Hope my research and ideas help you out and offer some new insights! What were your thoughts and ideas around Beau Is Afraid? I would love to discuss! Let me know below!
You fucking genius! Lol I spent all week, after watching it twice, trying to understand this movie. I gotta say, you're making sense of it. Just one thing I don't think you touched on...The boy/man chained in the attic... ... ...what did you take away from this character?
@@justinbondar2491 Very good but I think the ending was a different interpretative take away. I believe it was more of the victim being blamed for his abuse and actions by all that surround him. This happens all too often. I wrote my own review. I felt the boy in the attic was a brother. HIs mom erased any ties to Daddy because she's a selfish egotistical bitch. I think Dad lived on and this was a symbol for parental alienation and demasculation of men.
@@chanticlere that's what I was thinking. The dick monster killed geeves. Perhaps beau's finally Cumming was the end of that fear, anxiety that his mom manipulated him into believing? I heard that connection. Kinda makes sense. But in the end, I believe the same . His dad was just a sperm donor and that scene is a pictation, interpretation of how beau's mom made the dad out to be, abusive. Whether it be true or not. What was up with the dude above beau in the bathtub? There was a meth pipe in that scene too. It seems alot of people missed that. It was a prominent close up. ...could've just been left behind by a tweaker from when the crowd ransacked his appartment.
@Justin Bondar I haven't figured him out. I suspected the scene wasn't real but, it must have been. He was genuinely in the apartment. There are a lot of details that hint to his mom's control. The MW is everywhere. He also lived on a street full of chaos and temptation... the porn shopdown the street, all the drugs and violence. This shows just how self centered his mom was. He's living in all this fear and chaos in a dank little hole. He refuses to see her, he's attempting to heal unsuccessfully with therapy. She's living in a mansion with staff and paying his therapist to tell her everything.... so she's aware. The beginning is essentially the most "impressionistic" of the whole picture. It doesn't say much for therapy or his mom but we don't learn how egotistical and manipulative she is until later. He literally is constantly asking everyone around him what he should do and only refuses to do things out of his fear of death. The bath may be symbolic as well. I can't place the beginning very well but, I think a second viewing could be beneficial. It was a hard watch but the more I can rationalize it, the more genuine and genius this film was. Did you feel his anxiety the whole time? I did. I don't know other films that can do that to the viewer. And yes, I think his anxiety was defeated when he cut the chain in the woods. He met a group that accepts him and wants him to participate. They allow him to realize what he wants for himself. He gives away the gift intended for his mother and considers abandoning his expectations. But it's short lived, he allows the manipulation that he can't have kids to fade the dream, his dad is blown up and the truth still to be discovered at Mona's. He's still more free at this point, even from fantasy! He sees the real world for what it is and the body isn't his mother's... she brings out PTSD in him and the attic happens... he finally stands up for himself and then faces trial for his actions where everything is blamed on him. His mother never faces any redemption or remorse. Society witnessed this but doesn't see the damage it causes. It's acceptable, common, trivial... but when he fights back... every character except the theatre takes turns blaming him as Society watches. I think allot of the early exaggerated scenes were his heightened and untreated (unsuccessfully treated) anxiety. I see the man in the bath, nudity and reaction to it his inability to be vulnerable but the world constantly demanding him to be. Regardless of a peaceful bath which is refreshing, his emotions constantly overflow into fears ... remember... both baths overflow as well. His unattended needs ... he really was content sitting quietly at home never leaving.
@@chanticlere yeah I saw it twice. I'm basically under the impression that it's all a graphic articulation of his anxiety by his mom who paid for everything and everyone in the movie to do and say what happened, just to get him to come home to her and know how he thinks and feels about her. The middle part is him dreaming after getting knocked out. A dream of what he wished he had, then of course it turns into a nightmare, then wakes up. It's a world created, payed for by his mom with interpretations of anxiety, fear of judgment. The mom is behind it all, and we get to experience the anxiety that it caused beau...if that makes sense? And yes. Both times I saw it, I made sure I went at a time the theater would be empty, and got a seat away from the other attendees, my anxiety can be so bad. Lol...I felt it all both times! Lol I liked it. I'm an ari fan. I cant wait for 'acting class' to come next. See it a 2nd time. I connected dots I missed the 1st time.
I didn't make it that long. I walked out after the "first act" (just when Beau wakes in the "hospital bed"). I sense this is a great movie but I found watching it unpleasant and I just decided I had had enough.
Personally I really enjoy the foreshadowing at the beginning where a mom takes a controller for an rc boat away from her son and the toy boat flips . I thought it was a good way to summarize this movie before you even watch it.
YES!!! GOOD one!!! I loved the mother's "brand / mark" on literally everything in his life, right down to the "safe-living" tower block he lived in... that was a big ah-ha moment for me in the film as he was walking around his mum's house there looking at all the photos!!
I really like how beau is asking for help right before his boat flips, and the camera cuts to people with popcorn and drinks, just like us. And as he is crying for help the audience just watches and treats it as spectacle. Kinda a commentary how there are very obvious signs of mental illness and a need for help in front of us, but we just don’t do anything.
The audience of his life is actually society (the world). We see wrong happen so much many of us are either convinced its real, don't care, or just eager to see downfall than help.
I don't know if it has already been mentioned, but when Beau's boat collapses and people start to leave, you hear the same dialogues as when Beau was born. A fair way of saying that he will never have happiness because it is a constant cycle of anxiety, generational trauma and schizophrenia.
Here are some things I noticed about the film as well. Am I the only one who thinks there was some childhood sexual abuse towards Beau? The way she looked and spoke to him while laying in bed, the explicit description of sex she told him as a child, her seemingly being envious of Elaine who Beau is attracted to. It would also explain his fear of sex in adulthood due to the trauma of sexual abuse. I also noticed there's a LOT of trauma/fear around water throughout the film. There's the scene where she's getting angry with child Beau at bath time - perhaps she tried drowning him? There's also a lot of people taking pills in this film, other than Beau. Perhaps saying how prescription drug abuse is very prominent? I'm not sure. In his mum's office, you also see a thing about a shelter that looks just like the place Beau lives. This could represent how she is "sheltering" him from the real world and how she tries to come across as a caring person to the outside world, when she is actually abusive. There's also a lot about Beau being filmed without his knowledge. This is a classic sign of schizophrenia - the feeling of constantly being watched and having your mind read. Real patients with Schizophrenia have even described and illustrated machines that read their minds and film them.
The child sex abuse makes sense actually. I made a fucked up joke to my friends during the bed scene with his mother that “they are totally gonna bang” and for the rest of the movie we all got the feeling that’s really what was going on LOL
Yes, and not to mention his dad who is weirdly affectionate in his fantasy(?), which seems like a denial of what really happened to him as a child, because his "dad" is then projected as a giant you-know-what and he's reminded of a trauma he's suppressed. Screams SA to me. Could be just a joke, but I really don't think it's stupid like that.
Very solid explanation! One thing stuck to my mind after watching Beau, and it was the successes of his mother. The film showed Mona’s accomplishments in a timeline that had Beau’s picture in some of the advertisement magazines. If I can recall correctly, she had businesses that had to do with medications, shelters, and therapy. All of which Beau had to partake in without knowing his mother was the supplier of all those things in his life. His therapist was her friend, who then specifically prescribed Beau with medication her company put out, and he lived in the shelter she owned. I believe it was Mona’s heartbreaking plan to see if Beau’s love for her was strong enough to overcome his mental state of mind by visiting her in a timely manner. Once her plan failed, staging her death was the only way to bring him home sooner. Not to mention… the paid death of his caretaker/housekeeper Martha (who probably was the only one of his life who showed him true love) was the reason for his aggression towards his attempt to strangle his mother. Not sure if my thoughts make sense after all the emotions I went through during this watch, but just wanted to leave some food for thought. Overall, I loved this movie and felt so bad for Beau. Joaquin is THEE man!
Perhaps her death is meant to portray how people with unresolved parental issues often have to work out their trauma by themselves after their parent dies. Beau had a chance to visit her while she was alive but couldn’t muster up the strength to do so.
Just now recalling the scene with Martha. Yes, she was genuinely engaged with Beau - but didn’t she say “sweet dreams” or something similar then say something like “and if you don’t I’ll come back in & tickle you!” ? I remember feeling oh my god that’s pretty fu’d Thanks for your insights!
@@mommartinez2741 she told him to be quite and if he makes a sound she gonna tickle him so you can sense that mona didnt even bother to put him to sleep and all she cared about was some silence
Mona, Beau’s Mother, controls every aspect of his life; Including Beau’s free will. Beau “incriminates” himself by simply having his own individual needs and boundaries outside his mother’s control. Mona, like all narcissist or psycho/sociopaths, view relationships as objects or tools to be used, including her own children. Abuse by people with these disorders happen in a cycle; which causes their victim’s personality to be eroded, their emotions disconnected, and doubts about their own reality. Mona, is a CEO of a mega corporation with her company’s logo on everything in Beau’s apartment; in which she is able to control Beau’s life in a “Truman Show” like way. Beau is constantly “incriminating” himself throughout the movie; by the end, he’s pleading with Mona to take him back. Essentially starting the cycle of malignant narcissistic abuse over and over again.
Im a bit late to the party, but not only is Mona’s company logo all over everything in the apartment but it’s scattered across the world to. It’s as if she’s the one controlling and slowly killing society the same way that she is controlling and suffocating her son. If you notice at the end, some of the people in the mosaic of Mona are people we see in the chaotic city, like the dude with tattoos all I’ve this body.
@@ducky2679 no you incorrectly interpreted what I said. I like unique and deep movies, however I don’t like movies that try so damn hard at being so damn deep that it makes the entire story convoluted. There’s a difference between being a good storyteller and making things flat out confusing for the sake of creating metaphors
Overall I feel like Beau is unaware of actual danger. Beau had absolutely no concern for the brown recluse, running through the glass door, the ppl in the woods, the guy that’s tracking him, his mother’s lies, or the dark cave and waters. He has no actual understanding of himself or the world around him. Only his fears and what his mother told him. He is on a journey in a cycle of fear, guilt, and death.
He definitely has a skewed perspective but I feel like with most of those things, there was too much else going on to concern himself with those dangers in the moment. Obviously he doesn't mean to smash through glass, but on the two occasions he does that he is too panicked about another threat to take the time to open the door or avoid the broken glass. I don't know what he was meant to do about the brown recluse- everything in his building is dangerous, he has nowhere else to go and he never sees the spider until the bathtub scene so he can't trap it or anything. Also the people in the woods were the only unambiguously nice people in the film, and in reality I know a lot of hippies that live outdoors permanently (at camps in stonehenge, etc) who are kind people, so I definitely question the idea that he should have seen them as dangerous.
the skewed perception is probably a result of years of feeling lost and trauma and the way the mind manipulates itself to the point that you don't know what anything is anymore. and him being unaware of "real" danger, again he believes there is a larger most likely irrational fear that he developed which makes him take such a huge risk in the moment cause he isn't thinking. anxiety will do that to you
not much people are talking the symbolism of liquid and water, which most pivotal scene has. even Ari mentioned in a Q&A that the ending was supposed to feel like ejaculation, and that Beau has been wanting an orgasm his whole life. from the baby being surrounded by the liquid in the womb, to the therapist asking Beau about going back to a poisoned well to drink its water, the lack of water while swallowing pills, the bath scene, the paint scene, Beau's imaginary family and himself being drowned, Elaine dying after Beau ejaculates, Mona strangled and falling into a small aquarium with no water, and of course the final trial. it's almost like the presence of liquid symbolizes Mona's overbearing poisoned love that ultimately drowned Beau. also with every death in the movie, the relationship becomes more and more personal. from the Birthday Boy Stab Man victims on TV, to the death of presumably his neighbours, to Toni (someone Beau thought he can be friends with), to the 'father' who died on top of Mona, the 'father' who got shot, Elaine, Mona, and finally Beau. every death becomes increasingly more personal to Beau.
A thought: Water is an essential element of organic life, but it can also be the cause of death (e.g. poisoned/infected water, drowning/suffocation, extreme weather, etc) In a similar way, love and emotional connection is a requirement for human infants to survive, but in the case of Mona, that love can also be toxic or suffocating.
It was crazy how they all worked for MW too. Also the Father’s name was Harry Wasserman. The trial scene was so traumatizing because of the fact that the one person who was on his side ultimately gets killed because they only cared about the loud voice from Mona’s attorney.
That is an interesting point that called my attention. Did everyone work for his mother because that is how he sees the world, always controlled by his mother? I think so. Because they first start in a different context, and only later appear as working for her.
I think it symbolizes him rejecting his own feelings and arguments to his Mom's psyche drilling into his mind, and ended it (just how the attorney was thrown off and died) and started to accept his mother's smothering love, thus the cycle repeats.
I don’t know if it’s sad or exciting to say that I’ve never resonated with a movie like I did this one. While some beats of Beau’s life may not be exact to mine, the depiction of constant anxiety, dread, and guilt is so accurate. After watching it all I could think of is “wow that movie felt personal… like someone just spilled all of their anxieties out for the world to see”
@@cognitiumone I'd say to an extent but not in the traditionally expected way like presented in the film. There are a lot of factors for my anxiety aside from that though.
@skeptical7758 I share this feeling and it’s quite unsurprising as someone who understands both anxiety and intimacy issues caused by generational trauma. This analysis was spot ❤
That's how I felt at the end lol what's crazy is there's a rapper named Cambatta that has a song called Ego Death where he depicts a similar scene like 5 years before this movie was ever made.
One of my favorite parts is when he’s on the phone and Jeeves is running around. It’s both hilarious and terrifying. It’s so odd because it’s funny but the guy is really physically intimidating and you can see how afraid Beau is.
I think that everything after Beau falling asleep on his mother's couch was a dream that ultimately symbolizes that Beau will never escape his feelings of guilt and his anxiety. It starts as a teenager like 'wet dream' and after his climax turns into a nightmare ending when he is on trial in front of the nameless people who constantly judge an anxious person. I loved this movie, but will need to watch it many more times.
I think he either died after getting his by the vehicle and the rest is heck or he was in coma and the very end is him dying or his mom pulls the plug and then he dies.. bc everything after he gets hit by that vehicle is crazy like a giant penis and a zombie breaking through the window to try to kill the giant penis but regardless this is the type of movie that needs to be made more often bc it’s definitely entertaining and has hidden messages for us about our society and it also makes us think and question it
This breakdown is excellent, thank you for doing this! I just watched Beau this afternoon and I'm still processing it. I think I may watch it again, but I'll mention two other things I noticed: - All the posters, graffiti and signs around Beau's neighbourhood and apartment have all negative sexual connotations. I remember there being a sign in one scene that said "Death by Fucking", possibly alluding to what happens later with Elaine? -Along with the themes of generational trauma reminiscent of Hereditary, the way the defense lawyer dies in the final scene (falling face first into a rock) definitely reminded me of Midsommar
Anytime, thank you!! And yes, all the vandalism and branding was predictive of the story to come, im happy you mentioned that specific one because I didn’t catch that! And also yes, the defense lawyer, very reminiscent of that Harga ritual haha thanks so much for mentioning these! And thank you for watching!!
Thought the dude hiding on the ceiling when Beau was bathing was a total callback to Hereditary when the mom was hiding in the shadows in the upper corner of the room.
Pretty spot on, fav guy was the HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME. Also I don’t think you touched on how they all worked for his mom, could see them in that montage pic. Also love the play experience / bleed into the audience - kinda did that to us with the credits as they left the stadium and we left the theatre.
My interpretation is very heavy: Beau is the result of a rape, and his mother was a child when she was raped. I explain: People sexually abused in childhood have a heavy relationship with guilt. It's common to feel guilt for having been abused, as was my case. The key scene is Beau's bath, where he's a little kid and he looks in the mirror, and there's that girl from the Ship giving him a bath, who is actually Mona, a premature mother, giving Beau a bath. Something that reinforces this: for a child, his sexual abuser's penis is giant and hurts like in the movie. Mona hates and loves Beau at the same time because, even though he is her beloved son, he is still a reminder and a fruit of her greatest suffering. She did the best she could. Beau's key feeling is guilt, because he unconsciously knows that for him to exist, his mother had to suffer a lot. There's a lot more to it, like Mona's company focusing on security products because she wanted to protect Beau from what happened to her. The sex Beau had with the girl on the Ship is an Oedipus analogy. Mona wanted to castrate her son for fear of him abusing other girls as they had done to her, due to a conflicted relationship she has with the male figure. There's still a lot to say. What do you think?
This makes a ton of sense. I also had the feeling that Beau might've been the result of a rape when Mona was telling him this elaborate story of his father dying that would not sound believable to an adult.
this is a top tier breakdown. For a movie that so harshly divides its audience, it’s refreshing to see such a sharp take on a film that I feel, for the bullets you articulate, IS an unironic masterwork; at the very least for the points you’ve made clear. You’ve earned a new subscriber 🤝
This is so incredibly kind, thank you! It’s really fulfilling to hear that you could find hidden greatness in a film after seeing a video of mine, especially in a film as divisive as this one. This really means a lot to me, thank you so much again my friend, and welcome to the channel!
So I like ur break down a lot, one thing I noticed was the motif of water, and the emphasis on how he has to take the medication with water, and with him not having done so in a timely manner, I think is what sent him through this mushroom trip spiral, bcz even at the end of the film he died by drowning and when he read the side effects it said death as well, so I think that’s what ultimately caused his death and gives purpose to the trippy journey he goes through, it’s like some twisted dark ego death
I’ve seen the film twice, on IMAX, and have seen several reviews - and I must say this is the best breakdown of the plot I’ve seen. It was almost like a professional therapy session, so insightful and perceptive. Thank you for doing this. You’re very good at what you do👏
Omg this is so kind, thank you! Im noticing a pattern of comparisons between my videos and therapy sessions haha so that’s really cool to hear, as long as it’s both insightful and enjoyable I’m happy. And I’m super happy to hear you loved it, it really means a lot!
One of the most important running themes I kept seeing in the film was how he was always paralyzed to do anything by fear of the results, and even though he actively tried to avoid doing anything he was just thrust into those 'worst case scenarios' that a person would draw up in their nightmares while we run these situations through our dreams. The 'exact change' guy or the 'I bet if I hold this door open it'll close right before I get to it', or 'I bet that girl is telling that guy all the worst stuff about me behind my back' and it all turns out to be the absolute most terrifying realities played out. It's just a bad dream that never ends and only gets worse for him and he just can't wake up.
Watched it again for the second time in three days and was struck much more by the theme of “guilt.” After my first vowing I perceived the movie as being much more about fear and anxiety but on the second time around, I feel like it’s more pervasively about the negative consequences of feelings of guilt and shame.
This is an amazing breakdown! Just saw the film earlier today and man, it was very... unique. The whole sequence in the forest was unlike anything I've seen in a movie before. There was something so unsettling and primal about it that I can't really explain. I think the giant penis monster was meant to represent Beau's masculinity, which his mother took from him and locked away in the attic along with his father. The ending was just depressing and goes to show how people view mentally ill people as basically unworthy of salvation or help.
I love your interpretation of his masculinity being locked away, I never thought of it that way, and yeah, I think the whole forest sequence was my favorite part, i felt like a spell was put over me and I could tell my theatre was super locked in that part. So glad you enjoyed the video, thank you!!
Lukas, your analysis is dead on! Having worked on that movie as the Dolly grip(camera movements), I can tell you that it was the best ( ok, top 2) films of my career. Ari is super good and cool, Joaquin is a class, super nice actor, all the cast were brilliant,and the photography was exceptional! I am glad you loved it. Patrick
Another movie like this and I’m Thinking of Ending Things is “Men”. It’s symbolizes and showcases a woman’s trauma when she’s on vacation. There’s a scene towards the end that’s it’s just nuts, probably even crazier to Beau is Afraid.
I was most confused by Elaine dying after they had sex. My theory is she's also a mirror of Beau. Her mom seems also abusive and overprotective and maybe she had the same story told that she would die on climax. When they get into bed, she also says ''it's been a long time''. But she is not afraid like Beau, not of her mom and not of death. You can see how unphased she is with the dead body in the cruise pool. But why does she plays the sex music from the top. Sounds random. And if it the death on climax thing was a lie for beau, why was it true for her?
It seems to be that the person who dies when they climax is the person who checks out emotionally in the relationship after intimacy, just like how it's supposedly with Beau's parents (his dad not being part of his life after). Whatever they had ends then and there.
First off, I can’t believe I am writing something this horrendous, but here is my interpretation. Beau’s father, was a man with mental illness (recall: “I’m so sorry for what your daddy past down to you”) that raped Beau’s mother. The scenes of the bathtub and the attic are an analogy for how the truth of Beau’s conception is suffocating him in guilt (he feels guilty having been born, due to a rape). The tub shows the feelings of drowning and the attic being the thought always at the forefront of his mind. The penis monster in the attic was an example of his father (rapist). Beau’s flash backs to his youth on the Yatch kept some cohesive narrative as to his life choices. His choices of apstinance and loyalty to the Yatch girl. The story entertwined the Yatch girl grown up at Beau’s mothers house as either spectacle or a way to make a cohesive story, however her death I would say is purely spectacle like the mid movie orchestration of how Beau’s life could have been if he had 3 son’s. Likely the Yatch girl was trying to rob Beau’s mother and tried to pull off robbing with the love seen which we’re left not knowing if it’s genuine or not. Often we the viewer get the impression that Beau’s self awareness of his mental illness and oversized testicals (a running joke) are what stops him from being able to function in a intimate relationship. I think the caregiving part of the movie (the older couple that nurses him) was only spectacle of how Beau was taken in by other family after the car accident. Also, I think the twist at the end of the movie where Beau’s mother is alive is just an analogy for the kind of outlandish guilt and anxiety one could put on themself for the thought or action of fornicating in their recently deceased mother’s bed (one of many anxiety provoking scenarios Beau’s mind is apart of). Also, his provoking anxiety doesn’t hold back as it simulates the scenario of his mother talking down to him to a point which angers him to choke her - which further is an example of the anxiety thoughts he could of had if this hypothetical fantasy happened in his head. Also, mentioning another important part - Beau saying he felt forced to show love to his mother (which is a main reason he feels guilt). I can’t figure out the army guy’s part and why he resurrected and stabbed the penis monster at the end; possibly merely as spectacle for Beau’s hatred of his father. Also, the paint drinking girl, I also have no clue about; but in short I’d say: this movie is about a mentally ill man and his every anxiety inducing thought shown cranked up to 10 and on steroids purely as a cinematic Spectacle of the feelings of anxiety related mental illness caused by hereditary traits, and a rapist father. The movie is both a comedy and a horror movie, and not an Ari movie without shocking imagery.
Like hereditary, and midsommar , I think there are details that require decoding or at least further looks, sorta poking out of the surface. I’d love to have more insight into the decade timeline of the company on the wall in his mother’s house. It all went by so quickly but one detail i think I caught was his mother’s involvement in the building, or even the block, where beau lives. He clearly lives there for a reason, his mother’s will, perhaps to punish him, as well as to control him ultimately, and that ties into the generational trauma thing, right. There are definitely some deets buried in various shots that lay out the story, and the motivations, sorta like the journal entries and demonic textbook stuff in hereditary. Deepens the story and clarifies things a bit. I got one watch in so far. Definitely feels like a movie that will be providing rewarding rematches. Great job with the analysis, especially given that this movie is right out of the oven.
You’re totally right, there are endless details in the setting (name brands, vandalism, costumes, etc.) that tie in with the concept. It makes repeated viewings even more exciting. I’m really glad you liked the video, thank you!!
Look at my comment. His Mom was running the show. Everyone in that city and shitty apartment worked for her. It was all her. She created his anxiety. She created the exact shitty life she wanted him to be stuck in. This was such a great take on a horror movie.
I think Ari Aster would cry watching your review, because that's so deeply perfect. You made me change the way i see the movie. And that explanation about the penis figure... man, blows my mind how it makes sense
Hahaha a crying Ari Aster reaction video would be life-defining haha and im so glad you you enjoyed the video, you’re so kind! And yeah the penis moment was the WEIRDEST moment of the whole movie so I’m glad I could make it make sense in any way. Thank you so much!!
Question- If this whole movie was a metaphor for his life and fears communicated in story form, what was the actual story going on outside of Beau’s head? What were the people really like? What situations were really happening?
I really enjoyed this interpretation! You had some really incredible points that I hadn't considered. Makes me want to rewatch the movie with these thoughts in mind. :)
beautifully explained! every single moment of this film had me completely engrossed, constantly questioning the deeper meaning behind it all. honestly, it's one of those rare gems i've come across this year that managed to hold my undivided attention. ari aster has done it again! 👏🏻
I believe this movie is an allegory about the mother's pregnancy, everything in the movie represents the body of beau's mother that he is inside and totally attached to it, going to meet her is actually being born. As it is showed in the end part, all characters build the mother's picture hanging in the wall. There is a lot of details and different layers that builds the history, the ending scene connects with the first one when he is pulled out of the boat exploding and being drowned in the lake, which is the first scene of the movie where he gets out of her mother without breath during labour work.
I was already enjoying the film whilst being confuse, but this breakdown really made me feel more connected to the film. The generational trauma has always been Ari Aster forte, but in Beau it was weirdly more revealing. The way his mom resents him for who has become & his dismissiveness towards her, but also overly protective of Beau that he became too dependent. How Beau's scared of her, blames her for how he lives, but only has her as his one true connection. While I might not have panick attack, but I shared Beau's lack of trust, fear of relationship, & bringing a child into this world only to ruin it with my own trauma.
I totally agree, there's nothing better than a convo after an Aster movie. That's why I couldn't help but speak to the guy beside me haha so glad you enjoyed the video, thank you so much!!
i also thought that the dick monster might have meant the brief relationship with his mother and his father might have been a one night stand or some form of coercion or emotional/sexual abuse or maybe he cheated which might be why his mother’s trauma represented his father as a dick monster. also it might explain the emotional incestual relationship between his mom and beau where she says anyone would be lucky to have you or her convincing him he could never have sex because she doesnt want him to leave her for another woman and also not to subject other women to the same thing she went through with his father.
his mother tried to shape beau into the man she never had while subjecting him to this emotionally incestual relationship filled with guilt trips and overwhelming and overbearing feelings of inadequacy and anxiety as well as a lack of confidence. also i think that it doesn’t matter what was real and what was fake because in beaus head its all real. ppl can only experience the world from their perspective. i like the take on elanie and how her dying signifies his inadequacy surrounding sex and how hell never be able to truly experience it because of his trauma
Do you think Elaine worked for his mother as a child? That the whole romance and the dramatic way it was torn apart, was to instill something in him by his mother?
I think you pretty much nailed It dude. I just watched It a couple of hours ago AND was trying to decipher what the hell I just saw. I was thinking it's some sort of a treaty about guilt AND toxic codependence. Thanks for your input. Greetings from México!
Thank you from Canada 🇨🇦 and yes, guilt is such a huge theme here. I actually almost named Theme #3 Gulit Beyond Romance. Super glad you highlighted that!!
Great video dude. Watched this film earlier today and had a lot of thoughts about it. You were able to say everything I was thinking in a far better way than I could ❤
Such an amazing analysis. I picked up some things while watching the film--all having to do with abusive parental relationships, internalizing and adopting the tone of a hypercritical parent to judge your own actions in adulthood (the stadium), the weight and power of misplaced guilt, etc. At least, that's my theory. Since the film weaved in and out of "reality" and more believable sequences with surreal ones, it was difficult to form a cohesive narrative. This analysis filled all the gaps and much more. I've watched a few of these videos, and this was just so insightful. Thanks so much! You have a new subscriber :)
One thing I thought was interesting in the trial at the end, that was foreshadowed earlier in the film as his “confession”, was the memories that were shown weren’t actually damning at all, and were quite minor things. The fact he held onto these things, felt guilt, and feared he would be harshly judged if they ever came to light was very interesting, as the crowd at the end ultimately do judge him for.
Saw the film yesterday, your description is spot on. Sure we could go into my indepth discussions on topics within film, but you nailed the overall purpose and overaching themes. Great job!
Thanks for such a thoughtful and insightful breakdown of this film. I feel like so many people dismissed this because it doesn't conform to their expectations of a horror film / Ari Aster project. Hearing you break down these themes and explore the depths was really refreshing and made me want to watch the film again.
Questions: 1. What was up with the moms business? Was it a pharmaceutical/shelter home thing & (I’m not sure if I saw this correctly, but..) when Beau is looking through the timeline at his mothers house that tattooed guy was in the picture collage that made up the image of his mom. Also why was he the poster boy For everything & how did this contribute to the movie. 2. The bathtub scene with his mom. Why did it seem so out of body when his mom was taking the kid up to the attic & then would turn and ask if he wanted that too. 3. Giant penis, old Beau & ptsd guy. I get the giant penis was to convey his pent up feelings about his virginity, but wtf did it mean when that whole thing went down? 4. Were Grace and Roger in on the thing with his mom too? Why did Grace keep hinting stuff like “stop incriminating yourself” & ”go to channel 78” 5. The apartment thing. So when everybody breaks into his house, what was up with that guy that kept targeting him? What was up with that guy that kept seeking help on the top with the bathtub, and what was up with the brown recluse? 6. What was the meaning of the statue of the mother holding the baby? I noticed Beau had a picture of his mom in his apartment where she is holding Beau as an infant in the exact same way. The little statue he collects for her is damaged and he keeps holding on to it, and he eventually gives it away to the pregnant woman in the green dress. And the mom had a giant one in her front yard & got really hurt about him giving it away. 7. WAS THAT REALLY HIS DAD AT THE PLAY? Wtf why did he come up saying that & then suddenly die. 8. The guy up on the tree at the play? What was that about. Other stuff: I thought some scenes were so funny like “sometimes she will look like a man”, the picture of the grandma at Beau’s moms house, the giant penis (a couple next to me was so fed up with the movie at this point they left), the police scene, etc. The movie also made me so anxious the whole entire time & it really felt like dang this is how Beau perceives the world how sad. I also really liked how everything was filmed, like genius angles & the order and lines and everything was *chefs kiss*
For number 4 Yes Roger was in on the stalking beau thing set up by Mona, you can see a pic of Roger on the corner of the shot of all the people on Mona's pic who work for her While Grace seemed to try and help beau figure it out, so I wonder if she was aware of it but wasn't apart of it unlike Roger (which is why she sorta tried to hide Beau's hints from Roger)
1 and 3- Beau either had a twin brother or he's seeing it as an out if body experience of past trauma (dissociation). If the former, he had a much more assertive brother who was permanently locked away (appearing as what you've said is "old Beau" in the end), which made him fear he must always be obedient to avoid ending up like him. Or he got locked up there a few times and became passive because she threatened to permanently leave him there if he didn't behave (and he just hallucinates what he would be if that had occurred at the end). The penis is his father. It's left up to interpretation what it means- he could have been a horrible man or as I've seen someone say 'simply a penis who conceived him and then left'. It also does represent beau's fears of his own sexuality and disorder that he apparently inherited from his father. I'm not sure why the monster kills Jeeves but maybe it could represent that if Beau harnessed the more masculine and active part of himself instead of being so passive, he would be able to vanquish his own enemies. But if course Beau is absolutely terrified when he sees the creature, and doesn't want to become like that in any way. The man in the woods explains who he is in plain terms. He's just an employee who was tasked with caring for the dad in the attic (whether he is actually a penis monster in reality or not). I do realize beau confused the issue by continually asking people if he is his father, but I think he clearly isn't.
1. His moms business *is* him, in a way. In my opinion it's drawing parallels between the overwhelming, real-life presence of megalithic corporations that shape the reality we live in and Beau's perception of his mother as this all-controlling, ever-present entity that shaped him and continues to manage his life. Beau's entire life is a derivative of his mothers influence over him, so we're shown that influence on the world that is very much viewed through Beau's lens. 2. That's Beau imagining a braver version of himself, who wasn't afraid to push his mother for answers regarding his dad. It's pointing toward the guilt he's feeling over not standing up for himself in his formative years, but also shows his fear of repercussions that may ensue.
I don’t know if it means anything, but did you guys notice how in the funeral, in the plaques on his mother’s wall, the fathers’s date of death is the same as the mother’s: July 12.
The movie is actually darker than it seems, and way more complicated to explain. Beau is dead and trapped in an endless loop of his horrible lives and deaths. Beau dies many times in many different life cycles; unfortunately, his brain is playing out a loop of those memories. This explains his constant state of paranoia. His mind is drifting between the different life cycles he died in. The events that seem to happen to him are tangled up in time and space. Beau is NOT the victim, but rather the perpetrator of the events of the story. The horrible things he sees around him are actually his guilty conscience and his brain is trying to cope with what he did in his other lives. He is the naked man stabbing people and got shot by the officer. He was the loud neighbor hosting a party and was killed at the same party. He died while forcing himself on someone despite being told to stop. He strangled his abusive mother to death. He abandoned his family of three sons. He skipped his mother's funeral because he was busy. He abused his adopted sister and told her to drink paint. There are many many parts that tell of the horrible things he did in the eyes of another person. In the end, he is made to answer for his actions and condemned to downing. The drowning sounds and his mother shouting at the end of the movie are continued when Beau is seen coming out of her womb at the beginning of the movie indicating the start of another life cycle. Beau is afraid because he is trapped in an endless loop of his horrible lives and he copes with that by creating different stories and narratives that put him as the victim.
One thing I noticed. Beau's lawyer at the end fell face flat to that rock pillar, completely crushing his face and dying, just like in midsummer. His decapitated maid, headless just like the mom and grandma from hereditary. I know these are Ari aster's work, and of course he's allowed to reference his past work into other projects of his, but what if, all these films are actually connected in some way? What if his mother became such a huge success because she worshiped the same demon from hereditary?🤔
GAD, generational trauma, and DID are prominent mental health problems in this film. I love how this film almost requires a degree in psychology to understand. For instance, during the forest play scene, when the camera shows Beau’s eyes rapidly moving, this is indicating that Beau is dreaming during REM sleep. What is more, during the play/dream every time Beau is having a tranquil and happy dream, the dream quickly descends into a nightmare symbolizes that even the dreams of an anxious person are fraught with anxiety. The theme of an anxious world is prominent in Beau is Afraid but symbolically rich in this movie! Also, DID is suggested in the movie when Beau says over the recording that there was another person that would stand up to Mona, when Beau strangles Mona and then Beau’s mood abruptly changes to apologetic, suggesting that a different personality resides in Beau. DID development normally involves childhood trauma as an antecedent which also supports the them of generational trauma.
Thank you my friend! And yeah totally, you can almost pick up the psychological themes before even understanding the movie from a technical standpoint, I totally see what you mean. Thank you for watching!!
Great analysis. I was looking forward to find a video like this yesterday after leaving the theater. I also like to dive deep into psychological explanations. I think the movie didn’t have to be 3 hours long, though. It would tell everything enough with in 2 or 2,5 hours. Very hard to stay till the end and boredom and depression haunts you
Although I still dislike the movie, this analysis definitely helped me appreciate it more, in regards to the themes of generational trauma and mental health. I might re-watch it or at least change my letterboxd rating lol For me, the movie made me angry and the humor never hit, but my audience seemed to laugh plenty.. even during moments that were super unfunny and uncomfortable to me (as someone with anxiety disorders). That made me so angry from start to finish. That's kind of interesting given your comment on the trial scene's audience and mental illness. I suppose I related too much to Beau in the end, or at least empathized with him. I do wonder who was playing the defense lawyer at the end. They never showed them close up even when they fell. Anyway, thank you for this vid!
I understand. I related to Beau HARD and the humor didn’t hit often for me. I loved the movie, but I was still angry because I related to it so much and people in the audience were.. laughing. And when we left the theater, all I heard was “oh that goofy penis monster was the last straw lol!” As someone who dealt with emotional incest with a narcissistic mother, it was infuriating to hear people completely missing the point and joking about something so very real to the people who’ve lived through it
Haha thank you! I think I just kinda fell into that format because it felt like the best way to lay it out in my first analysis video, so I’m happy to hear it’s still effective and clear, thank you so much for letting me know!
Are we really supposed to view Roger and his wife as positive ppl that Beau just cant seem to accept? It felt more like a sunken place thing where they wanted him to replace their lost son and fill that void
This comment section is blowing my mind. All of these amazing analyses and i fully support each one. It just shows how many multifarious meanings are in this movie. I saw a comment that talked about how there may have been SA between Mona and beau which is what stood out the most to me in the film. His issues with intimacy seems like it could have stemmed from him being SA’d by his mother. The uncomfortableness he showed in his body language when interacting with his mom. Mona was jealous of Elaine, not only because her son’s attention is on another woman but her “man”. Lastly the se x scene between Elaine and beau seemed to almost set him free in a “oh this is how it feels to have sex in a consentul way with someone who’s not my mother” until she died and left him yet again traumatised just like his first sexual experience, hints… SA. He let his guard down and something bad happened even when it was something he wanted.
Hope my research and ideas help you out and offer some new insights! What were your thoughts and ideas around Beau Is Afraid? I would love to discuss! Let me know below!
You fucking genius! Lol I spent all week, after watching it twice, trying to understand this movie. I gotta say, you're making sense of it.
Just one thing I don't think you touched on...The boy/man chained in the attic... ... ...what did you take away from this character?
@@justinbondar2491 Very good but I think the ending was a different interpretative take away. I believe it was more of the victim being blamed for his abuse and actions by all that surround him. This happens all too often. I wrote my own review. I felt the boy in the attic was a brother. HIs mom erased any ties to Daddy because she's a selfish egotistical bitch. I think Dad lived on and this was a symbol for parental alienation and demasculation of men.
@@chanticlere that's what I was thinking.
The dick monster killed geeves. Perhaps beau's finally Cumming was the end of that fear, anxiety that his mom manipulated him into believing? I heard that connection. Kinda makes sense. But in the end, I believe the same . His dad was just a sperm donor and that scene is a pictation, interpretation of how beau's mom made the dad out to be, abusive. Whether it be true or not.
What was up with the dude above beau in the bathtub? There was a meth pipe in that scene too. It seems alot of people missed that. It was a prominent close up. ...could've just been left behind by a tweaker from when the crowd ransacked his appartment.
@Justin Bondar I haven't figured him out. I suspected the scene wasn't real but, it must have been. He was genuinely in the apartment. There are a lot of details that hint to his mom's control. The MW is everywhere. He also lived on a street full of chaos and temptation... the porn shopdown the street, all the drugs and violence. This shows just how self centered his mom was. He's living in all this fear and chaos in a dank little hole. He refuses to see her, he's attempting to heal unsuccessfully with therapy. She's living in a mansion with staff and paying his therapist to tell her everything.... so she's aware. The beginning is essentially the most "impressionistic" of the whole picture. It doesn't say much for therapy or his mom but we don't learn how egotistical and manipulative she is until later. He literally is constantly asking everyone around him what he should do and only refuses to do things out of his fear of death. The bath may be symbolic as well. I can't place the beginning very well but, I think a second viewing could be beneficial. It was a hard watch but the more I can rationalize it, the more genuine and genius this film was. Did you feel his anxiety the whole time? I did. I don't know other films that can do that to the viewer.
And yes, I think his anxiety was defeated when he cut the chain in the woods. He met a group that accepts him and wants him to participate. They allow him to realize what he wants for himself. He gives away the gift intended for his mother and considers abandoning his expectations. But it's short lived, he allows the manipulation that he can't have kids to fade the dream, his dad is blown up and the truth still to be discovered at Mona's.
He's still more free at this point, even from fantasy! He sees the real world for what it is and the body isn't his mother's... she brings out PTSD in him and the attic happens... he finally stands up for himself and then faces trial for his actions where everything is blamed on him. His mother never faces any redemption or remorse. Society witnessed this but doesn't see the damage it causes. It's acceptable, common, trivial... but when he fights back... every character except the theatre takes turns blaming him as Society watches.
I think allot of the early exaggerated scenes were his heightened and untreated (unsuccessfully treated) anxiety. I see the man in the bath, nudity and reaction to it his inability to be vulnerable but the world constantly demanding him to be. Regardless of a peaceful bath which is refreshing, his emotions constantly overflow into fears ... remember... both baths overflow as well. His unattended needs ... he really was content sitting quietly at home never leaving.
@@chanticlere yeah I saw it twice.
I'm basically under the impression that it's all a graphic articulation of his anxiety by his mom who paid for everything and everyone in the movie to do and say what happened, just to get him to come home to her and know how he thinks and feels about her. The middle part is him dreaming after getting knocked out. A dream of what he wished he had, then of course it turns into a nightmare, then wakes up.
It's a world created, payed for by his mom with interpretations of anxiety, fear of judgment. The mom is behind it all, and we get to experience the anxiety that it caused beau...if that makes sense?
And yes. Both times I saw it, I made sure I went at a time the theater would be empty, and got a seat away from the other attendees, my anxiety can be so bad. Lol...I felt it all both times! Lol
I liked it. I'm an ari fan. I cant wait for 'acting class' to come next.
See it a 2nd time. I connected dots I missed the 1st time.
Walking out of the theatre in silence while you see people doing the same on screen was surreal
It was a great way to slowly reacclimate to the real world after tripping out for 3 hours
@@josiahmccallister3150 for sure haha
Nah, it was better to sit and weight for black, completely immersed in the sound of the water and the empty cavern.
I just had this realisation as well. It was so 4th wall breaking, absolutely loved it.
I didn't make it that long. I walked out after the "first act" (just when Beau wakes in the "hospital bed"). I sense this is a great movie but I found watching it unpleasant and I just decided I had had enough.
Personally I really enjoy the foreshadowing at the beginning where a mom takes a controller for an rc boat away from her son and the toy boat flips . I thought it was a good way to summarize this movie before you even watch it.
Fuck I just pieced that together, wow.
I didn't catch that. That one moment summarizes the whole picture.
YES!!! GOOD one!!! I loved the mother's "brand / mark" on literally everything in his life, right down to the "safe-living" tower block he lived in... that was a big ah-ha moment for me in the film as he was walking around his mum's house there looking at all the photos!!
Comment was more brilliant than anything he said... and I liked what he said
@Will Sibick yes I noticed it was the scene before the movie began it was literally everywhere his microwave the paint cans etc
I really like how beau is asking for help right before his boat flips, and the camera cuts to people with popcorn and drinks, just like us. And as he is crying for help the audience just watches and treats it as spectacle. Kinda a commentary how there are very obvious signs of mental illness and a need for help in front of us, but we just don’t do anything.
Biggest reach of 2023
@@chingxd5631 facts 😂
The audience of his life is actually society (the world). We see wrong happen so much many of us are either convinced its real, don't care, or just eager to see downfall than help.
@@chingxd5631 the movie from beginning to end is full of symbolism and social commentary
There was also a scene in the beginning where a man enjoying taking a video of someone who’s gonna jump off the building
I don't know if it has already been mentioned, but when Beau's boat collapses and people start to leave, you hear the same dialogues as when Beau was born. A fair way of saying that he will never have happiness because it is a constant cycle of anxiety, generational trauma and schizophrenia.
Jeez....
Here are some things I noticed about the film as well.
Am I the only one who thinks there was some childhood sexual abuse towards Beau? The way she looked and spoke to him while laying in bed, the explicit description of sex she told him as a child, her seemingly being envious of Elaine who Beau is attracted to. It would also explain his fear of sex in adulthood due to the trauma of sexual abuse.
I also noticed there's a LOT of trauma/fear around water throughout the film. There's the scene where she's getting angry with child Beau at bath time - perhaps she tried drowning him?
There's also a lot of people taking pills in this film, other than Beau. Perhaps saying how prescription drug abuse is very prominent? I'm not sure.
In his mum's office, you also see a thing about a shelter that looks just like the place Beau lives. This could represent how she is "sheltering" him from the real world and how she tries to come across as a caring person to the outside world, when she is actually abusive.
There's also a lot about Beau being filmed without his knowledge. This is a classic sign of schizophrenia - the feeling of constantly being watched and having your mind read. Real patients with Schizophrenia have even described and illustrated machines that read their minds and film them.
I definitely see wat ur talking about with the mother, the scene in bed really didn’t give me good vibes
The child sex abuse makes sense actually. I made a fucked up joke to my friends during the bed scene with his mother that “they are totally gonna bang” and for the rest of the movie we all got the feeling that’s really what was going on LOL
I agree with you. Something that called my attention was Elaine dying like his Father, and grandfather and so on. Was Elaine part of his family?
I agree, I got strong emotional incest vibes from the mother
Yes, and not to mention his dad who is weirdly affectionate in his fantasy(?), which seems like a denial of what really happened to him as a child, because his "dad" is then projected as a giant you-know-what and he's reminded of a trauma he's suppressed. Screams SA to me. Could be just a joke, but I really don't think it's stupid like that.
Very solid explanation! One thing stuck to my mind after watching Beau, and it was the successes of his mother. The film showed Mona’s accomplishments in a timeline that had Beau’s picture in some of the advertisement magazines. If I can recall correctly, she had businesses that had to do with medications, shelters, and therapy. All of which Beau had to partake in without knowing his mother was the supplier of all those things in his life. His therapist was her friend, who then specifically prescribed Beau with medication her company put out, and he lived in the shelter she owned. I believe it was Mona’s heartbreaking plan to see if Beau’s love for her was strong enough to overcome his mental state of mind by visiting her in a timely manner. Once her plan failed, staging her death was the only way to bring him home sooner. Not to mention… the paid death of his caretaker/housekeeper Martha (who probably was the only one of his life who showed him true love) was the reason for his aggression towards his attempt to strangle his mother. Not sure if my thoughts make sense after all the emotions I went through during this watch, but just wanted to leave some food for thought. Overall, I loved this movie and felt so bad for Beau. Joaquin is THEE man!
Perhaps her death is meant to portray how people with unresolved parental issues often have to work out their trauma by themselves after their parent dies. Beau had a chance to visit her while she was alive but couldn’t muster up the strength to do so.
I like this good observations
Just now recalling the scene with Martha. Yes, she was genuinely engaged with Beau - but didn’t she say “sweet dreams” or something similar then say something like “and if you don’t I’ll come back in & tickle you!” ? I remember feeling oh my god that’s pretty fu’d
Thanks for your insights!
@@mommartinez2741 she told him to be quite and if he makes a sound she gonna tickle him
so you can sense that mona didnt even bother to put him to sleep and all she cared about was some silence
@@noam1121 oh yeah, 100%. “Mom” was utterly checked out of the parenting mode
Mona, Beau’s Mother, controls every aspect of his life; Including Beau’s free will. Beau “incriminates” himself by simply having his own individual needs and boundaries outside his mother’s control. Mona, like all narcissist or psycho/sociopaths, view relationships as objects or tools to be used, including her own children. Abuse by people with these disorders happen in a cycle; which causes their victim’s personality to be eroded, their emotions disconnected, and doubts about their own reality. Mona, is a CEO of a mega corporation with her company’s logo on everything in Beau’s apartment; in which she is able to control Beau’s life in a “Truman Show” like way. Beau is constantly “incriminating” himself throughout the movie; by the end, he’s pleading with Mona to take him back. Essentially starting the cycle of malignant narcissistic abuse over and over again.
Yes! Hence the note on the napkin from Grace! “Stop incriminating yourself!”
@@allisonmyers2678 wow. these are 2 great comments.
Im a bit late to the party, but not only is Mona’s company logo all over everything in the apartment but it’s scattered across the world to. It’s as if she’s the one controlling and slowly killing society the same way that she is controlling and suffocating her son. If you notice at the end, some of the people in the mosaic of Mona are people we see in the chaotic city, like the dude with tattoos all I’ve this body.
She owned him indirectly and directly
Her face everywhere
It was great to see a movie that makes us ask "What does this mean?" Rather than "Why was this made?"
I asked both once the credits rolled
Nah this movie was trying so hard to be different and deep
@@nycboy153Almost as if you’re trying too hard to please the public with your shameful ass content
@@nycboy153a unique movie is made and u people yap about it being too different and deep as if that wasn’t the end goal 😭 weird af
@@ducky2679 no you incorrectly interpreted what I said. I like unique and deep movies, however I don’t like movies that try so damn hard at being so damn deep that it makes the entire story convoluted. There’s a difference between being a good storyteller and making things flat out confusing for the sake of creating metaphors
Overall I feel like Beau is unaware of actual danger. Beau had absolutely no concern for the brown recluse, running through the glass door, the ppl in the woods, the guy that’s tracking him, his mother’s lies, or the dark cave and waters. He has no actual understanding of himself or the world around him. Only his fears and what his mother told him. He is on a journey in a cycle of fear, guilt, and death.
He definitely has a skewed perspective but I feel like with most of those things, there was too much else going on to concern himself with those dangers in the moment. Obviously he doesn't mean to smash through glass, but on the two occasions he does that he is too panicked about another threat to take the time to open the door or avoid the broken glass. I don't know what he was meant to do about the brown recluse- everything in his building is dangerous, he has nowhere else to go and he never sees the spider until the bathtub scene so he can't trap it or anything. Also the people in the woods were the only unambiguously nice people in the film, and in reality I know a lot of hippies that live outdoors permanently (at camps in stonehenge, etc) who are kind people, so I definitely question the idea that he should have seen them as dangerous.
the skewed perception is probably a result of years of feeling lost and trauma and the way the mind manipulates itself to the point that you don't know what anything is anymore. and him being unaware of "real" danger, again he believes there is a larger most likely irrational fear that he developed which makes him take such a huge risk in the moment cause he isn't thinking. anxiety will do that to you
not much people are talking the symbolism of liquid and water, which most pivotal scene has. even Ari mentioned in a Q&A that the ending was supposed to feel like ejaculation, and that Beau has been wanting an orgasm his whole life. from the baby being surrounded by the liquid in the womb, to the therapist asking Beau about going back to a poisoned well to drink its water, the lack of water while swallowing pills, the bath scene, the paint scene, Beau's imaginary family and himself being drowned, Elaine dying after Beau ejaculates, Mona strangled and falling into a small aquarium with no water, and of course the final trial. it's almost like the presence of liquid symbolizes Mona's overbearing poisoned love that ultimately drowned Beau.
also with every death in the movie, the relationship becomes more and more personal. from the Birthday Boy Stab Man victims on TV, to the death of presumably his neighbours, to Toni (someone Beau thought he can be friends with), to the 'father' who died on top of Mona, the 'father' who got shot, Elaine, Mona, and finally Beau. every death becomes increasingly more personal to Beau.
A thought: Water is an essential element of organic life, but it can also be the cause of death (e.g. poisoned/infected water, drowning/suffocation, extreme weather, etc)
In a similar way, love and emotional connection is a requirement for human infants to survive, but in the case of Mona, that love can also be toxic or suffocating.
Also Beau last name is Wasserman which could mean Water Man (wasser means water in german)
Similarly his mom lives in Wasserton, or Water Town
@@ChrysobubulleBeau literally translates to "a person's boyfriend or admirer", Mona translates to "noble" or "aristocratic".
@@caringheart34 in what langage for Mona ? Because i never heard of it
He doesn’t have anyone
It was crazy how they all worked for MW too. Also the Father’s name was Harry Wasserman. The trial scene was so traumatizing because of the fact that the one person who was on his side ultimately gets killed because they only cared about the loud voice from Mona’s attorney.
That is an interesting point that called my attention. Did everyone work for his mother because that is how he sees the world, always controlled by his mother? I think so. Because they first start in a different context, and only later appear as working for her.
I think it symbolizes him rejecting his own feelings and arguments to his Mom's psyche drilling into his mind, and ended it (just how the attorney was thrown off and died) and started to accept his mother's smothering love, thus the cycle repeats.
I don’t know if it’s sad or exciting to say that I’ve never resonated with a movie like I did this one. While some beats of Beau’s life may not be exact to mine, the depiction of constant anxiety, dread, and guilt is so accurate. After watching it all I could think of is “wow that movie felt personal… like someone just spilled all of their anxieties out for the world to see”
Did you have an overbearing mother? That's one of the major threads in this movie.
@@cognitiumone I'd say to an extent but not in the traditionally expected way like presented in the film. There are a lot of factors for my anxiety aside from that though.
Not me healing in the comments of this video because same.
@@thatjordangirlisme It's amazing what good art can open your eyes too. Hope you get through what ever it is your dealing with.
@skeptical7758 I share this feeling and it’s quite unsurprising as someone who understands both anxiety and intimacy issues caused by generational trauma. This analysis was spot ❤
The Truman show if it was a horror movie
That's how I felt at the end lol what's crazy is there's a rapper named Cambatta that has a song called Ego Death where he depicts a similar scene like 5 years before this movie was ever made.
One of my favorite parts is when he’s on the phone and Jeeves is running around. It’s both hilarious and terrifying. It’s so odd because it’s funny but the guy is really physically intimidating and you can see how afraid Beau is.
I laughed quite a bit throughout the movie. Had me wondering how much was intentionally funny. I would imagine most of it.
I think that everything after Beau falling asleep on his mother's couch was a dream that ultimately symbolizes that Beau will never escape his feelings of guilt and his anxiety. It starts as a teenager like 'wet dream' and after his climax turns into a nightmare ending when he is on trial in front of the nameless people who constantly judge an anxious person. I loved this movie, but will need to watch it many more times.
I think he either died after getting his by the vehicle and the rest is heck or he was in coma and the very end is him dying or his mom pulls the plug and then he dies.. bc everything after he gets hit by that vehicle is crazy like a giant penis and a zombie breaking through the window to try to kill the giant penis but regardless this is the type of movie that needs to be made more often bc it’s definitely entertaining and has hidden messages for us about our society and it also makes us think and question it
I think Ari is a little above “it was all a dream”
This breakdown is excellent, thank you for doing this! I just watched Beau this afternoon and I'm still processing it. I think I may watch it again, but I'll mention two other things I noticed:
- All the posters, graffiti and signs around Beau's neighbourhood and apartment have all negative sexual connotations. I remember there being a sign in one scene that said "Death by Fucking", possibly alluding to what happens later with Elaine?
-Along with the themes of generational trauma reminiscent of Hereditary, the way the defense lawyer dies in the final scene (falling face first into a rock) definitely reminded me of Midsommar
Anytime, thank you!! And yes, all the vandalism and branding was predictive of the story to come, im happy you mentioned that specific one because I didn’t catch that! And also yes, the defense lawyer, very reminiscent of that Harga ritual haha thanks so much for mentioning these! And thank you for watching!!
Thought the dude hiding on the ceiling when Beau was bathing was a total callback to Hereditary when the mom was hiding in the shadows in the upper corner of the room.
@@wavyremix & the beheading of the maid / nanny. Just like all the women of the family were beheaded in Hereditary. & the bird too...
Pretty spot on, fav guy was the HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME. Also I don’t think you touched on how they all worked for his mom, could see them in that montage pic. Also love the play experience / bleed into the audience - kinda did that to us with the credits as they left the stadium and we left the theatre.
Or did they all work for his mom? Factually how big was his mom's company? It's possible his trauma is that severe but his treatment by others is not.
My interpretation is very heavy: Beau is the result of a rape, and his mother was a child when she was raped. I explain:
People sexually abused in childhood have a heavy relationship with guilt. It's common to feel guilt for having been abused, as was my case. The key scene is Beau's bath, where he's a little kid and he looks in the mirror, and there's that girl from the Ship giving him a bath, who is actually Mona, a premature mother, giving Beau a bath.
Something that reinforces this: for a child, his sexual abuser's penis is giant and hurts like in the movie.
Mona hates and loves Beau at the same time because, even though he is her beloved son, he is still a reminder and a fruit of her greatest suffering. She did the best she could.
Beau's key feeling is guilt, because he unconsciously knows that for him to exist, his mother had to suffer a lot.
There's a lot more to it, like Mona's company focusing on security products because she wanted to protect Beau from what happened to her. The sex Beau had with the girl on the Ship is an Oedipus analogy. Mona wanted to castrate her son for fear of him abusing other girls as they had done to her, due to a conflicted relationship she has with the male figure. There's still a lot to say.
What do you think?
makes a lot of sense
This makes a ton of sense. I also had the feeling that Beau might've been the result of a rape when Mona was telling him this elaborate story of his father dying that would not sound believable to an adult.
this is a top tier breakdown. For a movie that so harshly divides its audience, it’s refreshing to see such a sharp take on a film that I feel, for the bullets you articulate, IS an unironic masterwork; at the very least for the points you’ve made clear. You’ve earned a new subscriber 🤝
This is so incredibly kind, thank you! It’s really fulfilling to hear that you could find hidden greatness in a film after seeing a video of mine, especially in a film as divisive as this one. This really means a lot to me, thank you so much again my friend, and welcome to the channel!
So I like ur break down a lot, one thing I noticed was the motif of water, and the emphasis on how he has to take the medication with water, and with him not having done so in a timely manner, I think is what sent him through this mushroom trip spiral, bcz even at the end of the film he died by drowning and when he read the side effects it said death as well, so I think that’s what ultimately caused his death and gives purpose to the trippy journey he goes through, it’s like some twisted dark ego death
I’ve seen the film twice, on IMAX, and have seen several reviews - and I must say this is the best breakdown of the plot I’ve seen. It was almost like a professional therapy session, so insightful and perceptive. Thank you for doing this. You’re very good at what you do👏
Omg this is so kind, thank you! Im noticing a pattern of comparisons between my videos and therapy sessions haha so that’s really cool to hear, as long as it’s both insightful and enjoyable I’m happy. And I’m super happy to hear you loved it, it really means a lot!
One of the most important running themes I kept seeing in the film was how he was always paralyzed to do anything by fear of the results, and even though he actively tried to avoid doing anything he was just thrust into those 'worst case scenarios' that a person would draw up in their nightmares while we run these situations through our dreams. The 'exact change' guy or the 'I bet if I hold this door open it'll close right before I get to it', or 'I bet that girl is telling that guy all the worst stuff about me behind my back' and it all turns out to be the absolute most terrifying realities played out. It's just a bad dream that never ends and only gets worse for him and he just can't wake up.
Watched it again for the second time in three days and was struck much more by the theme of “guilt.” After my first vowing I perceived the movie as being much more about fear and anxiety but on the second time around, I feel like it’s more pervasively about the negative consequences of feelings of guilt and shame.
This is an amazing breakdown! Just saw the film earlier today and man, it was very... unique.
The whole sequence in the forest was unlike anything I've seen in a movie before. There was something so unsettling and primal about it that I can't really explain.
I think the giant penis monster was meant to represent Beau's masculinity, which his mother took from him and locked away in the attic along with his father. The ending was just depressing and goes to show how people view mentally ill people as basically unworthy of salvation or help.
I love your interpretation of his masculinity being locked away, I never thought of it that way, and yeah, I think the whole forest sequence was my favorite part, i felt like a spell was put over me and I could tell my theatre was super locked in that part. So glad you enjoyed the video, thank you!!
@@lucasblue20 the vision of Beau's future definitely reminded me of Don Herzfeldt movies - like hopeful and sad at the same time.
Lukas, your analysis is dead on! Having worked on that movie as the Dolly grip(camera movements), I can tell you that it was the best ( ok, top 2) films of my career. Ari is super good and cool, Joaquin is a class, super nice actor, all the cast were brilliant,and the photography was exceptional! I am glad you loved it. Patrick
Cap 🧢
I aswell worked on the movie and can confirm this ( I was the giant penis)
I was the guy above the bathtub
Another movie like this and I’m Thinking of Ending Things is “Men”. It’s symbolizes and showcases a woman’s trauma when she’s on vacation. There’s a scene towards the end that’s it’s just nuts, probably even crazier to Beau is Afraid.
I was most confused by Elaine dying after they had sex. My theory is she's also a mirror of Beau. Her mom seems also abusive and overprotective and maybe she had the same story told that she would die on climax. When they get into bed, she also says ''it's been a long time''. But she is not afraid like Beau, not of her mom and not of death. You can see how unphased she is with the dead body in the cruise pool. But why does she plays the sex music from the top. Sounds random. And if it the death on climax thing was a lie for beau, why was it true for her?
It seems to be that the person who dies when they climax is the person who checks out emotionally in the relationship after intimacy, just like how it's supposedly with Beau's parents (his dad not being part of his life after). Whatever they had ends then and there.
First off, I can’t believe I am writing something this horrendous, but here is my interpretation.
Beau’s father, was a man with mental illness (recall: “I’m so sorry for what your daddy past down to you”) that raped Beau’s mother. The scenes of the bathtub and the attic are an analogy for how the truth of Beau’s conception is suffocating him in guilt (he feels guilty having been born, due to a rape). The tub shows the feelings of drowning and the attic being the thought always at the forefront of his mind. The penis monster in the attic was an example of his father (rapist).
Beau’s flash backs to his youth on the Yatch kept some cohesive narrative as to his life choices. His choices of apstinance and loyalty to the Yatch girl. The story entertwined the Yatch girl grown up at Beau’s mothers house as either spectacle or a way to make a cohesive story, however her death I would say is purely spectacle like the mid movie orchestration of how Beau’s life could have been if he had 3 son’s. Likely the Yatch girl was trying to rob Beau’s mother and tried to pull off robbing with the love seen which we’re left not knowing if it’s genuine or not. Often we the viewer get the impression that Beau’s self awareness of his mental illness and oversized testicals (a running joke) are what stops him from being able to function in a intimate relationship.
I think the caregiving part of the movie (the older couple that nurses him) was only spectacle of how Beau was taken in by other family after the car accident.
Also, I think the twist at the end of the movie where Beau’s mother is alive is just an analogy for the kind of outlandish guilt and anxiety one could put on themself for the thought or action of fornicating in their recently deceased mother’s bed (one of many anxiety provoking scenarios Beau’s mind is apart of). Also, his provoking anxiety doesn’t hold back as it simulates the scenario of his mother talking down to him to a point which angers him to choke her - which further is an example of the anxiety thoughts he could of had if this hypothetical fantasy happened in his head.
Also, mentioning another important part - Beau saying he felt forced to show love to his mother (which is a main reason he feels guilt).
I can’t figure out the army guy’s part and why he resurrected and stabbed the penis monster at the end; possibly merely as spectacle for Beau’s hatred of his father. Also, the paint drinking girl, I also have no clue about; but in short I’d say: this movie is about a mentally ill man and his every anxiety inducing thought shown cranked up to 10 and on steroids purely as a cinematic Spectacle of the feelings of anxiety related mental illness caused by hereditary traits, and a rapist father.
The movie is both a comedy and a horror movie, and not an Ari movie without shocking imagery.
Like hereditary, and midsommar , I think there are details that require decoding or at least further looks, sorta poking out of the surface. I’d love to have more insight into the decade timeline of the company on the wall in his mother’s house. It all went by so quickly but one detail i think I caught was his mother’s involvement in the building, or even the block, where beau lives. He clearly lives there for a reason, his mother’s will, perhaps to punish him, as well as to control him ultimately, and that ties into the generational trauma thing, right. There are definitely some deets buried in various shots that lay out the story, and the motivations, sorta like the journal entries and demonic textbook stuff in hereditary. Deepens the story and clarifies things a bit. I got one watch in so far. Definitely feels like a movie that will be providing rewarding rematches. Great job with the analysis, especially given that this movie is right out of the oven.
You’re totally right, there are endless details in the setting (name brands, vandalism, costumes, etc.) that tie in with the concept. It makes repeated viewings even more exciting. I’m really glad you liked the video, thank you!!
My thoughts exactly. Need to know way more to get a better understanding.
Look at my comment. His Mom was running the show. Everyone in that city and shitty apartment worked for her. It was all her. She created his anxiety. She created the exact shitty life she wanted him to be stuck in. This was such a great take on a horror movie.
SPOILER ALERT.
The scene with the dick-shaped giant monster in the attic still haunts me to this day.
Wonderfully done! Thank you fort sharing.
Beau's mom leaned on the rail and it broke off into the water. Maybe Beau used that pole to breathe air and escape when nobody was watching
Why else would it have held on that shot so long? .. 🤔
I think Ari Aster would cry watching your review, because that's so deeply perfect. You made me change the way i see the movie. And that explanation about the penis figure... man, blows my mind how it makes sense
Hahaha a crying Ari Aster reaction video would be life-defining haha and im so glad you you enjoyed the video, you’re so kind! And yeah the penis moment was the WEIRDEST moment of the whole movie so I’m glad I could make it make sense in any way. Thank you so much!!
I don't have anything super smart to add to this or anything, but the ending reminded me a ton of Pink Floyd'd The Wall.
Literally just finished watching the movie. now i have to re watch it again after watching this video
Question- If this whole movie was a metaphor for his life and fears communicated in story form, what was the actual story going on outside of Beau’s head? What were the people really like? What situations were really happening?
I really enjoyed this interpretation! You had some really incredible points that I hadn't considered. Makes me want to rewatch the movie with these thoughts in mind. :)
Thank you!! And yeah I totally feel you, I’m watching it again next week even though it’s 3 hours, I just have to haha
Excellent video. Thank you!
beautifully explained! every single moment of this film had me completely engrossed, constantly questioning the deeper meaning behind it all. honestly, it's one of those rare gems i've come across this year that managed to hold my undivided attention. ari aster has done it again! 👏🏻
I believe this movie is an allegory about the mother's pregnancy, everything in the movie represents the body of beau's mother that he is inside and totally attached to it, going to meet her is actually being born. As it is showed in the end part, all characters build the mother's picture hanging in the wall. There is a lot of details and different layers that builds the history, the ending scene connects with the first one when he is pulled out of the boat exploding and being drowned in the lake, which is the first scene of the movie where he gets out of her mother without breath during labour work.
I always enjoy your movie breakdowns. You are the only channel I watch! Thank you for all your work. It's so greatly appreciated
Omg thank you! For me to be the only one is crazy, this means a lot. And I appreciate you as well!!
I was genuinely speechless walking out of the movie
i have never commented on a youtube video of this sort before past 15 years. nice one lucas, thank you.
Great breakdown! Thanks for this.
I was already enjoying the film whilst being confuse, but this breakdown really made me feel more connected to the film.
The generational trauma has always been Ari Aster forte, but in Beau it was weirdly more revealing. The way his mom resents him for who has become & his dismissiveness towards her, but also overly protective of Beau that he became too dependent. How Beau's scared of her, blames her for how he lives, but only has her as his one true connection.
While I might not have panick attack, but I shared Beau's lack of trust, fear of relationship, & bringing a child into this world only to ruin it with my own trauma.
Well done, looking forward to more videos! Ari is a strange and complicated creative and I'm always up for discussion about his work, so good!
I totally agree, there's nothing better than a convo after an Aster movie. That's why I couldn't help but speak to the guy beside me haha so glad you enjoyed the video, thank you so much!!
You do a great job of explaining this movie! I will look forward to hearing more from your site!
Love the video man!
Great breakdown! I just watched this film, and some of it threw me for a loop. You cleared up some things I had questions on.
i also thought that the dick monster might have meant the brief relationship with his mother and his father might have been a one night stand or some form of coercion or emotional/sexual abuse or maybe he cheated which might be why his mother’s trauma represented his father as a dick monster. also it might explain the emotional incestual relationship between his mom and beau where she says anyone would be lucky to have you or her convincing him he could never have sex because she doesnt want him to leave her for another woman and also not to subject other women to the same thing she went through with his father.
his mother tried to shape beau into the man she never had while subjecting him to this emotionally incestual relationship filled with guilt trips and overwhelming and overbearing feelings of inadequacy and anxiety as well as a lack of confidence. also i think that it doesn’t matter what was real and what was fake because in beaus head its all real. ppl can only experience the world from their perspective. i like the take on elanie and how her dying signifies his inadequacy surrounding sex and how hell never be able to truly experience it because of his trauma
Do you think Elaine worked for his mother as a child? That the whole romance and the dramatic way it was torn apart, was to instill something in him by his mother?
Also, fantastic breakdown.
absolutely.
Good analysis man! I really needed this explanation.
Thank you!! So glad I could help!
Dude that line, “so easily predicted but never to be rembered” man that was perfectly put!
Thank you!! I always try to tie it all together with the last line so it really means a lot that you liked that part, thank you so much!
This was a great video! Thank u for sharing your thoughts.
I think you pretty much nailed It dude. I just watched It a couple of hours ago AND was trying to decipher what the hell I just saw. I was thinking it's some sort of a treaty about guilt AND toxic codependence. Thanks for your input. Greetings from México!
Thank you from Canada 🇨🇦 and yes, guilt is such a huge theme here. I actually almost named Theme #3 Gulit Beyond Romance. Super glad you highlighted that!!
great video mate, this was pretty helpful for me to organize my thoughts a bit after watching this movie :D
So happy to hear this, it's why I do it! Thank you so much!!
amazing analysis!
This is a truly good take. Thanks
This is absolutely phenomenal! Subscribed 3 min in!
Omg, thank you so much and welcome! Plenty more videos to come!!
Great vid man, gonna check this out when I get some free time
It's quite the trip haha hope you enjoy! And thank you!!
Incredible video man I tried looking around youtube for more content on Beau if Afraid and this was by far the best
Wow this means so much since so many CZcamsrs r talking about it, so glad you liked it, thank you!!
@@lucasblue20 of course man keep it up! Been loving the other videos on your channel since I found this one
Great video dude. Watched this film earlier today and had a lot of thoughts about it. You were able to say everything I was thinking in a far better way than I could ❤
Excellent analysis man.
Okay but where has your channel been all my life !!! This is beautifully put !! +1 sub
Omg thank you so much haha I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Plenty more to come very soon!!
Such an amazing analysis. I picked up some things while watching the film--all having to do with abusive parental relationships, internalizing and adopting the tone of a hypercritical parent to judge your own actions in adulthood (the stadium), the weight and power of misplaced guilt, etc. At least, that's my theory. Since the film weaved in and out of "reality" and more believable sequences with surreal ones, it was difficult to form a cohesive narrative. This analysis filled all the gaps and much more. I've watched a few of these videos, and this was just so insightful. Thanks so much! You have a new subscriber :)
Great explanation. Outstanding.
Loved this video! Thank you!
My pleasure, thank you!!
great analysis you've put into words what I was feeling and struggling to put into words. Thank you
One thing I thought was interesting in the trial at the end, that was foreshadowed earlier in the film as his “confession”, was the memories that were shown weren’t actually damning at all, and were quite minor things. The fact he held onto these things, felt guilt, and feared he would be harshly judged if they ever came to light was very interesting, as the crowd at the end ultimately do judge him for.
Quick and easy break down, thank you!
Saw the film yesterday, your description is spot on. Sure we could go into my indepth discussions on topics within film, but you nailed the overall purpose and overaching themes. Great job!
Thanks for such a thoughtful and insightful breakdown of this film. I feel like so many people dismissed this because it doesn't conform to their expectations of a horror film / Ari Aster project. Hearing you break down these themes and explore the depths was really refreshing and made me want to watch the film again.
You did an amazing job man ! 👍🏻
Questions:
1. What was up with the moms business? Was it a pharmaceutical/shelter home thing & (I’m not sure if I saw this correctly, but..) when Beau is looking through the timeline at his mothers house that tattooed guy was in the picture collage that made up the image of his mom. Also why was he the poster boy For everything & how did this contribute to the movie.
2. The bathtub scene with his mom. Why did it seem so out of body when his mom was taking the kid up to the attic & then would turn and ask if he wanted that too.
3. Giant penis, old Beau & ptsd guy. I get the giant penis was to convey his pent up feelings about his virginity, but wtf did it mean when that whole thing went down?
4. Were Grace and Roger in on the thing with his mom too? Why did Grace keep hinting stuff like “stop incriminating yourself” & ”go to channel 78”
5. The apartment thing. So when everybody breaks into his house, what was up with that guy that kept targeting him? What was up with that guy that kept seeking help on the top with the bathtub, and what was up with the brown recluse?
6. What was the meaning of the statue of the mother holding the baby? I noticed Beau had a picture of his mom in his apartment where she is holding Beau as an infant in the exact same way. The little statue he collects for her is damaged and he keeps holding on to it, and he eventually gives it away to the pregnant woman in the green dress. And the mom had a giant one in her front yard & got really hurt about him giving it away.
7. WAS THAT REALLY HIS DAD AT THE PLAY? Wtf why did he come up saying that & then suddenly die.
8. The guy up on the tree at the play? What was that about.
Other stuff: I thought some scenes were so funny like “sometimes she will look like a man”, the picture of the grandma at Beau’s moms house, the giant penis (a couple next to me was so fed up with the movie at this point they left), the police scene, etc. The movie also made me so anxious the whole entire time & it really felt like dang this is how Beau perceives the world how sad. I also really liked how everything was filmed, like genius angles & the order and lines and everything was *chefs kiss*
For number 4
Yes Roger was in on the stalking beau thing set up by Mona, you can see a pic of Roger on the corner of the shot of all the people on Mona's pic who work for her
While Grace seemed to try and help beau figure it out, so I wonder if she was aware of it but wasn't apart of it unlike Roger (which is why she sorta tried to hide Beau's hints from Roger)
1 and 3- Beau either had a twin brother or he's seeing it as an out if body experience of past trauma (dissociation). If the former, he had a much more assertive brother who was permanently locked away (appearing as what you've said is "old Beau" in the end), which made him fear he must always be obedient to avoid ending up like him. Or he got locked up there a few times and became passive because she threatened to permanently leave him there if he didn't behave (and he just hallucinates what he would be if that had occurred at the end). The penis is his father. It's left up to interpretation what it means- he could have been a horrible man or as I've seen someone say 'simply a penis who conceived him and then left'. It also does represent beau's fears of his own sexuality and disorder that he apparently inherited from his father. I'm not sure why the monster kills Jeeves but maybe it could represent that if Beau harnessed the more masculine and active part of himself instead of being so passive, he would be able to vanquish his own enemies. But if course Beau is absolutely terrified when he sees the creature, and doesn't want to become like that in any way.
The man in the woods explains who he is in plain terms. He's just an employee who was tasked with caring for the dad in the attic (whether he is actually a penis monster in reality or not). I do realize beau confused the issue by continually asking people if he is his father, but I think he clearly isn't.
1. His moms business *is* him, in a way. In my opinion it's drawing parallels between the overwhelming, real-life presence of megalithic corporations that shape the reality we live in and Beau's perception of his mother as this all-controlling, ever-present entity that shaped him and continues to manage his life. Beau's entire life is a derivative of his mothers influence over him, so we're shown that influence on the world that is very much viewed through Beau's lens.
2. That's Beau imagining a braver version of himself, who wasn't afraid to push his mother for answers regarding his dad. It's pointing toward the guilt he's feeling over not standing up for himself in his formative years, but also shows his fear of repercussions that may ensue.
This breakdown was incredibly clear. Great stuff, thank you!
I don’t know if it means anything, but did you guys notice how in the funeral, in the plaques on his mother’s wall, the fathers’s date of death is the same as the mother’s: July 12.
Well done, sir. Very well done!👏
brilliant analysis!
Thank you!!
The movie is actually darker than it seems, and way more complicated to explain. Beau is dead and trapped in an endless loop of his horrible lives and deaths. Beau dies many times in many different life cycles; unfortunately, his brain is playing out a loop of those memories. This explains his constant state of paranoia. His mind is drifting between the different life cycles he died in. The events that seem to happen to him are tangled up in time and space. Beau is NOT the victim, but rather the perpetrator of the events of the story. The horrible things he sees around him are actually his guilty conscience and his brain is trying to cope with what he did in his other lives. He is the naked man stabbing people and got shot by the officer. He was the loud neighbor hosting a party and was killed at the same party. He died while forcing himself on someone despite being told to stop. He strangled his abusive mother to death. He abandoned his family of three sons. He skipped his mother's funeral because he was busy. He abused his adopted sister and told her to drink paint. There are many many parts that tell of the horrible things he did in the eyes of another person. In the end, he is made to answer for his actions and condemned to downing. The drowning sounds and his mother shouting at the end of the movie are continued when Beau is seen coming out of her womb at the beginning of the movie indicating the start of another life cycle. Beau is afraid because he is trapped in an endless loop of his horrible lives and he copes with that by creating different stories and narratives that put him as the victim.
Very well explained , I think so too , and agree with you! For the sexual assault part who exactly did he assault was it the teenage girl’s friend?
One thing I noticed. Beau's lawyer at the end fell face flat to that rock pillar, completely crushing his face and dying, just like in midsummer. His decapitated maid, headless just like the mom and grandma from hereditary. I know these are Ari aster's work, and of course he's allowed to reference his past work into other projects of his, but what if, all these films are actually connected in some way? What if his mother became such a huge success because she worshiped the same demon from hereditary?🤔
Ioved your analysis
Thanks
My pleasure, thank you!!
Thanks this is the most comprehensive and believable analysis that I have seen so far.
My pleasure, and thank you! So happy to hear it’s clear and informative!
GAD, generational trauma, and DID are prominent mental health problems in this film. I love how this film almost requires a degree in psychology to understand. For instance, during the forest play scene, when the camera shows Beau’s eyes rapidly moving, this is indicating that Beau is dreaming during REM sleep. What is more, during the play/dream every time Beau is having a tranquil and happy dream, the dream quickly descends into a nightmare symbolizes that even the dreams of an anxious person are fraught with anxiety. The theme of an anxious world is prominent in Beau is Afraid but symbolically rich in this movie! Also, DID is suggested in the movie when Beau says over the recording that there was another person that would stand up to Mona, when Beau strangles Mona and then Beau’s mood abruptly changes to apologetic, suggesting that a different personality resides in Beau. DID development normally involves childhood trauma as an antecedent which also supports the them of generational trauma.
Really enjoyed this breakdown and your video for Saltburn. You do your research and deliver in a clear and concise manner.
what an excellent analysis, you nailed it!! 🙏🏼
This really means a lot, thank you!!
Great job on this analysis!
Thank you so much!!
hey man your video is perfect. i recommended beau to my therapist before i even knew why i was recommending it to her. this helped me understand.
Thank you my friend! And yeah totally, you can almost pick up the psychological themes before even understanding the movie from a technical standpoint, I totally see what you mean. Thank you for watching!!
Great analysis. I was looking forward to find a video like this yesterday after leaving the theater. I also like to dive deep into psychological explanations. I think the movie didn’t have to be 3 hours long, though. It would tell everything enough with in 2 or 2,5 hours. Very hard to stay till the end and boredom and depression haunts you
What an amazing analysis… when I searched up reviews on this movie it should highlight your video alone cause no other review can touch this.
Although I still dislike the movie, this analysis definitely helped me appreciate it more, in regards to the themes of generational trauma and mental health. I might re-watch it or at least change my letterboxd rating lol
For me, the movie made me angry and the humor never hit, but my audience seemed to laugh plenty.. even during moments that were super unfunny and uncomfortable to me (as someone with anxiety disorders). That made me so angry from start to finish. That's kind of interesting given your comment on the trial scene's audience and mental illness. I suppose I related too much to Beau in the end, or at least empathized with him.
I do wonder who was playing the defense lawyer at the end. They never showed them close up even when they fell.
Anyway, thank you for this vid!
Laughter can be a way to release tension, definitely common in horror films I have attended.
I understand. I related to Beau HARD and the humor didn’t hit often for me. I loved the movie, but I was still angry because I related to it so much and people in the audience were.. laughing. And when we left the theater, all I heard was “oh that goofy penis monster was the last straw lol!”
As someone who dealt with emotional incest with a narcissistic mother, it was infuriating to hear people completely missing the point and joking about something so very real to the people who’ve lived through it
Well done! I loved the movie and I think I am aligned with your analysis.
Appreciate you man
Great video! Keep it up.
Thank you!! Will do!
I just watched the movie and you nailed this analysis! Thanks for the video!
Pretty great synopsis. I think you nailed it. Very interesting film!! Great conversation peice.
The format by which you lay out your videos is genius. I can't believe more people don't do this.
Haha thank you! I think I just kinda fell into that format because it felt like the best way to lay it out in my first analysis video, so I’m happy to hear it’s still effective and clear, thank you so much for letting me know!
Are we really supposed to view Roger and his wife as positive ppl that Beau just cant seem to accept? It felt more like a sunken place thing where they wanted him to replace their lost son and fill that void
Great breakdown!
Thank you!!
This comment section is blowing my mind. All of these amazing analyses and i fully support each one. It just shows how many multifarious meanings are in this movie. I saw a comment that talked about how there may have been SA between Mona and beau which is what stood out the most to me in the film. His issues with intimacy seems like it could have stemmed from him being SA’d by his mother. The uncomfortableness he showed in his body language when interacting with his mom. Mona was jealous of Elaine, not only because her son’s attention is on another woman but her “man”. Lastly the se x scene between Elaine and beau seemed to almost set him free in a “oh this is how it feels to have sex in a consentul way with someone who’s not my mother” until she died and left him yet again traumatised just like his first sexual experience, hints… SA. He let his guard down and something bad happened even when it was something he wanted.