Ari Aster does not make movies for himself – he makes them for an audience to experience. If that statement reads bold or brash, it matters not; it is out in the world now. Regardless of how you feel when you walk out of his latest film, Beau Is Afraid, Aster’s characters and their situations are so compelling that you’ll think about the movie long after you’ve gotten up from your seat.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Beau, a neurotic with mommy issues. Aster‘s story is full of hurt and regret as Beau reels from a fractured relationship with his mom, Mona (Patti LuPone), a powerfully distant businesswoman. Each sequence within the story sets up stepping stones toward defining Beau’s neuroses, and Phoenix is more than up to the challenge.

Early in the film, Beau meets with his therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who prescribes a new wonder drug to help control his symptoms. We get the sense from this sequence that Beau is indeed troubled, but not for the reasons discussed; Aster’s story is layered with detail to the point where it can become overwhelming as Beau begins a journey to his mom’s home, a journey that becomes a nightmare.

The crux of Beau Is Afraid is sexual, as flashbacks to his childhood reference a romance with Elaine Bray (Parker Posey as the adult Elaine, Julia Antonelli as the teenaged Elaine) that Beau’s mom objects to. This has paralyzed Beau to the point where he cannot function effectively. Yet, he makes due until he has to head home.

Aster evokes Terry Gilliam throughout Beau Is Afraid, both in form and function. From nightmarish sequence after nightmarish sequence, Beau is put through a ringer in a nuanced way that only Aster can deliver, reflecting a mother-son dynamic. Beau Is Afraid will undoubtedly keep the audience on their toes as new characters are introduced through his journey, 0r rather, odyssey.

The centerpiece of the story involves Nathan Lane’s Roger and Amy Ryan’s Grace – the parents Beau never had and, after this situation, probably never wanted. That’s the impertinent detail about Beau Is Afraid – we don’t get to choose blood. Significantly, the horror and the comedy stem from Beau’s perspective through others’ traumas, triggering Beau’s unresolved issues.

Lane plays overbearing exceptionally well; if I were to want for a smothering parent, it would be him. On the other hand, Ryan plays the understanding, patient mom; it is an interesting what-if situation that hazily sends Beau on his battered way forward. Not, of course, before we’re introduced to Toni (Kylie Rogers), who was probably the only character I identified with while simultaneously being turned off.

Aster delivers these punches through a combination of visuals and performative art. Pawel Pogorzelski’s (Aster’s Hereditary, Midsommar) cinematography, mostly shot on darkened soundstages or locations, is a visual feast best experienced on IMAX. As horrifying as Beau Is Afraid is, the story relies on brilliant animation courtesy of Cristobal Léon and Joaquín Cociña of Chile. Their imagery moves with Aster’s ebbs and flows, which connects to Joaquin Phoenix’s performance – there is synchronicity within the character beats and the images. where the lines between the two become so blurred.

The movie could have been three hours of Phoenix and LuPone batting each other over their heads, and I would not object. Yet, the supporting cast breathes life into Beau’s journey. As Elaine Bray, Posey is alluring, Antonelli is inviting, and Phoenix wants to partake. Denis Menochét, as Jeeves, is physically aggressive, pushing us forward.

Joaquin Phoenix is the real reason to stick with Beau Is Afraid – the actor has repeatedly demonstrated his dedication to a character and a performance. He is always a joy to watch on the screen, regardless of the film genre he is tied to; a dynamic exists within the actor that I rarely find myself questioning his character or their motives. His take on Beau and Beau’s trivialities is as human as they come.

I confess that I found myself reciting the Lord’s Prayer during a particular passage into the third act. I’m not a devout Catholic, yet it gave me hope and comfort in Beau’s destiny; not that it was foretold to me, but the results weren’t exactly unexpected either, both a benefit of experience and a compelling desire to see what destiny Aster and Phoenix had in store for us, and I’ll say that I was not surprised.

Beau Is Afraid has so many allegories that the story can become overwhelming, and we can barely process them; yet the horror is so dryly and wryly funny that we’ve no choice but to roll along with the punches, akin to Jack Tripper. I also expected Katherine Helmond to pop out somewhere, but that wasn’t possible. What is possible is Ari Aster’s brilliance as a writer-director and Joaquin Phoenix’s commitment to his performance.