Beau Is Afraid

Beau Is Afraid is a 2023 American epic surrealist tragicomedy film written, directed, and co-produced by Ari Aster. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, and also includes a supporting cast consisting of Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Michael Gandolfini, Zoe Lister-Jones, Armen Nahapetian, and Richard Kind. Its plot follows the mild-mannered but paranoia-ridden Beau as he embarks on a surreal odyssey to get home to his mother's house, realizing his greatest fears along the way.

Distributed by A24, Beau Is Afraid premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on April 1, 2023, and began a limited theatrical release in the United States on April 14, 2023, before a wide release the following week. The film received generally positive reviews from critics but was a box-office bomb, grossing $12 million against a net production cost of $35 million. Phoenix received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.

Beau Wassermann, the son of Mona, a wealthy businesswoman, grows up without a father, who his mother claims died the night Beau was conceived due to a hereditary heart murmur during orgasm. Beau struggles with a recurring dream in which he watches as an identical version of himself demand to know what really happened; in response, his mother locks him in the attic. While on a cruise trip, a teenage Beau falls in love with a girl named Elaine Bray. The two kiss and promise to remain virgins until they meet again.

Now middle-aged, Beau suffers from extreme anxiety and lives alone in a crime-ridden city. He prepares to visit his mother for the anniversary of his father's death, but misses his flight after his suitcase and keys are stolen. Beau calls his mother to explain the situation, but she dismisses him. After having been locked out of his house by deranged homeless people, he attempts to call his mother again, only to have it answered by a UPS driver. The driver has discovered an unidentified body at the residence, leading Beau to believe his mother is dead. After confrontations with a home intruder and a police officer, Beau is hit by a food truck and stabbed to near-death by a serial killer.

Two days later, Beau awakens in the house of a married couple, Grace and Roger, who live with their angsty daughter Toni and an unstable veteran named Jeeves. He calls Mona's attorney, Dr. Cohen, who informs him that despite the Jewish custom to lay the body to rest as soon as possible, her last wish was not to be buried until Beau was present. Roger promises to take Beau to his mother's estate as soon as possible but insists he rest until he is healed. On the day of Beau's release, Toni, who has grown to resent Beau for seemingly replacing her deceased brother, attempts to force him to drink a can of paint, before doing it herself, committing suicide. Grace discovers Beau standing over Toni's body and violently blames him for her death. As Beau flees into the woods, Grace sends Jeeves after him.

Lost in the wilderness, Beau comes upon a group of traveling actors named "The Orphans of the Forest". He is invited to their rehearsal and becomes entranced by the play, imagining himself as the protagonist who searches for his family after being separated by a flood. A man approaches him, claiming he knows his father, who is still alive. Jeeves ambushes the troupe, slaughtering several actors. Beau flees deeper into the woods but is knocked unconscious when Jeeves triggers a taser device within Beau's ankle monitor, placed on him by Roger.

Beau hitchhikes to his mother's estate, only to find that he has just missed her funeral. A woman arrives late for the service; Beau realizes it is Elaine. They reconnect before having sex. Beau, terrified that he is going to die upon climaxing, is relieved when he survives. Elaine, however, dies mid-orgasm. Mona then appears and reveals that she has been alive and spying on him throughout his journey. She guilt-trips Beau for supposedly not loving her enough with audio recordings of his therapy sessions. Upon Beau's demand to know the truth about his father, Mona takes him to the locked attic. Imprisoned inside is his previously-unknown twin brother and his father, who is actually a giant penis-shaped monster. At that moment, Jeeves breaks into the house and is killed by Beau's father. Beau begs his mother for forgiveness, but Mona berates him, declaring her hatred. An enraged Beau briefly attempts to strangle her before she collapses.

In shock, Beau leaves the estate by motorboat. After entering a cave, the boat's motor begins to stall, and he suddenly finds himself in a crowded arena. He is put on trial for perceived slights against his mother, with Mona and Dr. Cohen acting as prosecutors; a cheap lawyer attempts to defend Beau from the absurd accusations, but is ultimately thrown to his death by Mona's employees. His feet glued to the boat, Beau tries to defend himself and appeal to his mother, but she is unresponsive. Realizing the futility of his situation, he decides to accept his fate. The motor explodes, capsizing the boat and drowning Beau. The credits roll as the crowd silently leaves the arena; Mona exits, sobbing uncontrollably.