Movie Review – Brutalist, The
Principal Cast : Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Ariana Labed, Stacy Martin, Alessandro Nivola, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankole, Michael Epp, Jonathan Hyde, Peter Polycarpou, Maria Sand.
Synopsis: When a visionary architect and his wife flee post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern United States, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious, wealthy client.
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If you’d told me twelve months ago that a three-hour film about a Hungarian Jew emigrating to America to build a conceptual memorial for a billionaire’s deceased mother would be in contention for Best Picture, I’d have laughed in your face. Truth be told, The Brutalist is absolutely one of the greatest films of the year, and I’d go so far as to say it’s easily one of the best films of the decade as we approach the halfway point of the 2020s. That director Brady Corbet has managed to create such a monumentally enthralling VistaVision drama on a sub-$10 million budget is nothing short of miraculous; the fact that the film is as emotionally cathartic as it is makes it even more astonishing. Led by Adrien Brody (Oscar winner for The Pianist) and a terrific Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential), not to mention a stellar supporting cast including Felicity Jones (Rogue One) and Alessandro Nivola (Jurassic Park III), The Brutalist is a magnum opus unlike any I’ve seen in decades. Admittedly, it may not be quite the pop culture zeitgeist-defining revelation that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was, but I found this film far more engaging and compelling throughout its entire runtime.
Plot synopsis courtesy of IMDb: The Brutalist is an epic historical drama that chronicles the life of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor. Fleeing post-war Europe with his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), Tóth seeks to rebuild their lives in America. Their fortunes change when they encounter the enigmatic industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. (Guy Pearce), who commissions Tóth to design a monumental modernist structure. This partnership propels Tóth into the upper echelons of American society but also entangles him in a web of complex relationships, including interactions with Van Buren’s son, Harry Lee (Joe Alwyn), and daughter, Maggie Lee (Stacy Martin). As Tóth navigates the challenges of his ambitious project, he confronts personal and professional obstacles that test his resilience and vision.
You might not recognise the name Brady Corbet, but the actor-director has been around the industry for quite some time. Appearing in films like Funny Games, Melancholia, and Clouds of Sils Maria, Corbet has become something of an indie darling with his directorial work, debuting behind the camera with The Childhood of a Leader, before finding critical success with Vox Lux, and now, perhaps his breakout film, The Brutalist. Co-writing the film with Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist could easily be compared to Todd Field’s recent TÁR, a biopic about a completely fictional person—László Tóth is a composite character drawn from multiple real-life architectural geniuses. However, this does not diminish the emotional weight of the story. One might argue that The Brutalist is a modern fable, deeply embedded in the “American Dream” trope. Tóth and his wife, Erzsébet, navigate an archetypal post-war immigrant story that is both heartbreaking and euphoric. While this period piece resonated strongly with me, there is an undeniable authenticity to the storytelling, as though we are skimming close to reality.
While I wouldn’t claim to be an expert in Hungarian architecture—or architecture of any kind—The Brutalist does not fixate on architectural detail as a primary narrative device. Instead, Corbet and his team use it as a backdrop for a deeply human drama to unfold. Although Tóth himself is a somewhat passive character, the film remains taut with themes of prejudice, financial ruin, hope, and sorrow, ultimately centring on overcoming hardship in an aspirational sense. The “genius” of László’s designs is not depicted with the kind of creative fervour one might expect from a Bernard Rose or Miloš Forman film. Instead, Corbet uses the implied brilliance of Tóth’s mind to generate external conflict and tension. Some might argue that Tóth’s lack of agency is a weakness—things happen around him, but he rarely takes an active role in shaping events—but for me, this wasn’t a significant issue. Corbet infuses his tremendous script with fascinating characters and subtext, and given the current global discourse surrounding Israel and Jewish identity, the film’s focus on a Jewish protagonist facing American bigotry feels especially timely.
While I could extol Adrien Brody’s deservedly Oscar-nominated performance for days, his portrayal of Tóth wasn’t the one that captivated me the most. Nor was it Felicity Jones’s strikingly gaunt and sorrowful performance as Erzsébet, though she commands the screen in her comparatively limited role. Rather, it was Guy Pearce who mesmerised me whenever he appeared. Playing philanthropist businessman Harrison Van Buren—a possible analogue for Rockefeller—Pearce delivers a masterful performance, embodying a volatile mix of arrogance, rage, and unbridled egotism. His keen eye for architectural genius and his willingness to invest in something grandiose for the public good make him an immensely compelling character. His dynamic with Tóth provides the film’s real spark, with Pearce’s domineering presence serving as a stark contrast to Brody’s restrained, nearly silent performance. The supporting cast is equally fantastic, including Nymphomaniac star Stacy Martin and Joe Alwyn (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk) as Pearce’s on-screen children, while Alessandro Nivola shines as Tóth’s cousin, who had the foresight to emigrate to America before the war.
It’s worth noting that The Brutalist won’t be for everyone. It contains confronting imagery and heavy thematic material, particularly concerning the Holocaust and Hungary’s fascist government, which was allied with Nazi Germany and complicit in the mass deportation and murder of Jewish citizens. While these elements serve as a backdrop rather than the film’s primary focus, they weigh heavily on Tóth’s psyche, shaping his experiences in America. Certain moments in the film reminded me of other great modern migration stories, such as The Legend of 1900, Brooklyn, and even Gangs of New York, despite the latter being set in a much earlier era.
As uncomfortable as some aspects of The Brutalist may be, and as seemingly dreary as its premise might sound, the film is a fascinating examination of American ideals and historical missteps through the lens of those who feel like outsiders in their adopted homeland. A compelling and magnetic biographical drama, it’s tempting to call The Brutalist this year’s Oppenheimer—and in many ways, it is—but this film stands uniquely on its own. Its three-hour runtime flew by, and I found myself utterly riveted by this quiet, deeply flawed, and enigmatic protagonist and his relationship with the embodiment of American wealth and power. If you’re seeking an intellectually stimulating and emotionally profound film, The Brutalist is a must-watch—arguably one of the greatest films to grace the screen in recent memory and one of the most compelling releases of 2024.
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