Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist is a nearly 4-hour epic that follows a Jewish-Hungarian architect named Lázslo Tóth. After surviving World War II and The Holocaust, Lázslo is fortunate enough to have escaped and emigrated to the United States. As He arrives, he is on a mission to reconstruct his life. This includes reuniting with his wife Erzsébet and niece Zofia, whom he was separated from, and his renowned career, immensely acclaimed. As Lázslo starts his new life in Pennsylvania, he struggles to acclimate to the American Dream. This is until he encounters a wealthy industrialist, Harrison Lee Van Buren, who changes his outlook on making it in America.

The Birth of Modern America

The Brutalist is a modern-day masterpiece; from the moment the film begins, it is clear that the viewer is about to be taken on the journey of a lifetime. The film is a surreal experience that feels archaic in tone but nostalgic in formality. The film is an epic ode to films of the past that explore broad scopes of what the world has to offer. This film is nearly 4 hours long, and it constantly keeps a steady pace, building on what’s to come next without feeling exhausted in the slightest. 

 The film is a delightful period piece about the birth of modern America, and the film spares no expense in showing that. The production design is stately in the most singular ways possible, making it more intriguing to see how the process comes together. The film uses its production to help further the film’s story, and when doing so, it also shows the cracks in the foundation. The vibe and the tone of the film are very prestigious and maintain that composure throughout, even in the most show-stopping heated scenes. Some scenes are agonizing due to the heavy dialogue, and these moments of heavy dialogue are susceptible to putting the viewer in the hot seat. This helps the audience examine what is really boiling under the internal surface of the characters.

Preeminent Performances

Adrien Brody’s portrayal of Lázslo Tóth is night and day; he incredibly embodies this role. Viewers see Lazlo humanistically evolve at his best, at his worst, and at his most conceited. This is all in hopes of gaining currency and doing everything it takes to thrive in America. With all of the flaws that the role encompasses, you can’t help but root for him because his purpose truly outweighs his personal shortcomings. This can be seen as a career reawakening for Brody due to the rigor that this role requires, and he exudes that from an abstract yet obsolete perspective. 

 Guy Pearce’s performance is sight unseen, as he’s multifaceted in the most duplicitous ways imaginable. His motives are usually led by ambition, and that vacillates throughout the film as he resembles candor in very objective moments. He is the enigma surrounding this film as he has a way of doing things in an impromptu manner, and the way everyone around him falls in line is intriguing. It could definitely be said that this is Pearce’s most versatile role.