The spooky season is among us, and horror flicks keep coming. People gather to watch the most horrific films, or at least those they remember with more fear. A complicated genre, horror movies have deeply evolved through time, picking different concepts in terms of what frightens viewers. Recently, among the many amazing directors that have contributed to the genre, the name Ari Aster should pop into any horror fan’s mind. With a remarkable knackfor shocking audiences, the filmmaker behindHereditaryandMidsommar, Aster, offers a truly unique vision of what is scary for modern eyes.
However, Ari Aster’s perfect millennial horror movie is neither of the aforementioned but his most recent (and surreal) piece. TitledBeau Is Afraid,the film challenges the idea of fear itself in the least expected way possible with the backing of A24, the independent American entertainment company. Despite not being the first director to add humor to horror, the complex relationship between laughter and screams is taken to a whole new level in this movie. Why isBeau Is Afraidso weirdly attractive for this Halloween season? What makes it a millennial movie, and how does its quirkiness turn into a must-watch this October? Here are the reasons why you should add to your list right now.
Why Is Beau Is Afraid a Millennial Horror Movie?
The star ofBeau Is Afraidis no other than Joaquin Phoenix,one of the most versatile actorsof this age. In the movie, he personifies Beau Wasserman, the son of a successful businesswoman who suffers from crippling anxiety. Beau’s worst fears always come true, no matter how bizarre they are, and he struggles with making any kind of decisions, whether they are straightforward or complex. The events depicted in the film could easily be deemed as delusions by a person living with a very severe case of anxiety, but Aster cleverly avoids the idea of distinguishing reality from nightmarish imagination.
Though not exclusive to millennials, anxiety is a recurring issue among the age group and a common topic in mental health-related online discussions. For a while now, with the evolution of the horror movie genre, the fear element of a movie has diversified in the most creative and unimagined ways. Monsters, ghosts, and any kind of non-human terrors are still relevant, but psychological horror can transform anxiety into a monster-like threat.
Related:Beau Is Afraid Review: Ari Aster’s New Head-Scratcher Is a Doozy
Furthermore, the mention of Beau’s mother is not minor. The character of Mona Wasserman, portrayed by Patti LuPone, is both one of Beau’s main triggers as well ashis biggest fear. The troubled relationship between Beau and his mother is also a common topic in fiction and something that many millennials often relate to.
Now, in the center of the scene, the movie digs deep into anxiety’s many ramifications in modern life, from family bonds to the incapability of relating to others. For Beau, even sexual relations are unapproachable for the most horrific (and absurd reasons), which makes the movie awfully familiar and farfetched at the same time. The constant collision between apparent opposites is a strong pattern of the film.
A Horror Comedy or a Comedy With Horror?
As mentioned, with absurdity at its core,Beau Is Afraiddivides audiences. The experience of watching it with other people is itself surreal, as not everyone laughs about what they see in this film. It’s clear that Ari Aster understands the challenge of marrying humor with comedy, but he does so not only by recurring to ludicrousness.
Aster’s other aid in this apparently uneven match is his casting decisions. Aside from Phoenix’s impressive acting range andLuPone’s unquestionable talentfor humor and horror, Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan certainly have comedic authority to imply that something is misplaced in this weird universe, but it still might be worth the laughter. The decision to cast talented comedians is utterly subversive in the horror genre, as screaming and laughing seem especially different when it comes to watching a film.
The result of this bizarre combination is ultimately awkwardness. This feeling connects comedy with horror, with the latter prevailing. Sure, the journey is filled with senseless moments and some obvious references, keeping Aster’s oscillating premise of opposites that do not necessarily attract. Still, the director’s attempt to open a new door in the ever-expanding horror universe, though a bumpy ride at times, is an interesting glimpse at what millennial horror lovers find frightening and a new direction in which the genre can go based on that premise.
Related:The 10 Best Horror Comedies of All Time, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes
So, look no further, millennials. If you are making your list of must-watch for this October, you cannot skipBeau is Afraid.Ari Aster’s past cinematic experience should be enough to convince anyone who claims to love the genre to watch it for Halloween, but this movie is particularly haunting in original new ways. It’s probably not a film for the wider audience, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t follow horror’s premises with unexpected monsters, creepy visuals, and a constant tension for almost three hours that is worth experiencing with others. Plus,its cryptic finaleis simply second to none.
