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Beau is Afraid (2023)

 


Beau is Afraid is a look into a paranoid anxiety-ridden adult child staring Joaquin Phoenix.

Written and directed by Ari Aster, the man known for Hereditary, and Midsommar. I thought Hereditary was great and Midsommar could have used some producer input. This movie has the George Lucas effect, where Aster is left to do what he wants because of the fame that his name brings. The beginning of the movie is great, but the middle gets a little weird for an already weird movie. Then by the end, I'm just over it and ready for the climax. 

Joaquin Phoenix is great in this film. I mean I totally lose him in this role. Beau could have been played by a lot of actors and I think Phoenix was lucky to be put here as it allows him to shine but we already have a movie where he shines as a mentally unstable person in The Joker. I think his best work is Gladiator and I really enjoyed Signs.

There is a supporting cast but they really are just that, support. Amy Ryan from The Office as Holly Flax has a small but memorable role with Nathan Lane. I normally don't enjoy Lane's movies as he plays the same character in each of them and here again, he's playing Max from The Producers.

Beau is Afraid starts off great and dies in pretending to be deep and hitting ourselves over the head with how unreal everything is for someone who is constantly afraid to the point his mind makes up stuff. Result: B- it's a little better than Midsommer but less than Hereditary. 

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