How do you organize the chaos of a screenplay’s plot? It is safe to say that Ari Aster’s third feature film, Beau is Afraid, is utterly bizarre and absurd in the best of ways. While I believed this film was Aster’s vision of modern America. But as the film entered its third act, I realized that this is Aster’s Postmodern vision of the American family, as all his films are. Aster is no stranger to exploring complex and horrific relationships in his films, with Hereditary and Midsommar putting the traumas of the family dynamic on display through haunting imagery and gut-wrenching dialogue (the first example that comes to mind is Annie’s (Toni Collette) monologue during the dinner scene in Hereditary). Rather than talk about the many, many upsetting layers of Beau is Afraid, I want to talk about the narrative structure of the film and why it works for this story. Let’s get into it. Editor’s Note: This post contains spoilers for Beau is Afraid. Read More...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 1 May, 2023