Ari Aster has really made a name for himself over the past few years. Both Hereditary and Midsommar became instant classics for horror fans, thanks to their knock-out performances by actors like Toni Collette and Florence Pugh and the subtlety of their scares. Neither movie relied on big jump scares or loud audio stingers to get under your skin and instead leaned heavily into a deeply psychological, unsettling brand of horror that left audiences craving more.
Now, Aster is primed to do it all over again, this time with Joaquin Phoenix in the starring role. His newest movie is called Beau is Afraid, formerly known under its working title Disappointments Blvd, and based on what little information we have to work with so far, it looks like it’s going to be just as upsetting and horrific as you might expect.
When does Beau Is Afraid come out?
It is scheduled to hit theaters on April 21, 2023.
Is there a trailer?
We have exactly one trailer for the movie so far, and you can watch it here. Best of luck trying to piece any of the plot together with it, though.
What is it about?
Great question! The official log line details the plot like this: “A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.” Other scant details explain that Phoenix’s character exists in an “alternate present.” It’s also been implied that Beau’s venture home is prompted by his mother’s death and that she’s “overbearing,” whatever that might mean.
Also, the trailer and poster make it look like there will either be complex flashbacks or maybe even dimension-hopping going on. Several characters have both old and young versions of themselves and there are multiple scenes of Phoenix wandering through impossibly surreal landscapes. But of course, given Ari Aster’s penchant for psychological drama, it’s possible that none of this is what it seems.
Who’s in it?
Beau is Afraid stars Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, Stephen Mckinley Henderson, and Richard Kind.
What genre is it?
The movie is billed as a “surrealist horror comedy,” but we couldn’t tell you exactly what that means in this context. It’s probably a safe bet to assume that there won’t be many slapstick gags in this one–but never say never.
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