Ari Aster’s new A24 produced film, Beau Is Afraid, now has its first official trailer. Aster, who previously directed Hereditary and Midsommar, is known for breathing fresh air into the horror genre. However, his upcoming film, Beau Is Afraid starring Joaquin Phoenix, may be somewhat different from what fans have come to know from the auteur.
Beau Is Afraid has gone through a few changes, as the original name for the Ari Aster film was titled Disappointment Blvd. Even so, Aster did in fact say, early on after the release of Midsommar, that he wanted to experiment with a comedy for his next film, but judging by the new trailer, dark comedy might be more accurate. However, no matter the genre, an Ari Aster film will not be constrained by the rules of genre filmmaking. Judging by the first look for Beau Is Afraid, the upcoming film looks to stay consistent with themes that Aster is known for, such as mental illness and head trauma.
The trailer begins with Beau remembering traumatic events from his childhood while his mother apologizes to him for what his father passed down genetically. Beau can then be seen expressing to someone that he will be visiting his mother the following day. This action seems to be the premise for the film, with a series of strange events that follow, which may be connected to this genetic component that is shown in a different scene where Beau takes prescribed medication. These events, consisting of a riot in the streets, getting hit by a car, and finding himself in cartoon-like environments, are all part of the adventure that Beau is on to find his mother. Although Oscar Isaac’s performance in Moon Knight has been compared to characters from Hereditary, it seems like Joaquin Phoenix as Beau may end up being a better comparison.
The way in which the surreal narrative seems to unfold, from how the trailer plays with the concept of time centered around one man's life, may reflect certain feelings that occur when visiting one's parents after having been gone. Beau Is Afraid seems to play with these ideas and themes, but it will truly be interesting to see how the film ranks on Aster’s list of iconic horror scenes, if at all.
Phoenix working with Aster is sure to make audiences curious, as the last time the actor was seen in a big budget film was in Joker. Thankfully, Beau Is Afraid comes out sooner than later, as the trailer ended with a release month of April.
Beau Is Afraid is scheduled to release on April 28, 2023.