Genres are often quite addicting figuring out because they seem to help in imposing order in an otherwise very chaotic and abstract realm, which this is what art can be at times. The rationale is that whenever things can be described in some ways, we can cope with them in most instances. The world of psychology has a term for that – it is called coping mechanism.
However what if people and their creative imaginations create compositions that perturb barriers between styles, do not fit into clearly defined genres and go off the deep end towards spectacle at the expense of audience cohesion? Some people answer this in the way of rejection. Some find this invigorating reality – a new kind of experience. This is exactly what Beau is Afraid offers.
All the Fears in the World (and more)
With two of his most recent horror films having received immense critical praise, the audacious filmmaker, Ari Aster makes a comeback with his most radical film till date featuring an action more akin to Joaquin Phoenix’s thrilling kamikaze performance. An impossible to categorize journey through all stereotypes and genres, Beau is Afraid, can now be watched on the Amazon Prime Video.
Beau is a middle-aged balding man with a host of worries and mental health issues, and complicated relationships with other people including his mother. His plan to hear her voice and face her becomes an uphill task as he mostly stays stuck within the walls of his apartment and cannot even go out. But an unexpected situation put forward a motion by which he was forced to face these details and travel to his mother’s house.
Ari Aster makes his most epic film up to date – that it is anti-epic is rather ironic. This journey of disappointments, self and broader, emotional and more often pain and resentments of course a sexual nature, takes place in a very weird, very surreal world.
Beau is afraid: The anti-epic of anti-epic quests
The movie does not shy away from tackling almost any genre. At one point, it immerses so thoroughly in the antagonist’s mind that it borders on psychological thriller. There are also more surreal elements such as radicalized viewing and a sparkling animation sequence (though somewhat breaks the rhythm of the film) which adds yet another dimension it most certainly does. Because of this, it is hard to classify this film into just one genre, comedy, horror or drama, it has all of them, but the most appropriate felt quite lacking would be dark comedy as it does, for the most part, look like the dark side of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours.
Because of these things, Aster manages to combine personal and artistic expression, which is why there are some choices in Beau is Afraid that are most certainly the most adventurous ones in his career. While this may not create a sense that the entire execution is achieved, the temporal nightmares he devises, even when pretending to be Mariah Carey, depict his guts. The daring subtle interview at the end shows he knows he will be scrutinized for his work. While the movie can polarize the audience, Aster’s purpose is far too important not to be acknowledged.