The Brutalist (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost.

My Take – Since they are not trendy anymore, studios have stopped backing epic period dramas that used to be made on grand scales with exuberant run times, but told a simple story. But that might change considering the success story this latest from actor turned writer-director Brady Corbet (Vox Lux) and co-writer Mona Fastvold has become.

An ambitious post-war American epic that shockingly went against the every grain of what the Hollywood machine has become, by costing an unbelievable only $10 million to produce. How director Brady Corbet managed to create something that looks like it does, while procuring such an amazing cast, on such a small budget is a modern-day miracle in itself.

Adding on to the surprise is that despite being 215 minutes long, including a 15-minute intermission, the pacing is fantastic, making the back and butt runtime a complete non-issue. As the excellently written film, that pays homage to the time period and revolutionizes how we can tell stories, captivates with its masterful editing, breathtaking cinematography, grand soundtrack, adding layer to many scenes and contributing to the film’s immersive atmosphere. And of course the outstanding performances, that bring incredibly complex characters to life.

Yes, it’s not for everyone, with the last hour particularly leaving a bitter taste as the conclusion leaves us with a feeling of incompleteness and prevents the monumental project to scale much greater heights. But, it deserves appreciation for whatever it achieves. As mainly this is not a film so much about the brutalist style of architecture, but rather about character and personality during tough times, and about finding a way to utilize one’s true talent, while also remaining true to one’s roots.

This is a complex story that fully captures right from its unconventional opening credits. Making it a top contender at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards, in which it is currently nominated in 10 categories, including Best Picture.

Split into three different parts, Part 1 covers 1947 through 1952, Part 2 covers 1952 through 1960, and the Epilogue takes us to Venice in 1980. The story follows László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor and Bauhaus-trained architect, who after being forcibly separated from his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) and orphaned niece, Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy), due to administrative and governmental red tape, arrives alone in post-WWII America.

Thankfully, a familiar face from home in the form of Attila (Alessandro Nivola), his fully Americanized married cousin, is there to receive him. Attila not only provides him a room to sleep in, but also offers László employment in his custom furniture business. And when a regular client in the form of Harry Lee Van Buren (Joe Alwyn), the son of a wealthy Pennsylvanian tycoon, arrives and contracts the re-design of his father’s library, Laszlo gets a chance to show his brilliance.

But though, a surprised Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) tosses the workers out, more than half way through the completion of work out, a few years later the tycoon tracks him down and offers him a project much larger scale – a massive multi-purpose community center on a hill overlooking the city dedicated to his late mother.

The story itself is relatively straightforward, but seeing the credits pan across the screen during the film’s overture and introducing the cast and crew with a horizontal pan as a car drives across the roads of Pennsylvania looks classy, with the film’s booming bass score enhances the grandeur of it all. It’s a film that firmly believes the story it’s telling is grand in scope and scale.

Delving into topics such as immigration, identity, ambition, greed, and the desire to leave a lasting legacy, ultimately it is about the personal journey of one man trying to live the American Dream. And, we get to know him inside out, from his backstory and his strengths, to his weaknesses and his vices. A brilliant mind that accomplished so much in his home country, getting awarded for the buildings that he projected. But in this new country, he is frequently reminded of his status as an other.

Whether it be Harrison’s occasional remarks about László’s class to Harrison’s son outright stating that people only “tolerate” László, it sends a reminder that is still true to this day: an immigrant will always be one, irrespective of the efforts and years he has spent. The film also does a nice job in contextualizing the historical period, through the tragic events that happened during the 40s and 50s in Europe.

Despite all its strengths, the film is not perfect. Right from a scene set in Italy, the overall mood of narrative completely changes and never recovers. The last hour of the film feels rushed and somewhat inconclusive for certain characters who played such a significant role throughout. As if the film was building up to something grand but didn’t quite know how to wrap it up in the most satisfying way. Even epilogue of the film ends a little flat and on an odd note.

Nevertheless, the performances are truly excellent across the board. Adrien Brody fully commits himself to playing all the facets of László with passionate fervor. Given just how long the film is and how his character is the driving force of everything in the screenplay, it’s an impressive performance that deserves the nominations and awards he has been receiving.

But it is Guy Pearce who nearly steals the film with a ferocious and charismatic performance as the blue-blooded tycoon. Pearce makes the most of his juicy role and shifts from sympathy to vindictiveness with ease.

Felicity Jones too leaves quiet an impression, with mostly a somber approach throughout until it culminates with an unexpected confrontation scene. In supporting roles, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, and Alessandro Nivola are equally astounding. On the whole, ‘The Brutalist‘ is an emotionally rich cinematic experience, which despite a wavering final act manages to be elegant and stunning.