A man traverses through the dark, claustrophobic interior of a ship. He passes by other travellers, squeezing past them before emerging on the ship’s deck. We are hit with light from outside, and the man celebrates upon realizing he has arrived at his destination. The camera then pans to the beacon of hope that many see upon entering the United States: The Statue of Liberty. However, this familiar icon is upside down, providing a striking image that acts as a harbinger of things to come.
This scene plays out at the very beginning of The Brutalist, an epic drama about a Hungarian architect who emigrates to America to start a new life. The film, which runs at a hefty 215 minutes (with an intermission) covers many themes, with the American Dream and the sacrifices we make to better our lives chief among them. It also has a lot to do with the journeys we take, and how the stops along the way, as well as the final destination, may differ from what we expect. This is illustrated in the scene described above, as the places we end up in life can often be different than we anticipate. Not to mention that the journey to get there can be arduous. The Brutalist takes us on such a journey, which is difficult and filled with obstacles, but has moments of victory along the way. The film unfolds on a grand scale, telling a staggering tale of creation, immigration, and achieving your life’s work. But above all, it asks the question of whether the pain and labor of building a better life for yourself and others is worth it or not, which gives the viewer a lot to consider. The Brutalist may offer no easy answers, but it is a moving, monumental film that is mind-blowing on a technical level, and wrestles with some interesting ideas in the process.
Hungarian-born Jewish architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) emigrates to America in order to begin a new life after surviving the Holocaust. After arriving in the US, he begins helping out at his cousin’s furniture business, where he is given an opportunity to help renovate the library at the home of industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce). This event eventually leads Harrison to commission László to build a massive community center in honor of his late mother. László accepts, and begins work immediately. As the project gains steam, he runs into trouble bringing his vision to life, as he clashes with other developers, as well as Harrison and his family. Through it all, László continues to fight for a better life amidst the obstacles life throws his way.
Having been fortunate enough to see this film twice before writing this review, I am gobsmacked by how detailed and meaningful it is. There are so many things in this film that I could write at length about, as it is so multi-faceted and covers an array of themes. There’s plenty to latch onto, and even after a second viewing, I still think there’s more to explore and consider. Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold’s script tells a story of what it means to create something, whether that be a massive building or a brand new life. But more than that, it also focuses on immigration, assimilation, prejudice, class divides, artistry and addiction to name a few. The film may be long, but it doesn’t waste a single second, giving the audience much to digest over its runtime. It may be a lot to take in at once, but it is hard to deny how profound and weighty the film as a whole is.
Much of this comes from László’s journey and interactions with those around him, which uncover attitudes towards him based on his identity and ambitious mindset. László could easily assimilate to American culture like his cousin Atilla did, but mostly stays true to himself as a person. He does have to make concessions in order to gain funding for the community center he’s brought on to design, notably the inclusion of a chapel for a Christian congregation. However, he takes this and imbues his own style, creating something that makes sense to him as an artist but will also satisfy investors and community members. Almost everything László does in the film, he does his way, which is often met with resistance and the results certainly vary. But through everything, László is steadfast in his ultimate goal of rebuilding his life. The journey for him is hard, but he does everything in his power to get to where he wants to be and create what he wants to create, even if he is not always successful in his pursuits.
The most direct opposition to László ends up being the person who gives him the opportunity to design the community center in the first place. Harrison Lee Van Buren encapsulates the selfish, vapid nature of the upper class, and is the most evil character in the entire film. He is a racist, short-tempered, greedy man who only cares about László when it benefits him. When the two characters first meet, Harrison berates him and is aggressive towards him. But when his library that László renovated starts getting attention, he treats him with kindness and invites him to come visit his mansion. Harrison is glad to welcome him and show him off to his wealthy acquaintances, but once the night is over, László is left without a ride back home. This alone shows the true mindset of Harrison, as he wants to have a good image in the public eye, and will only treat people with basic human dignity if it benefits that desire. This characterization parallels the unfortunate attitude many have towards immigrants and other people from marginalized groups, and zeros directly in on the greed and prejudice that afflict some of the world’s richest people.
The film’s efficacy in conveying many of its themes does come from Brady Corbet’s direction, as well as his and Fastvold’s script, but the performances also help significantly. Adrien Brody gives a career-best turn as László Toth, and is so compelling to watch. He captures László’s drive and ambition so well, and it fuels his entire performance. Brody has these big bursts of emotion at various parts of the film, but it is the moments that he restrains himself or puts a lid on László’s true feelings that really impressed me. He is so focused every step of the way, and has so much pathos in his portrayal of László. It is one of the most fully-formed performances I’ve seen all year, and truly blew me away.
Guy Pearce also left an impression on me, as he plays an absolutely irredeemable person and does it incredibly well. From the moment he first appears as Harrison Lee Van Buren, he is unpleasant and irascible, but goes through waves where tries to come off more benevolent and kind. These waves are all an act, of course, but it plays into the character’s shallowness perfectly. This role is the type that could be played way over-the-top, and while Pearce certainly goes bigger than anyone else in the film, he never overdoes anything. He carries an interesting energy to the film, bringing out a selfishness in the character that contrasts with László’s hard-working determination. The two are polar opposites, as László is willing to do what it takes to get what he wants, and Harrison just wants other people to do the work so he can reap the benefits. Harrison is a despicable character, but Pearce embodies him so fully and makes you hate him.
The biggest surprise of the whole film is Felicity Jones, who plays László’s wife Erzsébet. Jones is an actor who has never really stood out to me, but she is truly next-level here. She is the heart and soul of the film, even though she doesn’t show up until the second half. She truly changes the temperature of the entire film once she appears, as she has a more headstrong nature and is not afraid to speak her mind. There is a confidence to her that shines through her performance, and plays so well off her co-stars. She has great chemistry with Brody, and you can feel the love between their characters all throughout the film. Jones also gets one of the film’s best scenes, which takes place near the end. I won’t spoil it here, but it is a heartbreaking moment that allows her to go full force and she nails it. This is easily my favorite performance I’ve seen from her, and I hope we get to see more work on this level from her in the future.
The Brutalist grabbed my attention before we even see anything, with Daniel Blumberg’s overture properly setting the tone for the entire film. His score is tremendous, utilizing piano, strings, and brass splendidly, and fits perfectly all throughout the film. It feels like the type of grand, sweeping score that we don’t hear much anymore, which makes sense given that this film is the type of epic cinematic work that we don’t see much anymore. The film is beautifully shot by Lol Crawley, who captures the beauty and sheer scope of the world of the film. Using the VistaVision process and cameras, it connects to its 1950s setting by looking and feeling like an old-school epic, and features some absolutely amazing cinematography. This is aided by the film’s production design, which matches the scale of the whole film, especially when it comes to capturing László’s architecture. The use of color and specific costume pieces further help the film’s incredible visuals, and make this a jaw-dropping spectacle, and one that should be experienced on the biggest screen possible.
The Brutalist is undoubtedly one of the most staggeringly impressive films I’ve seen in years. It is a massive, immersive experience that gives the audience a feast for the eyes and the mind, delivering strong visuals and potent themes. Everything in this film operates at the highest levels of quality, and is a wonder to behold. This is a film that I could honestly write a whole book about because there is so much to examine and discuss throughout. Even the smallest of details has so much to dig into, and I love to see that in a film. The Brutalist is an absolute masterpiece that shows the full power of Brady Corbet as a filmmaker, and is a truly extraordinary work of cinema.
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