Released: 24th January 2025 (UK)
Length: 215 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Director: Brady Corbet
Starring: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pierce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Isaach de Bankolé and Alessandro Nivola
The epic period drama receives far less attention than it did decades ago. In a landscape dominated by blockbusters with mass-appeal, The Brutalist is incredibly bold with a huge runtime and content aimed at adults. Brady Corbet’s latest film delivers a powerhouse production that deserves many accolades.
In the aftermath of World War Two, Hungarian designer László Tóth (Adrien Brody) journeys to America to find a better life for his family and move on from the devastation of the Holocaust. The journey is long and difficult at first, but Tóth finds great fortune through his architectural talents and a partnership with the wealthy magnate Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pierce). The Brutalist is an old-school epic in every sense of the word; over three hours long with a fifteen-minute interval. Yet it glides so effortlessly and never drags, unfolding across several acts. The first half shows László’s trek across the country, a growing partnership with his friend Gordon (Isaach de Bankolé) and the beginnings of a major project; the tone is more hopeful and positive here. The second sees the protagonist reunited with his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) and niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy), but this also marks a major shift towards darker elements. With great disdain and awful behaviour from their hosts, The Brutalist goes on to deconstruct and interrogate the American Dream, resulting in many grim consequences. Dramatic tension replaces the sense of optimism as the film tackles addiction, anti-Semitism, corruption and the difficulties of assimilating. The film’s only downside is the conclusion which quickly jumps to a more modern and reflective setting while leaving one thread unresolved. The transition to the epilogue could have been handled more effectively.
The Brutalist has a wide set of characters, but the focus is on László, Harrison and eventually Erzsébet. Just like The Pianist more than two decades ago, Brody carries much of the film, presenting all sides of László with immense detail. His passion for design is placed against an underlying trauma that comes up to the surface in the film’s second act. He is quickly matched by Jones who portrays Erzsébet with an underlying strength. From the moment we first see her, health complications linger, drawing out the audience’s sympathy. Yet she’s unafraid to confront others about their misdeeds. Adrien and Felicity take their characters to some dark places further down the line and you really feel the weight of their suffering. By contrast Van Buren’s persona is booming and authoritative, conveying his sense of superiority. He represents ruthless corporatism, often losing his temper at many points. Ultimately the characters are so fascinating because their finer details are gradually revealed as the film goes on, for both good and ill.
When watching The Brutalist, you’ll notice many simple but effective techniques. From the opening credits through to driving shots, much of the production works in straight lines, mirroring the construction designs with an austere look. The atmosphere is deeply immersive, often making use of burning steel production and montage shots of Pennsylvania. This shows America’s post-war economic boom, but the film never forgets about the main plot and characters. One of the most powerful moments comes towards the end with an excellent one-take shot; Erzsébet confronts another character in a tense argument that boils over into violence. The audience is fully immersed into the sequence as the camera moves seamlessly from one side to the other. Making use of a full orchestra, the main theme is towering and grandiose, rising to a fever pitch when László takes his first look at the Statue of Liberty. But further down the line, the music becomes slower and more emotional, matching the inner conflict of the characters. The budget may be low, but this production always feels larger-than-life.
The ending is rather abrupt, but there’s no denying that The Brutalist is a superb drama that packs in so much thematic resonance. The performances are all excellent, the ideas deep and respectfully handled. Above all else it’s an original story that you’ll quickly get lost in; go and see it as soon as you can.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)
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