Star Cast: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce
Director: Brady Corbet
The Brutalist Movie Review Synopsis:
THE BRUTALIST is the story of a visionary architect. In 1947, László Tóth (Adrien Brody) arrives in the USA. He is a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor and also a reputed architect. But he’s a nobody in the USA and is forced to start from scratch. He has been forcibly separated by his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) at the concentration camp and he misses her dearly. In the USA, his cousin Attila (Alessandro Nivola) and his Catholic wife Audrey (Emma Laird) offer him accommodation and also a job at his furniture shop. One day, they meet Harry Lee Van Buren (Joe Alwyn) who asks them to renovate the library at their mansion as a surprise for his father, the wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce). László and Attila work hard and design a world-class library. Sadly, Harrison doesn’t like it and ousts the cousins from his estate. Attila blames László for the unexpected turn of events and kicks him out. As a result, László starts working as a coal labourer. Three years later, Harrison meets him and expresses regret over his behaviour. He offers him another job and through a common friend, also expedites the immigration of László’s wife and niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy). Life finally seems to be on track for László but soon, he comes across some shocking turn of events in his life. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The Brutalist Movie Story Review:
Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold’s story is intriguing. Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold’s screenplay is gripping but only in a few places. The dialogues are realistic. Sadly, in a rare instance, this Universal Studios film has no subtitles and hence, it’s a struggle to understand certain dialogues, especially the ones mouthed by Adrien Brody in his Hungarian accent.
Brady Corbet’s direction is okay. To give credit where it’s due, he uses creative filmmaking styles that impress viewers, be it the unique opening credit cards, the use of music or the final scene being presented as if it’s a footage from the bygone era. The film gives the impression that it’s based on a true story. Some scenes that stand out are Harrison ousting László for renovating his library, Harrison and László meeting after three years, László meeting Erzsébet after ages, Harry informing László that they are ‘tolerating him’ etc. The pre-climax is arresting.
On the flipside, the film has a runtime of 202 minutes. It moves at a very slow pace and tests the patience of the audience. The narrative is a bit like a docu-drama, which might not be liked by a section of the moviegoers. As mentioned above, there are no subtitles and the censor cuts further hamper the impact.
The Brutalist Movie Review Performances:
Adrien Brody delivers one of the finest performances of his career, at par with his act in THE PIANIST [2002]. He also expresses through his expressions beautifully. Felicity Jones has a late entry and then dominates the show. Guy Pearce, on the other hand, has a dramatic entry scene and later on, impresses with his subtle but impactful performance. Raffey Cassidy leaves a mark in a small role. Joe Alwyn is impressive while Alessandro Nivola, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé (Gordon), Stacy Martin (Maggie; Harrison’s daughter) and Jonathan Hyde (Leslie; builder) are decent.
The Brutalist movie music and other technical aspects:
Daniel Blumberg’s music is unconventional and adds to the cinematic appeal. Lol Crawley’s cinematography gives the film a grand appeal and is also immersive in several places. Judy Becker’s production design is very impressive and it is a must as it’s a film based on architecture. Kate Forbes’ costumes are realistic. Dávid Jancsó’s editing is slow.
The Brutalist Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, despite boasting powerhouse performances from Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce – each delivering award-worthy performances – THE BRUTALIST struggles to hold the Indian audience’s interest. While its 10 Oscar nominations have garnered global attention, the film’s sluggish narrative, lack of subtitles, excessive 202-minute runtime and censor cuts significantly dilute the experience.