Netflix UK and Ireland has just added Beau is Afraid, the incredibly surreal black 2023 comedy starring Joaquin Phoenix, to its library.

Directed by Hereditary and Midsommar's Ari Aster, the film is about a man attempting to go and visit his mother. It's really about a lot more than that, and a lot of strange things happen, but that would be giving it away.

We will say that it also stars Agatha All Along's Patti LuPone, The Lion King's Nathan Lane, The White Lotus season 3's Parker Posey, and Barry's Bill Hader.

nathan lane, joaquin phoenix, amy ryan, beau is afraid
A24

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Upon its release, The Independent wrote that the film is "a three-hour comedy of bad vibes and ritual humiliation. It's as memorable, audacious, and indulgent as you'd hope from A24's most expensive film to date."

The film's "bizarre" (via Huffington Post) nature wasn't to everyone's tastes, but if you're in the mood for something weird and you're a Netflix subscriber, it's easier than ever to give Beau a go.

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Following the release of Beau is Afraid, Joaquin Phoenix starred in Joker: Folie à Deux, which didn't do very with critics, or at the box office.

joaquin phoenix, beau is afraid
A24

Related: Joaquin Phoenix talked to Christopher Nolan about Dark Knight Joker role

The actor also recently exited an untitled gay romance film that he had co-written shortly before it was due to go into production, and the entire project has been on ice ever since.

When asked about it at a Joker press conference, he said: "If I do [answer], I would just be sharing my opinion from my perspective and the other creatives aren’t here to say their piece, and it just doesn’t feel like that would be right.

"I’m not sure how that would be helpful. So I don't think I will."

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Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he's covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small. A big fan of TV and movies both mainstream and obscure, Joe also enjoys video games and in particular PlayStation. Joe currently does not use Twitter, but he only ever used it to tell people to watch the film Help! I'm a Fish.