About the film (courtesy of A24):
Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) 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 (Guy Pearce) recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost…

Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist is not a film for the faint of heart. Clocking in at over three and a half hours, it demands patience and a willingness to immerse oneself in its deliberate pacing and contemplative tone. This epic, spanning decades and continents, tells the story of László Toth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish architect who flees post-war Europe to build a new life in America. However, his pursuit of the American Dream is marred by tragedy, forcing him to confront the ghosts of his past and the precarious nature of his future.

The film unfolds in three distinct chapters, each marked by a different visual style and emotional tenor. The first act, set in the immediate aftermath of World War II, is imbued with a sense of displacement and uncertainty. László and his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), arrive in America, haunted by the horrors they witnessed and carrying the weight of their losses. Corbet masterfully captures the atmosphere of this era, using muted colors and stark compositions to convey the couple’s fragile emotional state.

The second act sees László grappling with professional setbacks and personal tragedies. His dream commission, a sprawling modernist home for a wealthy and enigmatic client, Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), becomes a source of both hope and despair. As the project stalls and his life unravels, László descends into a psychological abyss, his idealism crumbling under the weight of his circumstances.

It is in this second act that Guy Pearce delivers a truly mesmerizing performance. Pearce exudes an aura of quiet menace, his every word and gesture laced with a chilling ambiguity. He serves as a constant reminder of the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of László’s seemingly idyllic life, a harbinger of the trials to come.

The third act, set years later, introduces a new set of challenges and offers a glimmer of hope. Erzsébet, who takes a more prominent role in this portion of the film, displays remarkable resilience and strength. Felicity Jones, though absent for a significant portion of the narrative, shines in these later scenes, conveying the depth of her character’s suffering and her unwavering determination.

While The Brutalist is undoubtedly a challenging film, it is also a deeply rewarding one. Corbet’s meticulous direction and Brody’s nuanced performance create a portrait of a man wrestling with profound loss and the enduring power of the human spirit. The film’s deliberate pacing, while perhaps testing the patience of some viewers, allows for a profound exploration of themes such as trauma, memory, and the elusive nature of the American Dream.

The film’s length might be a hurdle for some, and its contemplative nature might not appeal to those seeking a more conventional narrative. However, for those willing to embrace its deliberate rhythm and immerse themselves in its richly textured world, The Brutalist offers a profound and unforgettable cinematic experience. It is a film that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll, prompting reflection on the enduring impact of history, the complexities of human experience, and the enduring power of hope in the face of adversity.

The Brutalist gets a special limited release in New York and Los Angeles starting December 20th while the rest of the United States will have to wait until sometime in January. Here’s a crazy stat to end with. The limited release will be shown exclusively on 70mm film. The total weight of these reels, remembering that this feature is 215 minutes long, is a massive 259 pounds and if you measure the length of film from beginning to end, it’s four miles! Whoa!!! That’s all.