★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Viewing the United States through the eyes of immigrants is a premise that many films throughout cinematic history have utilized to tell their stories. With this in mind, however, there are very few, if any at all, that have done so as effectively and incredibly well put together as 2024’s “The Brutalist”.
Directed and co-written by Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist” is a decade-spanning epic that is both incredibly bold yet simultaneously reminiscent of other great films. It has received ten Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, and for good reason, almost every element of the movie is incredibly powerful and engaging—especially the performances.
“The Brutalist” stars Adrien Brody as architect László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States looking for a better life. Upon his arrival, he initially struggles to find such a life, though he eventually receives a commission from the wealthy Harrison Lee Van Buren to build a massive community center. The film then follows László’s experience working on the project, as well as his relationships with his family, employers and the country he now resides in.
The biggest point of praise for “The Brutalist” is the performances the actors give, especially the lead. Brody returns to the cinematic spotlight with one of the most powerful performances of any career. The film touches on a great deal of extremely emotionally taxing subjects, yet at no point does Brody’s performance seem insincere or less than genuine, with every moment he is on-screen being filled with the passion of his performance.
The supporting actors are incredible as well. Guy Pearce gives perhaps a career-best performance as Harrison Lee Van Buren. As the film progresses, Van Buren fluctuates between being a likable, suave businessman to someone more mysterious and hateful, and Pearce is able to articulate both sides to a tee. Felicity Jones plays Erzsébet, László’s wife, and also brings a lot of emotion and sincerity to the part that completely sells the movie.
The performances in the film are complemented with a great screenplay and story which guides them. “The Brutalist” covers not only his work and attempts to assimilate but also his relationships and how they are affected by all that occurs around him as well. It is a very character-driven film that covers decades of their lives as you grow attached to many of them.
A key theme of “The Brutalist” is the difficulties immigrants have and continue to face in coming to America. This idea is explored largely through László and his family’s experiences, which become both positive and negative as the film progresses. The film is largely told from László’s perspective and allows the audience who may not be familiar with the struggles of immigrants to see through a window into their world, which is probably the most moving aspect of the film.
There is only one big problem with the film, which is the runtime. At over three and a half hours long, it cannot help but drag in certain areas. There are a lot of moments throughout that were in desperate need of being cut-down, yet seem to have been ignored by the editor. This would not be such a problem if it were not for the fact that the movie, as a dramatic story about a sometimes depressing subject matter, can definitely be hard to watch at times, making these elongated scenes feel even longer.
With that being said, however, as long as the film is, it is never boring. Even in moments that should have been cut down, the movie makes up for it with its great performances. The technical elements such as the cinematography and production design also make some of the longer scenes beautiful to look at. Though it definitely should have been shorter, it does not hold the movie back.
“The Brutalist” is a powerful story that has some of the year’s best performances, and should be on track to take home multiple Oscars. While not completely perfect, almost every element has been lovingly orchestrated by Brady Corbet to culminate in a deeply moving window into the life and work of an immigrant arriving in early modern America. Without a doubt, “The Brutalist” is a strong contender for one of the decade’s best films.
