Beau is Afraid (movie 2023) because Mommy is scary

An Aster, mostly known for his indie terrors like Midsommar, has come up with an entirely different nightmare here. It is still very much his style and, more importantly, still a very A24 movie, but it's different.

How so, you may ask? Well, for one thing the horrific elements here are more absurdist; for another, they are stretched out over 180 freaking minutes. And because, like most nightmares, this one is weirdly compelling, you end up watching the entire thing in a sort of disbelief and bewilderment. 
There is a plot here. This is a movie about Beau, played by a flabbed-up, whimpering, simpering, greying, and balding (but hey, at least he isn't singing!) Joaquin Phoenix. Because he's such a good actor, he can do just about anything, but the whimpering alone makes you want to smack him. A lot.
But then, Beau has been smacked by life, which explains his tragic lifestyle. And of course, he isn't very good at life. When he sets off on a trip to visit his mother, it becomes an odyssey through an apocalyptic world that looks eerily plausible, violent, and terrifying. And Beau surviving it is due to chance not skill.
The real question here is will Beau survive returning to his mother.

The entire movie as seen in retrospect is actually all about guilt, specifically the sort Jewish mothers lay on their sons. But because An Aster's brain appears to be wired differently, it comes out as this mad allegory/metaphor. 
Joaquin is game the entire way and his mother, played by LuPone with a frightening gusto, is scarier than a clown in a sewer.
There are some fun smaller roles too, and a sex scene that truly etches itself into your mind whether you want it to or not. (One should hope not, but different strokes ...)

Overall, this isn't a movie one recommends to others or even enjoys. But it's striking enough in its awfulness and oddness to merit a view from a curious cinema buff.
Unlike so many, I wasn't a Midsommar fan. But I still remember it and may occasionally reference.it. This movie has the same sort of quality. It's weird (inventive, creative) enough to be memorable. Which seems to be Aster's thing. 
Beau is Afraid got Joaquin a Golden Globe nomination, but the movie isn't going to be another Midsommar - it's simply too weird and too long for that. Still, it may become some bizarre cult classic. 
​Watch at your own discretion.