Beau Is Afraid

Beau Is Afraid is a 2023 American surrealist tragicomedy film written, directed, and co-produced by Ari Aster. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, and also includes a supporting cast consisting of Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Michael Gandolfini, Zoe Lister-Jones, Armen Nahapetian, and Richard Kind. Its plot follows the mild-mannered but paranoia-ridden Beau as he embarks on a surreal odyssey to get home to his mother's house, realizing his greatest fears along the way. Distributed by A24, Beau Is Afraid premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on April 1, 2023, and began a limited theatrical release in the United States on April 14, 2023, before a wide release the following week. The film received generally positive reviews from critics but was a box-office bomb, grossing $12 million against a net production cost of $35 million. Phoenix received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.