It turns out that fans don’t have a unanimous opinion on Ari Aster’s latest entry into the horror genre. This is certainly a new scenario given the filmmaker’s previous efforts Hereditary and Midsommar are critically-acclaimed, earning him widespread popularity and recognition.
This isn’t the case with Beau is Afraid, though, which has caused a heated discussion and debate on Reddit regarding whether the film can in any way be deemed as a modern classic in terms of its plot and performances.
While some have vehemently defended the film and its intended message, others resorted to abject criticisms. The conversation on was started by the user, u/Lexinator101 who claimed to have hated it.
This followed a trail of comments below and users came up with various aspects deserving of appreciation. Users like wolfman-porter and alsps showered praises on the movie, calling it an “amazing experience,” while maintaining that it’s more like a comedy epic than a horror movie,
The contrasting opinions led many to wonder how the complex themes of the film – which deals with depression, anxiety, toxic parent-child relationship, and agoraphobia to name a few – were interpreted by a wider audience.
Beau is Afraid indeed takes a detour from the conventional horror narrative and tropes (with which many people are familiar) by emphasizing the psyche, mental state, and journey of the titular character, Beau Wasserma (Joaquin Phoenix). With a plot so beautifully convoluted and performances so surreal, it isn’t surprising that it was differently received by anyone to have seen it, with Aster seemingly thriving on the division he knew was coming.