THE BRUTALIST (2024)

Genre: Drama
Director: Brady Corbet
Cast: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Isaach De Bankolé, Alessandro Nivola
Runtime: 3 hrs 35 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes and Sexual Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 20 February 2025

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.

Movie Review:

Pardon this writer’s ignorance, because he thought that he was watching a biopic when the story of this movie’s protagonist unfolded on screen. For 215 minutes (yes, you read that right), we see how László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor architect navigating through life after arriving in the United States as an immigrant. He experiences many ups and downs, and eventually the film shows an elderly version of László attending an event which celebrates his works through the decades.

You have to admit that this is a structure that many biopics have taken, and you’d walk out of the cinema feeling inspired by the character’s triumphs. It’s about an immigrant’s difficult journey as he grapples with the American Dream, and this is the kind of plot that will move audiences.

But this movie directed by Brady Corbet is not based on any true story. And yet, the original screenplay co-written by Corbet with Mona Fastvold triumphs as one of the most epic and sincerest life story this reviewer has experienced.

Maybe it’s because László is heartachingly played by Adrien Brody, and this performance reminds us of his Oscar-winning role in Roman Polanski’s The Pianist (2002). Brody’s sharp and angular facial features make you feel he is László, a man who has gone through life’s toughest moments. Brody’s high cheekbones, chiseled jawline and noticeably angular nose bridge all help to make the character melancholically appealing. After clinching numerous Best Actor accolades, the 51-year-old actor is a favourite to take home the prize at the 97th Academy Awards, where the film garnered 10 nominations.

Brody’s passionate performance is supported by Felicity Jones (nominated for Best Supporting Actress) who plays László’s long-suffering wife who was initially left behind in a concentration camp, Guy Pearce (nominated for Best Supporting Actor) who hams it up as a haughty businessman who engages László to construct a community centre building, and Joe Alwyn who slips effortlessly into his role as the businessman’s arrogant and unkind son. The ensemble cast also includes Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Alessandro Nivola and Jonathan Hyde. Each actor competently brings something to the role, and you will be emotionally engaged throughout, despite the runtime that stretches past three hours.

So it definitely helps that the film cleverly incorporates an intermission around the halfway mark. During the intermission, a photograph (we won’t spoil it here) is displayed on the screen, accompanied by a countdown timer and a music score. This pause not only gives fidgety audiences a chance to take a break, it also ingeniously make viewers reflect what they have seen before the drama continues in the second part.

The film boasts impressive production values. Lol Crawley’s cinematography is breathtaking, and the use of VistaVision, a widescreen variant of the 35 mm motion picture film format is a treat for the eyes. One of the most visually stunning sequences in the film sees the characters making their way to the mines of Carrara to check out the marble which is usually used in sculptures and building decors. English musician Daniel Blumberg’s score features orchestral and contemporary classical elements, and the result is music that enhances the cinematic experience.

If you did not read much about the film, you may walk out of the theatre like this writer, thinking that the movie did a great job in bringing a visionary architecture’s inspiring story to life on the big screen.

Movie Rating:

(Adrien Brody commands the screen in this sweeping film, delivering a compelling cinematic experience)

Review by John Li