This past week I signed up for Paramount+. The main reason I wanted access to the service is so I could watch the tv series “The Curse”. However, I was looking forward to also watching “Beau is Afraid” & “The Whale”.
My short review is that “Beau is Afraid” is not a movie you watch as much as you endure. It is 3 hours inside a man’s head with all of his fears and anxieties. It is at times funny, but also extremely troubling. There is no traditional plot or narrative, so you have to just buckle up and go for the ride.
For me this is a “one-and-done” type of film. I cannot imagine watching it again. Parts of it are what I would describe as “grueling”. I didn’t know what to make of it. What does it all mean?
So many “everyday anxieties” are depicted on screen during this movie. That was a novel aspect of the movie that I actually enjoyed. I found those moments “funny” when I had the realization that this ridiculous scenario taps into my own anxiety.
I think this movie is about a lot of things. It has so many little moments that could resonate. However, I think the main focus of the movie is about the guilt every child feels knowing they can never repay their parents for giving them life. No matter what you do, you will fall short of showing the proper amount of gratitude to the people who brought you into the world, and then took care of you for years.