Following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic odyssey back home.
Direction
Aster transforms anxiety into three-act visual symphony.
Acting
Phoenix's full-body panic performance is genuinely uncomfortable.
Production
Absurdly detailed sets that breathe with menace.
Director
Ari Aster
Joaquin Phoenix
Beau Wassermann
Patti LuPone
Mona Wassermann
Amy Ryan
Grace
Nathan Lane
Roger
Kylie Rogers
Toni
Denis Ménochet
Jeeves
Parker Posey
Elaine Bray
Zoe Lister-Jones
Young Mona
Armen Nahapetian
Teen Beau
Julia Antonelli
Teen Elaine
Stephen McKinley Henderson
Therapist
Richard Kind
Dr. Cohen
Hayley Squires
Penelope
Julian Richings
Strange Man
Bill Hader
UPS Guy
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Aster expanded his 2011 short film 'Beau' into this epic, originally planning it before 'Hereditary.' The runtime nearly killed distributor A24.
The entire film operates as an unreliable narrator experience—every traumatic event may be Beau's guilt-ridden projection rather than reality, making the 'adventure' potentially pure dissociative fantasy.
US
