Of course, Phoenix is still the true star of the show, a testament to Aster’s unmatched talent for casting his leads. The film is smartly filled with dark humor that slowly drifts into nightmarish horror. Her demeanors are pitch-perfect as this cold parental figure, playing such a dynamic, unhinged person while maintaining a coolness of sanity. However, the best supporting spotlight is LuPone’s disdainful performance as a mother to Beau. Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan complement the film’s sinister nature as they dress their comedic persona with unyielding craziness. The supporting cast plays extremely well as the catalyst for Beau’s insecurities. Even though the film is sometimes filled with laughable moments, the dreadfulness never leaves the core. The dark humor contributes a quick relief as the film unapologetically dives into Beau’s anxiety and his past, including his crush from childhood, Elaine (Parker Posey). Though some of them are not very apparent, or even accreted, they are still a niche element that further theorizes the film’s identity. The visuals are an outstanding achievement as it is a great combination of live-action and stop-animation.Īster also smartly spreads many motifs and symbolism throughout the film. The score only amplifies the anxiety the main character feels, even though the effect is superbly transferrable to the audience. Right at the beginning, the sound designs already pull the audience into Aster’s uncomfortable world, almost leaving them no room to tune out the uneasiness. The sounds and noises are vital to the story as they create a certain weariness and dread for the audience to experience. One of the best technical aspects of Aster’s films is the chilling sound designs and scores they are a prevalent achievement of Aster’s vision as seen in his other films. Ultimately, Beau learns the truth about his insecurities and fears as his journey reaches close to home.

On his alternative route, Beau encounters questionable strangers that either help or push him toward the verge of madness.

As he prepares for his flight, Beau’s trip home gets derailed through means of chaos. He lives in a dicey neighborhood with dead bodies casually laying on the ground, and crime is just an everyday thing.

Beau is a very complicated man with multiple layers of anxiety bursting out of him. Previously known as “Disappointment Blvd,” the film follows Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) and his journey home to visit his mother (Patti LuPone). The film is unlike anything Aster has done before that includes the famous “Hereditary” and “Midsommar.” From the acclaimed director Ari Aster, A24’s “Beau Is Afraid” is an ambitious take on the horror convention as well as storytelling.

Truth in the dark by amy lane