anoNymous

Ari Aster's "Beau is Afraid" is a manifestation of contemporary fears and anxieties. It plunges the audience into the unsettling and disconcerting existence of Beau, an adult-child who gets lost in a nightmarish Wonderland, which ultimately culminated in a gripping surrealist tribunal about life and existence. Reminiscent of Kafkaesque storytelling, the film is closer to an existential horror rather than a psychological one. Without disappointment, Joaquin Phoenix delivers another outstanding performance. While it may not surpass Kaufman's "Synecdoche, New York" in the realm of existentialist horror, "Beau is Afraid" daringly examines the intricate relationship between build and fear, portrays ambivalence as personal hell, and certainly warrants a second viewing.