Director Ari Aster has been called the mastermind behind a new subgenre, "elevated horror," for his hauntingly cerebral hits like "Midsommar" and "Hereditary." But if you expect his latest movie, "Beau is Afraid," to follow suit, you'll be sorely disappointed.
Though I struggle to endorse it fully, "Beau is Afraid" is one of those movies that's been rattling around in my brain ever since I saw it in theaters back in 2023. It's a kaleidoscope of psychotherapy nightmares, existential dread, and surreal mayhem that has a lot to say, just don't ask me what that is. Your guess is as good as mine.
Even after sitting through Beau's paranoid misadventures for nearly three hours (the movie's eyewatering 179-minute runtime is easily the biggest hesitation I have about suggesting it), I was still left scratching my head over what I just watched.
Critics and audiences weren't blown away by it either, at least nowhere near to the extent of Aster's other films. It holds a middling 68% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's critics consensus reading: "'Beau Is Afraid' is overstuffed to the point of erasing the line between self-flagellation and self-indulgence, but Ari Aster's bravura and Joaquin Phoenix's sheer commitment give this neurotic odyssey undeniable power."
Now that it's on Max, is it worth adding to your watchlist despite the divisive reviews, or should you skip it? Here's everything you need to know about "Beau is Afraid."
What is 'Beau is Afraid' about?
Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix) is a middle-aged sad sack with the mental fortitude of a teaspoon who, as the title suggests, is afraid of a lot of things. Though to be honest, his paranoia doesn't seem completely unfounded, as the entire world is out to get him.
To commemorate the anniversary of his father's death, he sets out to visit his estranged mother (Patti LuPone) in what becomes a fantastical odyssey across the country. On the day of his intended departure, a bizarre sequence of events causes Beau to miss his flight, and things only get weirder from there.
Even leaving the safety of his home is no small feat as his hell hole of a city seems stuck in a Purge-like free-for-all. In no time at all, he's robbed, locked out of his apartment by deranged homeless people, stabbed by a serial killer, and hit by a food truck.
But hey, at least the drivers, a couple played Nathan Lane and Kylie Rogers, have the decency to help him and welcome him into their home. Unfortunately, they're also determined to keep him from leaving.
Once he finally escapes, he gets lost in a mysterious forest where he stumbles upon a wandering theater troupe. Naturally, they put on a show for him: a beautifully animated version of how Beau's life could have been if he had overcome his fears.
When he at last returns to his childhood home, a flood of painful memories, dark secrets, and unresolved trauma awaits him, as does his childhood crush (Parker Posey). Oh, and at one point Beau is told he has a hereditary condition, like his father, that will kill him the moment he has an orgasm. So there's that to contend with.
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It's never clear how much of Beau's bizarre odyssey is actually happening or just an anxiety-fueled delusion born of his own perpetual inner hell.
Occasionally, this is played to comedic effect, but other times, it leans so heavily into absurdism with so little explanation that I couldn't help rolling my eyes, especially when the tone would suddenly ricochet back to a more somber, meditative reflection on Beau's struggles and trauma.
I didn't quite know what to make of "Beau is Afraid," and I'm far from the only one. Critics and audiences seem to either love it or hate it. Many reviews criticize it for being confusing, seemingly neverending, and self-indulgent, while others consider its fever-dream qualities part of its charm, complimenting Aster's masterful artistry, the cast's performances, and thoroughly disquieting tone.
Danny Leigh from the Financial Times said: "The movie is a chore, a grinding, faux-experimental folly from a company in the grip of a splattery midlife crisis." Jake Coyle of The Associated Press said the movie "takes a long road to not get very far" and "remains curiously void, stuck in a one-note nightmare."
Meanwhile, Brian Truitt of USA Today wrote: "It’s a more demanding narrative to navigate than the director’s previous efforts, and not all of it works with its sly subtlety. Yet there’s sensational artistry at work."
In their four-and-a-half-star review, RogerEbert's Nick Allen said: “Beau Is Afraid, an enveloping fantasy laced with mommy issues, is about being doomed from birth. It’s Aster’s funniest movie yet."
As you can tell from these reviews, "Beau is Afraid" is Aster's most divisive movie yet. If you're a fan of more experimental films or are looking to watch something you've never seen before, it could be worth adding to your watchlist. At the very least, I can promise "Beau is Afraid" is one movie you won't forget anytime soon.
Not entirely sold? Check out our guide to everything new on Max in March 2025 for more streaming recommendations.
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