can't look away from.
I also suffer from anxiety and have an overprotective mother so this film made me look at myself honestly and realize if I live my life in fear, I will waste my life. I feel so blessed I have not become Beau cause I very easily could've. I am also that specific person that Aster was speaking to and when I have had more time to digest it, I will write about it.
Same
Me too. I can relate a lot.
Exactly. I love this movie
Beau screaming out in agony his confession of "I am a coward" and later "I thought I was going to die, my entire life!" are very profound and really hit home in such a personal way which is rare in modern cinema.
@@brentulstad3275 It is rare to feel things in modern cinema or to see yourself reflected in them if you don't fit the "norm." I've seen a lot of people online scratching their head and puzzled by what this film could be about, it's more than a "trippy, pretentious film about nothing" which is how I see some people reacting to it. It is also crazy how people distance themselves from Beau as well, like he is Ari's test subject, when in reality, it's a part of Ari. To me and many others, it is very clear what Beau is Afraid is about, but I'm glad so many people had happy childhoods I guess?
Beau is Afraid is literally the definition of a love it or hate it movie
ehh idk if i would say that. first watch me and both my friends literally didnt know if it was good or bad because of how much it threw at us. both times i saw it in theaters when the end credits started rolling, there was just a cold silence and people were almost uncomfortable to get up and leave because i think it was hard for people to conclude if their reaction was positive or negative. first time i rated it a 2.5/5 stars, second time i bumped it up to a 4. WEIRD and challenging ass watch. but i think i decided i love it. unlike any other theater experience ive had before
Harmony Korine movies are love it or hate it.
Not this.
I actually didn’t love or hate it 😃 I thought it was well done and also didn’t love it and would never want to watch it again 😂
It was almost therapeutic seeing a movie that was able to translate how anxious I feel into a movie
Best review so far. You really summarize well why some audiences will connect with it and some will not. We see the film as we are
"Connecting" with a piece of media is wildly overrated. I don't need to connect with it on some fundamental emotional level to judge it by its quality. To that end, even though I'm not Oedipus, the technical, visual masteries of the film and the performances alone are worth the experience.
@@KnarfStein I watched it with my girl, and I loved it. I think I got the gist of what he was trying to say but yes, I was interested in it for the creative filmmaking and Joaquin, and it didn't disappoint. That being said, the part where he sees his sons in the play made my girl break down and cry. I think we interpreted the scene the same, it just had a real impactful emotional response with her. I think that's gonna be common with this film. People like me and you can appreciate it for the creative, and technical marvel it is, but I think its really going to resonate with some people
@@KnarfSteini agree its not necessary to see how good a movie really is, but some people genuinely cant see the good things about a movie without connecting to it. I am very grateful that i am able to do both cuz that makes the experiences really great for me personally. I can enjoy a lot of movies that are too weird for others
Ari Aster sure has a wide imagination. The fact Joaquin Phoenix is in this film is particularly outstanding some degree.
I love that man, he is not the typical “hot actor” but the you see everything in his eyes. Do you know how many words he uttered in this 3 hours movie? It’s mostly only “why?” And “help”, that’s crazy how little dialogue he says but yet he carries the movie all by himself.
Joaquin only takes films if he thinks the script is good. Says a lot about Ari’s talent
@@packedentertainment2866 And what says even more is that Joaquin has already committed to his next project, Eddington. People love this guy, I really think he’s a generation-defining filmmaker.
@@packedentertainment2866 Martin Scorsese has recently said that Ari is one of the greats. Already, after 3 films. That is some serious props from a 50 year movie making veteran.
I found it more impressive that he landed Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne for Hereditary.
As someone who suffers from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I felt both seen and on edge the entire time. People definitely thought my twin sister and I were insane with how much we laughed during the relatable bits. Ari Aster remains the master of manipulating his audience's emotions!
I could not for the life of me get over the name for the serial killer being "Birthday Boy Stab Man" because it is the exact terminology I would probably see in one of my nightmares. Where in the dream it's the most horrifying string of words you've ever heard but then when you wake up you're like "Why the fuck would anyone be afraid of someone called Birthday Boy Stab Man???"
Like he really knew the exact thing to call the serial killer that would evoke the best combination of comedy and relatable dreamlike terror.
I have never cried at a movie before. I am rarely moved, limited in my emotional range or my empathy. When I watched this movie within the very first sequence I was floored. The intense paranoia, distrust, a motif of a world fraught with danger. Never have I seen a movie that so accurately yet so bizarrely captured how the world looks to me everyday. Leaving the theatre after over 3 hours, and yet not the least bit drained. My favorite movie of any by far and I doubt it’ll ever be beat out.
It is truly an amazing feeling when you just know the movie is made for you and the director gets it
You said it. Regardless of his flaws, ari aster has always been a master of trauma. Understanding it and inflicting it. His movies are explorations and ruminations on trauma, it's not at all surprising to hear that what seems like his passion project is that put to film.
I'm lowkey scared to watch this film, because usually all these descriptions being used from different peoples reviews wouldn't bother me, but hereditary still sticks with me, so I'm very hesitant haha
It was absolutely beautiful, but there were some scenes that were very very graphic and off putting, right off the bat the film puts you into a anxiety induced state. But beautiful performances, color scheme and transition we're awesome
If your a movie buff and a Joaquin phoenix fan you will enjoy it in my opinion it’s a fun ride and I have no bad feelings towards the film and I think it’s a movie best experience in theaters with no food or drinks since its 3 hours long and it’s really creative and it really had me in the 2 hour mark the final act was alright but still enjoyable because it still kept me watching till the very end and that’s saying something because I walked out in the joker movie and justice league lol but that’s a story for another time
If it helps, Beau stays with you in a different way. I think Beau Is Afraid sparks more conversation because of its structure and themes whereas Hereditary had those horror moments that stick with you (the silent moment near the end still gets me - iykyk). Beau has some disturbing scenes and visuals but their purpose is different than Hereditary.
I would just let you know it isn’t really a horror film like his other work. More of a character study.
Hereditary sticks more but Beau is something else, not as impactful and memorable as Hereditary but is quite the ride and a few scenes will stick with you but it's absolutely worth a watch.
Forget about projection----this movie is THREE HOURS LONG. Unless the pacing is constructed so that people's interest is maintained, a lot of people are going to have trouble with a movie like this, which might actually be better suited for a format where you can hit the pause, fast-forward, or eject/return buttons.
Literally everything Ari Aster makes is like him speaking directly to the type of person I am, my fascination with the occult, human condition and psychology, trauma, magick, nature, non binary thinking, etc, I have a feeling he is making movies to a certain group while still being talented enough to gather public praise, like the old saying, “even if you don’t like me, you will respect me.”
I saw this movie almost completely by myself, literally only 2 other people in the theatre, and I couldn't decide if I was blown away or furious when the movie ended.
Jesus I couldn’t imagine watching this on my own, props to you!
One thing that did occur to me while watching this movie was this-----how was Beau, who arguably lives in the worst apartment in the worst neighborhood in the world----able to get a bathtub while I only have a shower stall in my bathroom?
Maybe it used to be nice apartments
His mother owned the building so I take it he got the best apartment
It looked to me like a luxury apartment that had been cheaply made and went to shit very fast. It was large and had hardwood floors and big windows, but it was run down.
Because most likely it wasn't that bad of a neighborhood or building
@@FSH-fv6ww That's the BEST apartment????
Very well explained. For me this is my favorite Aster film, I’m starting to become worried about why I love his films so much…
Yes… maybe the “reality” you thought you are living it right now is someones else’s choreography.
Joking aside this is the most original movie I have ever seen after last year EEAO.
Thank you for verbalizing why Aster's endings don't work for me. Beau was my favorite movie I till the subtext became the text then it was made very clear to me that this movie is for Ari Aster and his mom almost exclusively.
I think you hit it on the spot, many people are not gonna appreciate it the way you or I might because of experiences in our lives that allow us to project ourselves in this film. I believe it was genius (just my opinion) because the impact it had on the things I’ve learned about myself this past year seemed to allow myself to connect to Beau on a personal level during the film.
Also 10/10 review, i look forward to a more in depth analysis if you choose to do so :)
I felt like since I connected to it, it was unwatchable.
I watched this movie alone, with only three other people all spaced out from each other in the theater. It triggered my every phobia and trauma, it made me shiver from anxiety, it made me cry, it made me deeply relate to the main character (anxiety and a very strange mother), and then it made me sit in shock for the entirety of the credits. Me and the other audience members sat in silence and watched together, and the theater workers kept poking their heads in to check on us. After the screen went dark, I simply said ‘holy fuck’, and we all shared a nervous chuckle. I was in a daze, deep in thought about this movie for the next two full days. I couldn’t tell if I enjoyed the movie until I fully processed it days later. I decided it was a phenomenal movie, but not a fun movie experience, like Aster’s previous works. Personally, if I were a director that made films like this, I would consider a reaction like mine an absolute win. It seems like a passion project that Ari Aster has been cooking for years, and I’m delighted that he got to make it.
Great video, I’ve seen it in theaters twice and it holds up great on a rewatch, in fact, it got better. I did miss the utter shock factor of the first watch but was immediately comforted by the catharsis of watching the discomfort. This is my favorite Aster film!
I agree, just saw it for the second time and the second watch solidified how much I love this film!
Being inspired by something isn't a "fatal flaw". What a reductive way of looking at creativity. Nothing under the sun is original; you can always trace the seed of an idea back as far as you want as long as you're willing to make the logical abstractions. Clearly Hereditary has more going for it than being a "remake" of Rosemary's Baby. It does so much more with that formula than Rosemary's Baby could at the time of its release. It is not the same experience.
I don't think that's what he was saying, I can't speak for him but I did agree with his points and not bc I think inspiration is bad at all but bc Hereditary didn't personally move me bc its usage of Paimon and the demon cult felt like it undercut what made the movie so good. But anyway I think he was just pointing out how those films didn't really surpass what inspired them and relied a little too heavily on them, not that it was bad of them to be inspired at all
I had mixed feelings about Beau, but I think it was cool to see what captures Aster’s ‘style’ beyond horror, like what elements carried over between all three films (instead of just comparing 1 to 1). That said, he is a masterful director. The dreamlike scene of him running out his apartment is VERY similar to a recurring nightmare of mine, and I felt validated by that.
I watched this movie literally 2 days after a therapy session where I discussed the realization and acceptance that as an adult we are in charge of our relationships, and there are limitations we can place based on how we are treated by those people. This came after a specific event that triggered this realization, and evoked a ton of emotions. And ultimately there may come a time where you admit other’s changing their behavior is not a possibility and it is not my responsibility. Hit me HARD. Especially the final scene - it was like looking inside my head and watching the mean inner voice fight against my true, innocent self.
3:42 I think it’s intentional that the demonic story in hereditary took away the impact of the family tragedy. The scene in the classroom where the teacher is going a Greek myth then asks at the end: does the story being a decided fate take away the tragedy?
Ari looked at me and said "Hey, I know what you're going through, and don't worry, you will break the chain."
Literal therapy
I left the theatre thinking the EXACT same thing as you. After the film, I was having a discussion with my daughter about the length of the film. Me, "That was a fast 3 hours!" Her, "No it was not Dad. It just kept going and going..." (She loved it...or thinks she did) I think the thing that rings true of your initial incite on the film, is that some people who have experienced these types of fears and trauma will love it and others, will just not get it. Great film! I need to watch it through the eyes of Beau next time and not myself...
Ari’s movies are all about the subtext and the downward spiral into obscurity. It’s not for everybody, but I’ve always really connected with his films. I remember watching Midsommar at the same time I was going through a break up. It’s relatable and showcases some of the feelings that come with the end of a relationship. Mushrooms also make people do some crazy things 🤣
I saw midsommar in an empty theater after a bad break up and I gave it a standing ovation on god
I feel like the dream like quality to this film is to point to the idea that all of Beau's/our fears are illusions.
I loved that this movie felt like one big nervous laugh. We, as the audience were invited on this balancing act of seeing the absurdity of Beau's anxiety while feeling empathy for him.
Its similar to anxiety in real life. Your rational brain can understand that something like say: flying is safe, technically its safer than driving a car, still your panicking.
Whenever I get panic attacks I can understand rationally there is nothing to be afraid of, yet there I am sweating and shaking, trying to breathe. It is absurd while being equally and legitimately terrifying.
"Beau is Afraid" is what you'd get if "The 40 year old Virgin" was 3 hours long and directed by Charlie Kaufman and/or David Lynch. I was confused by it. I was unsettled by it. I was moved by it. It almost gave me a (multiple) panic attack(s) (like his last two movies) I loved it.
In case "By the director of "Hereditary" and "Midsommar"" scares you, it's not a horror film. (Though ironically, it IS about a character who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder.)
There ARE disturbing scenes and/or subject matter, but this time the emphasis is decidedly on the dark humor (though I hesitate to call it a comedy)... Again, I fucking loved it!
I love that Ari Aster had the balls to do something different!
I love that A24 had the balls to support him!
I love balls!
I watched this film by myself in an old antique theater. Needless to say, it was one of the most surreal movie watching experiences of my life.
I loved it, as someone with depression and anxiety, I felt reflected and represented in some weird way. Loved it!
I read the original script ari wrote for beau, from 2014. I loved this film. If you read the script its definitely different from the film but has some similarities, mainly the beginning sequence and some of the end stuff. I think I love the script more, but also loved new things added. I would love a mix of both.
I was so surprised when Samuel L Jackson appeared in the post credits scene, amazing movie
This movie grabbed my anxiety and dragged it out of me, unravelled it and pinned it to a screen for 3 hours, and then shoved it back into me. I loved it
The funny thing about this movie is that I didn’t think much about it before and during the first time I watched. It’s only become obsession after the movie long finished, after talking and discussing about it with people, and it stays in my mind for a week already making me itch to rewatch it again. It’s that kind of movie that is obsessively sticky.
this has been the only review that has put into words how I feel about the movie. I'd love to see a more in depth longer video about it since you mentioned it at the end!
I enjoyed it a lot. Could have cut about 15 mins out, but I really enjoyed it. I have not seen his other films because I'm not into horror, but as someone who suffers from anxiety and who is estranged from their father who has severe panic disorder and agoraphobia I felt I needed to see it. Based on the trailer I was expecting a more straight forward narrative (was I the only person who though the blonde chick and Nathan Lane were his parents??) but was pleasantly surprised when my expectations were nuked.
I didn't walk away with any new insight or feelings as I am 31 and have been in therapy since I was 10. So a lot of this was old hat for me but very interesting to see someone else's perspective on their feelings that are similar to mine. (I personally see this as the value of film).
I personally would like to hear more on how you personally connected with it. You never know, through talking it out you may alleviate your symptoms and help others in the process.
I've seen it once, and I'm already considering going to the movies to see it again. It's the first time an Ari Aster film made me want to watch it again almost immediately, because hereditary and midsommar (despite both being really good) were a bit too uncomfortable for me to watch again so soon. This movie I think balances upsetting and genuinely funny moments really well.
May I ask what you found funny? I had a friend who found it funny, but I don’t really get it. It felt too intense for me.
@@mintyhippo8125 I guess just the overall absurdity of it. The scene where the guy tells Beau to call his mom's contact to make sure he has the right number, and Beau hangs up only for it to show that he was just talking to his mom's contact but calls it again anyway, and the guy immediately saying "I'm so sorry" was really funny to me.
@@ohwow9870 ah, okay. That felt really tragic to me 😅
@@mintyhippo8125 It was tragic but done in a funny way, at least to me
@@ohwow9870 that’s fair. It is supposed to be a comedy.
Along with the films you compared it to, I would also compare it to Enemy, Eyes Wide Shut, Inherent Vice, The Green Knight, Eraserhead (and a lot of other Lynch works, especially Inland Empire but with Twin Peaks’ dark absurdist humor), and even The Lighthouse to a degree.
It’s like The Big Lebowski except the Dude took acid and became deeply paranoid instead of stoned. Idk, man, this is one of the craziest movies I’ve ever seen.
I would love to see Beau and Lebowski hang out together in a scene.
Kitsch for most, a bleak reality for some.
Beau, Babylon, Bardo, and Blonde form a quadrilogy of very ambitious, very polarizing, very long, auteurist visions released in the last year starting with the letter B. Mileage may vary for all of these, but I think it's cool that stuff this bold is getting made.
The more it marinates in me the better it gets. It's so much of what I love in film.
I agree about the movies being vehicles for projection, but I love that about them. Hereditary and Beau both were somehow so personal for me. Aster is able to communicate some emotions through film that I have never seen so perfectly reflected in any other movie, to me, except for Everything Everywhere All At Once.
For me, though, I find Hereditary incredibly cathartic, while Beau was kind of traumatic. I think I would like to revisit Beau sometime. But it was so hard to watch.
I do not suffer from ANY of these issues yet I was able to emotionally connect and be impacted by the film and characters ASWELL as appreciate the rlly good writing and STRUCTURING that went into it, which I do think both were part of and important to my enjoyment of the film. Of course a lot of good writing can be emotional rather than logical, but I think in a few ways this film is well made and pretty clever logically aswell even though individual abstract pieces and moments of film aren’t always necessarily as logically sound or 100% digestable.
Yyeeeaaahhh but I still think Hereditary is one of the best horror movies ever made. Maybe not totally original, but incredibly well done and deeply haunting. Beau is Afraid was also well done, haunting and was completely original, BUT not the kind of movie that left you wanting more IMO. At least I’d never want to watch it again😂
I love seeing people’s opinions about this movie, and this is definitely one of my favorite ones. I can’t wait to see this film for the 3rd time now lol
Bro idk who you are but I just stumbled across this video and it’s like you plucked my whole thought out of my head and made it into a video for me. You couldn’t be more right. I feel like we had the same exact experience. Great video. Love this.
When the movie finished I was pretty disappointed and unsatisfied. But it’s been a couple days and the more I think about it the more it makes sense and the more I get a sense of satisfaction from this movie. I really like this movie now I love how it lingers in your mind and you have to take away from it what you feel rather than the movie telling you when to be satisfied and as soon as the credits roll you don’t really think about it.
Beau is afraid in a way not everyone is. You clearly are, and so am I. It was the hardest review I've ever logged on Letterboxd - giving this masterpiece a 4.5 instead of a 5 - because even though it's not perfect in the way I think some films are, I love it more than almost any other film I've seen; I love this film like I love a person.
My main issue is that I was told this movie was going to be a journey, and without going into much there are too many stops that last for too long. I get what the film is about, I get who is it for (Mostly for Aster), I can relate to the trauma, but there are just so many filmd that do it better. Kudos to Ari for his stake in the mainstream audience.
This movie reminded me so much of my own trauma and your opinion of it as well as your opinions of hereditary and midsommar are basically exactly how I feel as well, I'm so glad I found this channel today
For everything this movie gave me, good and bad, I will be forever in it's debt. I'll always think of Beau and his apartment to remind me that I'm letting my anxiety get the better of me. And also to never go up to the attic, thanks Ari.
Wow, anxiety/panic *and* OCD issues? Now I understand my knee-jerk sub to your channel. Nice to meet you, friend.
Nah, screw that. We're brothers.
It's interesting, the feeling you described how you felt about Beau is how I feel about all of his films, so perhaps re-visiting those other films will help you understand how other's feel so enraptured by them.
Another great review/analysis!
Thank you for sharing what you did in this video. This was the first video I've seen from you and I could relate so much. After seeing the film on Tuesday by myself in the theatre I too had a lot to think about why this movie worked so well for me. The first hour and some later bits of it just hit very close to home. That, so I found out later, was what gave me a feeling of reassurance and warmth after walking out of the cinema. Beau is afraid and so am I but being recognized in a movie like this felt good and uncomfortable. Scarily accurate and completely over the top at the same time. I've seen people say they saw this movie as nothing but a tragic comedy and it didn't really touch them and as you said I thought to myself that it must be nice not to relate to Beau on a deeper level. Not to recognize the thought patterns and situations that trigger you in your own life.
So while this movie is not perfect of course and there were moments that threw me off (basement thingy... lol) it really struck a very specific nerve that made me feel like the movie really resonanted with me. And that's why I'd say I'm also a person this movie was made for and that that's why it worked so well for me while for other people it's just an array of weird fever-dream like sequences without meaning.
Its a masterpiece. But it's necessary one , two, three days to think about the film and realize whats all the movie
I kinda agree and disagree, I love too many films that balance text and subtext with an experimental structure that better suits the text (Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, Nowhere) which left me appreciative of Beau but also feeling like Ari Aster kinda trolled me Andy Kaufman-style with that anticlimactic ending and lack of entertaining pacing.
It’s not bad by any means, but as someone who also found it quite relatable I wish I liked it as much as you did!
"the film features a powerhouse performance by Joaquin Phoenix"
.... do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? Everything this man touches is a powerhouse performance.
I actually really appreciate this honest and thoughful review. Thanks
What bummed me out for this film is the ending quarter particularly, I loved and was on board for the rest. The problem I have with it is that I actually think it works as a pretty solid puzzle box up until that last quarter where there are details and evidence to know what was literally occurring in the story and what were delusions or symbols. That ending stretch though nobody seems to know precisely what happened and what was real vs false. It’s so open ended that I felt the rest of movie duped me into thinking that everything was going somewhere and would be tied together. That is a bad feeling for people to leave your film with.
This was my problem with the Lighthouse as well (though that wasn’t Ari). E.g. I loved it until the end where I went “What?” To this day after reading and reading about it I’m not convinced the film maker actually had a textual literal meaning in mind. Beau is like that by the end where it’s too much subtext without the, for me, required other half to make the movie work.
Ari’s interviews haven’t given me confidence either since there was somewhere he asked directly what certain things meant (like the monster - it was an Indie Wire interview I think?) and he replied “I don’t know”. Now maybe he just doesn’t want to talk about it yet so as not to hamper speculation but then why would he say “I don’t know”? That worries me when I see film makers say things like that because it makes me worried they’re just leaving things vague and open ended intentionally then throwing beautiful visuals and symbols at the audience knowing that we will come up with their answer for them.
For a separate example part of why David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive is a master piece is because it works for both text and subtext. There is a lot of evidence in that film to parse what is actually happening in the story and that’s why I love it so much. If Beau had stuck that last quarter it would probably be one of my favorite movies ever. As it is I liked it but I’m disappointed too.
It should've been another hour with a more conclusive ending
As someone who agreed with 100% of your points in the midsommar/hereditary video, thank you for convincing me. This video made me book a ticket and bully my entire art group into going with me. We’ll see how it goes!
dont do shrooms b4
don't expect to win the popularity contest hehe
@@arnemyggen don’t worry, we’re all experimental cinema weirdos and we’ve actually made two surrealist films together 😂 I think we might enjoy it
@@JuliaElizabethGraves well I absolutely loved it, for what it’s worth
Enjoy
Coming back here to say that everyone adored it and it’s officially my 2nd favorite movie now 😂
This is possibly the best review of this movie I have seen to date. I am a (Jungian) psychotherapist and also suffer from a (mild, compared to Beau) anxiety and „mommy issues”, so I absolutely loved it but I can completely understand why someone could hate this movie.
Everyone who really loves cinema should absolutely watch this. Its so unique and strange, i loved every second of this. I hope we get the 4 hours directors cut and i really hope you make you longer review to this instand-classic!
hell yes, uncharted and last of us music in the background, goes with anything
Great review! I disagree with your thoughts on Hereditary and Midsommar - I think they were masterfully done.
I understand Beau is Afraid, but I think it’s over indulgent and pretentious and does not justify the excessive run time. I see no rewatch value for me.
I have Hereditary as a 10 (I accept your point about the ending but don’t agree) Midsommar as an 8 and Beau Is Afraid as a 9 atm. Like you said, needs a rewatch and I really don’t know how I might feel. The first scene we see Beau and he’s talking about how he thinks he swallowed mouth wash was the most I have ever related to a character. I also have OCD
Hate to be that guy but I disagree with you that hereditary became completely literal to the detriment of the subtext, and I also disagree midsommar ended so subtextyally it forgot about the literal. Both movies carry BOTH the textual and sub textual through to their conclusion. I just flat out completely disagree and I have to say that. Dani literally found a family at the end of Midsommar. Peter subtextually was possessed by the generational trauma making him only resemble his true self physically.
EDIT completely agree with you on Beau is Afraid btw. Love your thoughts on it.
Thank you for this review! I want to see Beau is Afraid with my wife because I like Ari Aster and his films, but I'm wary of seeing it with her in the theater because we both have trauma and hers is deeply related to family. I sent her this so hopefully Sue can get an idea of what the movie is like and whether she wants to see it.
Did you end up seeing it? I was excited to see it for the artistic mental depictions, and I really didn’t like it. (Not because it’s poorly made, it just felt like torture).
Yesss, I went to see this with my boyfriend and he was so confused and didn’t like the movie. I was the opposite because I anxiety. I understood everything about the movie and loved it 😂
As someone with OCD and childhood trauma, this film was an amalgamation of every nightmare and anxiety thought I've ever had. I felt very seen.
this movie feels like a giant homage to “what about bob” like it literally feels like the opening scene where he walks through narrow weird hallways but extended to a full release
I'm completely with you regards your thoughts on Aster's previous two films. Although I enjoyed them well enough, I also thought that they were highly flawed, and for the very reasons you outline here.
However, I'm very much looking forward to seeing this - it does look highly original and bold, as well as simply being something too odd to miss!
Super honest review!! Really liked your POV on this one!!
I really appreciate your perspective. I commented on your other video that midsommar meant so much to me bc it was so relevant to my life at the time. It literally helped me break away from codependency in a toxic relationship.
This film felt like it was continuously touching on things related to but not actually relevant to my baggage. Clinically diagnosed ocd and panic attacks esp as a kid but all to do with existential threats and more long term grappling with my and my family’s mortality
Parental baggage but 100% on my dads side and expressed in a very different way
So I was grasping for connection but always feeling just a bit off from it. I wanted more from it personally but still respected what it was and am glad it was able to hit this way for some like midsommar did for me.
being diagnosed with ocd is what made beau so relatable to me, the ceaseless fear and guilt? AH
@@mikaylarip4669 yeah that totally makes sense I guess it just feels different for me. And I don’t suffer the way I used to. I don’t quite know how to explain it that on one hand I could totally see ocd expressing itself in a way that feels the same as the film but the way it was for me was different. I always felt like I was just overwhelmed by the nothingness of the end of my own life. Not necessarily my immediate threats but more like why is anything worth doing if just to die. Ultimately I guess processing through that had led me to some kind of relief and acceptance but for a long time I couldn’t grapple with it and hyper fixated which feels related, but in a separate lane for me, than the film
okay so, I had kind of the opposite experience. I have panic attacks pretty bad and this movie (the way it was shot etc) was super triggering for me! I actually had to walk out of the theater only an hour in. I’ll finish it when its on streaming and I can take breaks, but yeah! I did really appreciate the craft of it, though. just wish it didn’t make me kinda freak out
I watched this movie on Acid and couldn't finish it in a single sitting. It took me about 5 hours to finish it, cause it made so little sense. But I couldn't give up on it for some reason. It's such a different experience. There's nothing like it, and I applaud the movie for that.
I ended up loving the movie, and it makes me understand anxiety more. You get angry with people's irrational thoughts because they make so little sense to you, but that don't make the fears any less valid.
I think the attic scene lost me a bit... I don't understand how the literality of it adds to the movie at all (trying not to spoil said scene). I still can't formulate an actual opinion on this movie though... I liked it and am confused about it, all at the same time
I never thought I needed to hear a film review by Adam Scott but here we are 👍 excellently done
I went to see it three days in a row. You explained why
The perfect way to phrase the film would be "it isn't about the plot, but it's completely about how it makes me feel"
This movie visualizes what it’s like to have anxiety. It was interesting to see an artistic depiction of the things I experience every day.
I saw it when it came out and I’m still trying to figure out how I felt about it. 😂 from the second Hereditary and Midsommar stopped I knew I loved them, but this one is tricky for me. I truly have no idea if I loved this movie or not and that in itself is something to be said.
Agree. 100% with your revue. I think people will come back to this film over time and relate to it.
Love the video.
My only take is that Midsommar is in my top three movies of all time, but I’m really against the director’s cut. I feel like Beau Is Afraid is a movie I really like, but it feels like the director’s cut of a a movie I would love so much more.
I think you will get out of a movie when you’re ready to put in.
As a man raised by a woman who was narcissistic, controlling, gaslighting, and lived to guilt trip me and my brother, who was a VP at a large company and who would go to some pretty wild extremes to get her way, I felt connected to every moment of this film.
The opening of the movie gives us a satirical world where anything that can go wrong does, which tells us how to read the rest of the film. It also gives us Beau talking to his therapist, feeling guilty and denying any ill will toward his mother, and being guilted for not making his flight on time. His neighbor tells him to turn his volume down but instead of confronting his neighbor to tell him he’s not playing music, he takes it on the chin. There’s a lot going on textually that tells us about the subtext and how to read it in the first 20 minutes of the movie.
When we find out he’s got the mommy traumies, it all clicks. Every step of the journey makes sense. As someone who has that exact experience, I was ready for a movie to go there. I was ready to reopen those wounds and be taken back to that triggering experience.
If you weren’t willing to go there and not ready to visit that as a viewer, I get it. I don’t fault you at all. Having that upbringing, as you know, is not something we like to sit in or acknowledge and that manifests in anxiety. But there’s a difference I think between the movie communicating something powerful, and the viewer being capable and ready to hear what it has to say. Your split take on it tells me that you’re teetering the line between confronting yourself to the traumas that you share with the filmmaker, and stepping back in to a safe space.
Bravo for this fucking video man I really really respected and loved this review of this movie you helped put in a lot of thought. I had about the movie in the words that I couldn’t put into words before this. This movie is so amazing.
great to know that someone felt like me, exactly, word for word.
I watched this and posted that this movie a beautiful masterpiece and one of the best filmes I've ever seen, but also at the same time really really bad and I don't think I would recommend this to anyone I know
This is a brilliant film. A modern classic.
An experimental movie that's over 3 hours is very risky.
This! Beau is Afraid is to you as Hereditary is for family trauma and as Midsommar is to depression and being taken advantage of. I have that same awe-ful catharsis when I see those movies because Ari Aster knows what’s up.
Loving the Silent Hill ost
my boyfriend and I just saw the movie last night and we were so hype that you made a video you rock
I saw it opening night and it's crazy how much there is to this movie, both good and not so great. I really empathized with Beau as I also deal with anxiety that makes me feel like I'm losing it at times. There were times I was crazy frustrated with Beau's inability to do anything bc he was so afraid and I was seeing a bit of myself in how things feel during anxiety attacks. There's so much good to it but the movie's "randomness" was a bit off-putting and made anything it was saying only work in retrospect.
one of the stranger movies I think I've seen. I loved it. I don't see how it ever could have been commercially viable, but I'm so glad it got made. I don't think I've ever seen something so unapologetically commit to depicting a surrealist anxiety-nightmare to that degree. very much a "vibes" sort of movie. the "plot" is barely there, but Beau's emotional experiences are much more important. while most of us (hopefully) don't have _too_ much in common with Beau, I'd think that anyone who's struggled with anxiety or felt trapped in a one-sided, controlling relationship would be able to relate considerably.
Ari Aster takes BIG SWINGS and I will always love that. In a world of remakes and reboots, someone who always tries is someone I will respect. And I think Aster gets really nuanced and cool performances out of his casts, which is a really wonderful skill.