Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Beau is Afraid.
Ari Aster’s third feature film Beau is Afraid has finally arrived. The film is a fever dream told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator, which will leave you questioning a fair bit by the time the credits start rolling after three hours of shock, awe, and absurdity.
Right here and now, however, there may be one burning question that’s on your mind more than others, assuming you’re reading this on your phone in the cinema as your screening winds down. Is there a post-credits scene, or do I have to wait around just a little longer for more answers?
Following the very one-sided “court hearing” scrutinizing Beau’s (Joaquin Phoenix) troubled relationship with his manipulative mother (Patti LuPone) which rounds out the lengthy film, Beau’s boat capsizes and the credits start rolling. Is there a stinger, or perhaps more to the tale? Or are you free to head to the bathroom after spending three hours chortling at Beau is Afraid’s various absurdities?
Is there a post-credits scene in Beau is Afraid?
Just like Ari Aster’s previous two films, Beau is Afraid doesn’t have mid or post-credits scenes of any kind. While the scene of Beau’s capsized boat lingers throughout the entirety of the credits, there are no further on-screen developments beyond the water and the boat settling. For those hoping Beau will emerge from beneath the surface and perhaps gasp for a breath of air before the screen cuts to black, this simply does not come to pass. The scene we see when Ari Aster’s name first appears on screen will not change by the time the reel finishes rolling on the A24 logo.