Ari Aster has made three acclaimed films for A24 — Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau is Afraid — and dropped a bold claim about his latest film.
While Beau is Afraid did nothing for yours truly, Aster revealed that he's “proudest” of this film.
“I would say that it's the film I'm proudest of,” Aster said in reference to Beau is Afraid to Empire. “I think it's the best filmmaking that I've done. I love the film, and I really hope that people continue to find it.”
Beau is Afraid follows a man (played by Joaquin Phoenix) on his journey to attend his mother's funeral. The film, which is nearly three-hours-long, is the most ambitious project of Aster's career to date. Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, and Stephen McKinley Henderson also star in the film.
Article Continues BelowAri Aster has made three feature films to date. While his work has never connected with this critic, all three were successes in their own right. Outside of Everything Everywhere All at Once, Aster's Hereditary is the highest-grossing film in A24's history. Midsommar, his sophomore feature, is not far behind at seventh all-time.
Beau is Afraid was not a critical hit, grossing just $11 million. It never was going to have the same sort of mainstream appeal that a Midsommar or Hereditary — which can be marketed as horror films — to be fair. And to his credit, Aster's films are original. They are also visually stunning, if nothing else, and feature some great performances.
Beau is Afraid is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital platforms now.