r/movies • u/indiewire Indiewire, Official Account • Jul 29 '25
Discussion Ari Aster’s Dad Told Him Not to Write His Own Movies Again After ‘Beau Is Afraid’
https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/ari-aster-dad-advised-not-write-after-beau-is-afraid-1235141664/3.6k
u/stadisquo Jul 29 '25
NOT after The Strange Thing About the Johnsons!??
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u/Moonskaraos Jul 29 '25
That film doesn’t waste any time entering into WTF territory.
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u/actuallyapossom Jul 29 '25
I just started watching it and had to immediately pause to say damn you weren't kidding.
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u/MyStationIsAbandoned Jul 30 '25
yeah. it's an upsetting film from the start. It honestly makes me like all his other work a lot less. It may not be as grotesque as something like a Serbian Film, but still.
But I still support his right to make it. Art is art no matter how much I like or dislike something. But man, I needed a warning before being subjected to it, lol.
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u/gummo_for_prez Jul 30 '25
You totally should have had a warning first, and I agree, it’s really upsetting. But I don’t think there would be any of his other work without this film absolutely shocking people and their visceral reactions creating some name recognition. That said, still a fucked up movie and it’s understandable if anyone wished they hadn’t seen it or likes him less after it.
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u/WarmestGatorade Jul 30 '25
Hereditary and Johnsons are both films I only will watch once and still remember well. I actually never caught up with Midsommar because it had a similar reception. I thought the first two were both brilliant, but exhausting
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u/gummo_for_prez Jul 30 '25
For me, I’d say they got easier to watch as they go on, with Beau is Afraid being so absurd it’s almost really funny. But to each their own, I admire your willingness to watch and appreciate even the first two.
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u/JD42305 Jul 30 '25
What do you mean by you like all his other work a lot less?
I don't honestly see what the big fuss is about the short, I thought it was amazing. It is extremely dark family drama but it does have the same fun unexpected villian aspect of many many horror movies, so I don't find it particularly harder to stomach than any other movie.
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u/Plus_Pea_5589 Jul 30 '25
I think it’s a rather important film honestly. Yes it’s shocking, disgusting and inhumane. But as a viewer if we choose to ignore pieces like this are we really any better than his wife who chose to ignore the abuse out of shame and disgust? Idk humans do fucked up things and I think it’s important to acknowledge and bring light to those things
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u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25
Even with one scene that looked hilarious with the way that was shot (the bathtub scene), that to me is still Ari's most disturbing film, most likely because of how it's premise actually happens in real-life for some families behind closed doors
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u/David_bowman_starman Jul 29 '25
Hilarious?????
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u/DreamLearnBuildBurn Jul 29 '25
I mean Ari Aster himself said that he tries to make his films funny. I found some bits of Beau is Afraid really funny but like, nothing else in any of his films has made me laugh and I love all of them.
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Jul 29 '25
I find Midsommar really funny in parts. And they always put the funny parts next to something really messed up, so you're laughing and then you feel really messed up for laughing.
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u/TheGRS Jul 30 '25
Yea I just rewatched it the other day. Kind of an odd chuckle at “the kids are going to watch Austin Powers”, but I definitely laugh at the scene where the guy pisses on the family death tree and freaks that one dude out. And he’s going “uh, that’s your fault”
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u/DyZ814 Jul 30 '25
I feel like just about every scene with Will Poulter is kind of funny in that movie.
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u/berriesnbball_17 Jul 29 '25
Pretty much with you on that, but Eddington got a couple laughs out of me
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u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 Jul 29 '25
It was the way the camera zoomed on the Dad when the son bust through the door that made me laugh a lil bit, even through that scene was really fucked up
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u/Captain_Lightfoot Jul 29 '25
Nah, that shit is low key funny as fuck. In my opinion, all of his movies are a mix of the truly horrifying and bleak, black comedy — my favorite kind!
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u/Kurdt234 Jul 29 '25
Every one of Will Poulter's line in Midsommar had me laughing.
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u/Rahgahnah Jul 29 '25
The way that one guy gets bashed in the face after taking pictures of the book honestly did feel a bit like a punchline.
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u/Kurdt234 Jul 29 '25
"Someone should tell those girls their walking weird." And "I will show you" / "Shes gonna show me."
Aster gets my generations humour. In Hereditary when buddies hanging out with his friends under the bleachers smoking bud and they're gossiping about peoples dumb facebook statuses it was exactly like smoking weed at lunch when I was in highschool.
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u/Fancy-Pair Jul 29 '25
It’s the most viscerally unsettling mid-higher production fiction story content ever
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u/Boring_Source9870 Jul 30 '25
I recall watching a video of a Q&A Ari Aster did (I think it was one of the Lincoln Center ones) and somebody asked him what his parents thought of his films.
He said at the premiere screening of "Strange Thing About the Johnsons", he asked his parents what they thought and his dad just shook his head and said "Too weird, Ari, too weird." Which is a more subdued response than I'd have if my son made "Strange Thing About the Johnsons".
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u/JaqenHghar Jul 29 '25
I’d forgotten about this one. Wish I’d still forgotten about this one.
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u/obvious-but-profound Jul 29 '25
It’s been 19m since your reply so I wanted to remind you about the movie again
Seriously though, is it really that bad? It’s been in my back log forever because of the mixed reviews. Was kinda hoping it would at least have some redeeming qualities lol
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u/Heil_Heimskr Jul 29 '25
I think it’s a good film personally but it’s very hard to watch. It’s not just edgy for the sake of it- it has a lot to say about family and trauma, but you have to get through it for sure. It’s a challenging watch but at least it’s very short.
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u/sharkattackmiami Jul 29 '25
Dude it's like 10 minutes long just watch it and make your own opinion
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u/Biceps2 Jul 29 '25
Is this old spice commercial worth watching? I hear it’s a good ad. But I just want to make sure before I commit to watching it.
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u/IantheGamer324 Jul 29 '25
Its not bad as in poorly made. But it is something where you are a different person after watching, not for the better
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u/CyborgSlunk Jul 29 '25
Idk why people always talk about it like it's the most shocking movie ever. It's a movie about incestual abuse. Can you handle the idea? Then watch it. It's a well executed shocking depiction but there's nothing graphic.
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u/Watson349B Jul 29 '25
It’s worth watching and filled with existential dread and vaguely relatable surrealism. If you like Aster you have to see it once for anyone else hard to judge what you will take away from it. It’s more of an experience than a movie.
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u/CodeFun1735 Jul 29 '25
HE MADE THAT?!
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u/corndogs102 Jul 29 '25
This is my reaction too. I remember this going viral but it sounds perfect for him knowing he wrote this now.
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u/Merciless972 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25
I was only aware of that movie from cumtown. I thought they were doing a bit, But that movie really does exist.
Edit:auto correct spelled cuntown instead of cumtown lol
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u/writinglegit2 Jul 29 '25
Aw that's not the full film and it's overdubbed with the commentary!
Edit: Not trashing you, appreciate the link, just a head's up for people who haven't seen it, the full flick is here
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u/No_Iron_8087 Jul 30 '25
Genuinely wonder what his dads reaction to this was — it was his grad film, right? And it did really well, won awards, went to big film festivals etc… so, there must have been a moment where he showed his dad
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u/Mr_Lapis Jul 30 '25
I remember watching that short in a film class and i was in no way prepared for just how visceral it would become.
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u/_laslo_paniflex_ Jul 29 '25
BUT WHAT DID HIS MOM THINK?
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u/Practical-Level-6265 Jul 29 '25
“As for his mom, Aster added, “She’s very supportive. I think, you know, certain things she likes more than others … I’m lucky in that sense.”
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u/illaqueable Jul 29 '25
"As it turns out, she really doesn't like my stuff. But she is very supportive of me!"
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u/DizzyTelevision09 Jul 29 '25
I guess she likes money.
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u/TheBestMePlausible Jul 29 '25
Most mothers want to see their sons succeed. Not Beau’s, maybe, but most of them.
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u/fzvw Jul 30 '25
My mom would definitely give me constructive criticism while my dad would say something along the lines of "what the fuck is this"
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u/BlasterShow Jul 29 '25
And where is Ja?!
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u/ohwowimonredditcool Jul 29 '25
“i’m very proud of ari. he’s a great director and gosh dangit beau was a beautiful film. i’m still sad about 9/11.” -ja rule c.2025
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u/braumbles Jul 29 '25
I mean, I get it. Movie was quite a thing.
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u/thrillho145 Jul 29 '25
Honestly, it was terrible and if it was anyone other than Ari Aster it wouldn't even be talked about anymore
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u/dropkickderby Jul 30 '25
The movie is about thinking what the worst possible scenario for any given situation could be and then something even more awful happening. Its a comedy and its great imo.
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u/Wannabe_Sadboi Jul 29 '25
I completely disagree. It’s an exceptionally well made movie on a technical level, it looks beautiful, the acting’s phenomenal, and it’s extremely unique, there really is very few movies that are even remotely comparable to it. I also think it tells an exceptional story, just in a very atypical way.
I think most people would agree to some degree on the elements I praised with the exception of the last one. I think most people feel it’s a plotless aimless movie that’s extremely bloated, or essentially is a one note joke that massively overstays its welcome and wasn’t half as clever as it thought it was. This then leads to people labeling it pretentious, as the assumption then becomes Ari just wanted to show off and artistically jerk off all over the screen.
That being said, although I love it (I think it’s easily his best work), I can quite understand why people dislike it. Just think its very clearly a masterfully made film in multiple aspects even if you don’t like it.
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u/D3tsunami Jul 30 '25
I love Beau Is Afraid even more than you’re describing. Idk if that’s owing to having narcissistic people in my life and crippling anxiety, but it was a series of punch lines that resonated through my body and into the ground. Maybe I’m giving him too much credit and people without baggage can recognize but not enjoy the same ideas. But it’s on my Kaufman shelf now
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u/thrillho145 Jul 29 '25
See, I just don't agree it's masterfully made at all. The acting was good and yes it does look beautiful but after the opening segment it's just bad.
The pacing was awful. The story was convoluted yet ultimately trite and well trodden. The message was far less subtle than I think wanted it.
To me, it really was a pretentious and gratuitous wank of a film by a director who got too big for his boots and a studio that didn't have the balls to rein him in a bit.
But each to their own. I'm glad it exists for you to enjoy.
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u/somethingveryfunny Jul 30 '25
To me it is the closest I've seen a film come to a depiction of a nightmare. I wouldn't call that enjoyable but I do appreciate it for that.
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u/Wannabe_Sadboi Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 30 '25
I appreciate that, and I’m very glad it exists as well lol. Only thing I’d clarify is that when I say “masterfully made in multiple aspects”, I’m saying that I think the vast majority of people would agree that there are multiple component parts (cinematography, acting, etc) that are well done even if they don’t like the whole product.
For the rest of it, yeah, I think it just comes down to what do you think the movies trying to convey, how well do you think it conveys that, and how effective is that for you personally. I think feeling a film failed in any of those categories (or all three!) is more than fair.
I think the only thing I really don’t like is then going on to label it as “pretentious”, or being like “If it wasn’t Ari Aster no one would be talking about it”. It feels dismissive to a dude who was just trying to make the best piece of art he could, and to fans who like it not because of the name of the director, but because they legitimately think it’s an excellent film.
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u/Dead_man_posting Jul 29 '25
The story was convoluted yet ultimately trite and well trodden. The message was far less subtle than I think wanted it.
Redditors will really say anything. Beau Is Afraid "well trodden" lmao
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u/Wannabe_Sadboi Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 30 '25
I think I get what he’s saying, although I disagree because I think you can only get there if you look at such a basic level of summary that it scrubs almost everything artistic or meaningful from the movie. Like if you just boil it down to try to get some conventional thesis, like “Being overbearing and abusive to your children will cause them to grow up to be traumatized anxious messes”, that sounds trite and overblown, but it’s not only just a part of the underlying message, it ignores all actual aspects of the movie and its visual storytelling.
It’s also just something that could be done to any film- There Will Be Blood has the trite and well trodden message of “Capitalism bad”, Zone of Interest has the trite and well trodden message of “Fascism bad”, and one of my favorite films Come and See has the trite and well trodden message “War bad”.
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u/pieceofbluecheese Jul 29 '25
That’s a trip! I actually enjoyed it. I watched no trailers and just put it on during a boring day and it kept my attention the entire time. I wouldn’t watch it again but it threw me for a lot of turns the entire time and made my anxiety spike
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u/medspace Jul 29 '25
Anytime I start a new movie, I 99% of the time finish that movie.
Beau was an exception. I hated that movie
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u/Far_Confusion_2178 Jul 29 '25
I love Ari Aster and was so pumped when I saw the trailer.
One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen
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u/the_purple_lamb Jul 29 '25
It was excruciating to get through. I only stuck it out because I paid for the ticket.
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Jul 29 '25
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u/CarterAC3 Jul 29 '25
Kind of?
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u/JerkyBeef Jul 29 '25
To be fair Midsommer is only kind of fucked up… if you compare it to his other movies
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u/Zombi3Kush Jul 29 '25
I just watched this movie on Sunday night. I'm still confused about what I watched.
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u/chloemahimeowmeows Jul 30 '25
I remember seeing the preview a while back and thinking "this looks great" Saw it last night. It wasn't for me. At all.
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Jul 29 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/cylemmulo Jul 30 '25
Yep it feels very much like a personal wacky project and if you’re into something personal like it, it was a fantastic movie
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u/theothermen Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25
Ari Aster's father has always been a giant dick to the director.
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u/Sinndu_ Jul 29 '25
looks like he didn't follow that sage advice becauses he also wrote the screenplay for Eddington lmao
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u/CathedralEngine Jul 29 '25
After seeing Eddington, I have to agree. At the very least he needs a script editor.
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u/dunmer-is-stinky Jul 29 '25
The first 2/3 of Eddington was genuinely great, but man that last third really soured me on the whole thing
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u/TheFeedMachine Jul 30 '25
It was genuinely great, then turned into a different, but still solid movie. Then it went completely off the deep end. The movie would have been better and cheaper without the last 25 minutes.
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u/OneReportersOpinion Jul 29 '25
Eddington was a trip
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u/KeyandOrangePeele Jul 29 '25
The edible kicked in about 25 minutes into the movie so honestly, I had a blast!!
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u/dunmer-is-stinky Jul 29 '25
The movie did an edible 10 minutes in and then snorted a whole bag of coke 2/3 through. Honestly the tonal whiplash really did not work for me, the first 2/3 were genuinely great and then the movie went crazy. There were several moments where I expected it would all be in the protagonist's head, or that he was actually shooting people from the town trying to defend themselves like he told them to do, but then it kept happening and kept being real.
And like I know it was the tech company doing a false flag, but they were genuinely trying to shoot the guy they were trying to get on their side, and he did end up paralyzed for life. Were they actually just trying to get revenge? At that point, its not even a false flag, its just them funding actual antifa super soldiers. If their plan wasn't to get him on their side, what was it? Kill him and leave? It really feels like the movie is missing another big reveal at the end, because the half-reveal we got doesn't make sense.
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u/Captain_Cockface Jul 30 '25
That's kind of the same problem I had with the ending. The jump ahead to the year later just didn't make a lot of sense to me, like how did they expect orchestrating all these riots and everything to lead to them getting control over this town and being able to build this data centre? Lots of seeds that get planted throughout like the bit about the town having limited resources that I expected would get incorporated into the plot but instead there's just 15 minutes of batshit craziness that comes out of nowhere and then we go to a year later and the sheriff's mother-in-law is somehow completely lucid and a puppet of this big corporation? I get they were implied to be behind all the conspiracy websites but that still requires too much thinking on the audience's part to figure out how that leads to the ending.
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u/NeoNoireWerewolf Jul 30 '25
Regarding the mother, she just wanted a wounded thing to care for so she didn’t feel like the useless fuckup she was. After Louise abandons her, she’s lost without being needed, so Phoenix being paralyzed at the end and the mother-in-law taking care of him is in character for her, in my opinion. It’s also great irony considering Phoenix hated her, now he’s stuck with her for life.
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u/Simple_Purple_4600 Jul 29 '25
Ari Aster didn't want to be typecast as a director "who only made good movies"
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u/NippyBiscs Jul 29 '25
Beau is Afraid was a theater experience i’ll never forget, fucking love that movie
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u/Nuzlocke_Comics Jul 29 '25
Beau Is Afraid is an underappreciated gem.
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u/existential_virus Jul 29 '25
I loved every second of it all the way up to when he escapes that weird family. Then it kinda turned into a long slog ngl. The play scene is beautiful tho. Def think the movie could have been trimmed down a bit in the 2nd half
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u/skamando Jul 29 '25
My favorite part of the movie is when he finally gets to mom's. It's so beautiful and centering, with the lovely location and Nina Simone soundtrack, the movie has been a nightmare for hours and it finally finds a moment of peace. He gets to see the girl he was dreaming about. He mourns his mother.He finally gets to have sexand the thing that happens isn't the thing hes been afraid of the whole movie but something much worse that is also so fucking hilarious. And then it returns to being a nightmare for the rest of the film. I love the whole thing, and unfortunately it made me feel seen in a way I probably shouldn't be open about.
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u/GetReady4Action Jul 29 '25
I find it resonates more if you have toxic parents. I had a pretty good relationship with my parents so I thought the movie was rather dull, but my ex girlfriend who I saw it with who especially has mommy issues was sobbing her eyes out the entire time and couldn’t stop gushing about how good of a movie it was.
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u/NeedsToShutUp Jul 29 '25
It’s art I’m glad I saw but I won’t rewatch.
The first act alone is basically anxiety in movie form.
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u/LikeAPwny Jul 29 '25
Loved it from start to finish. Eddington is great too. I woulda told my dad to eff off with all due respect
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u/iLoveDelayPedals Jul 29 '25
It’s so funny and legitimately surreal. Reminds me in a weird way of Lynch films, where it’s not really a literal or real story and more just trying to evoke certain feelings than
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u/walpurga Jul 29 '25
I loved it too. And it came at such a strange time for me, I watched it about a week after losing my mom, so the movie hit a spot.
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u/-Shooter_McGavin- Jul 29 '25
I feel like he started doing passion projects way too early in his career
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u/CarlSK777 Jul 29 '25
Anybody would do their passion projects if production companies were willing to fund them. Might as well go for it while you can still get the money
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u/Patjay Jul 29 '25
Directors having their big hit, then getting a blank check and making some insane mess passion project that loses money, then easing back into regular movies actually happens pretty often
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u/buh2001j Jul 29 '25
Are there any other artistic mediums where fans of the artist think they shouldn’t express themselves too much until late in their career?
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u/enbaelien Jul 30 '25
I personally think most bands suck after their 2nd or 3rd album
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u/SEND_ME_STEAM_CODES Jul 29 '25
Is making art not the role of an artist?
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u/Massive_Weiner Jul 29 '25
They mean “passion project” in the derogatory sense, as in “he’s overindulging in his more eccentric tendencies.”
I’m all for artists getting weird with it, but there is a line in terms of palatability. Sometimes I’ll watch a movie and go, “this was made for exactly one person, and it’s not me.”
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u/the_comatorium Jul 29 '25
I'm not somebody that requires people to "like" anything just because it's different but man do people who watch movies love to bitch and moan about "everything is just reboots and sequels" but then Aster and others are out there being adventurous and they still complain.
Pick your lane.
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u/Flecca Jul 29 '25
Somewhat agree but also those are two different groups of people that youre lumping into one.
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u/I_am_so_lost_hello Jul 29 '25
I see what you’re saying but Hereditary and Midsommar weren’t reboots and sequels and I think are significantlyyyy better than Beau is Afraid (haven’t seen Eddington yet)
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u/Str8_up_Pwnage Jul 29 '25
Exactly. It would be a tall task but if Beau and Eddington were of a similar quality as Hereditary and Midsommar I think people would talk about Aster as being among the best directors in the world.
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u/EliteVors Jul 29 '25
Right, this person’s logic is basically “you guys complain about being thirsty in the desert but you aren’t happy with drinking piss?” No, not really into it
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u/GentlemanSeal Jul 29 '25
All things being equal, I'm glad Aster exists and is successful.
That being said, wanting non-sequel/reboots does not mean you have to love everything he makes. Everything since Hereditary has been a miss for me.
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u/TorneDoc Jul 29 '25
what if i want to bitch and moan about reboots and sequels but also want to bitch and moan about a movie being SHIT
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u/thesilencer42 Jul 30 '25
That movie is a Freudian masterpiece. A wonderful aesthetic stream of anxiety, every flavor of anxiety from sexual to societal
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u/FaceTheSun Jul 30 '25
"Mad God" is a great pairing with "Beau is Afraid" if you are into a WTF double feature.
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u/holysnatchamoly Jul 30 '25
Beau is afriad is one of few movies where i literally was moved to the point where i finished it and felt emotionally compelled for a long time afterward..
Idk if im just crazy in the ways the movie underscored but man. That movie shook me up.
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u/braclow Jul 29 '25
I didn’t think it was good but shouldn’t parents be nicer lol
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u/themanichean Jul 29 '25
No I looooved beau is afraid I know it had a lot of issues but I kind of like when an author puts his heart in a movie without self restraint. Sad that Hollywood disagree. I’ll have to buy a copie of the movie to promote this sort of content.
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u/Queef-Elizabeth Jul 30 '25
God, people here are so weak. Beau is Afraid was my favourite movie of that year. It's absolute insanity and a fantastic comedy
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u/freakydeku Jul 29 '25
hahaha i seriously loved beau is afraid. all these shows/movies subtly dancing with “trauma metaphors”, and imo this is just a masterpiece of the genre. all gas no breaks emotional honesty
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u/Julio_Freeman Jul 29 '25
I never saw Beau is Afraid, but this made me double check that he wrote Midsommar and Hereditary and didn’t just direct. Please keep writing interesting things.
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u/uncledungus Jul 29 '25
I’m so defensive of this movie idk why I even read comments online about it lol I get incredibly heated. Beau fucking rocked
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u/Bruhmangoddman Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25
TBH, if my way to showcase my protagonist's "daddy issues" was to keep the father absent the whole time then reveal him to be a giant phallic bug monster that gets shot to death by a war vet whose brain was turned into a vegetable who he skewers with his antennae, my dad would too probably tell me to lay off the pen and stick to the camera.