The Brutalist (2024)
Reported to be a searing cinematic achievement, The Brutalist can’t quite deliver on what could have been a poignant fictional biopic.
When Lázló Tóth immigrates to the United States after being liberated from a concretion camp and fails to find his footing, he encounters an America that is harsh and unwelcoming to someone who sounds so foreign. Initially assisted by his recently converted Catholic cousin, Tóth begins to pick up the pieces of his life while striving to not lose sight of the futures for his wife and niece who had to remain behind in Budapest.
When Tóth is introduced to a wealthy client, his life changes in a heartbeat but what follows is a tragic roller coaster that ultimately poses the question: is there truly generosity in the world, or are we expected to repay what we receive?
Over the three and a half hour runtime, the audience is given a generous amount of story to digest but unfortunately it seems to build up to a climax that is just as confined and hollow as the building the story’s protagonist is charged with building.
Thankfully, the film contains a fifteen minute intermission which allows the audience a reprieve halfway through the story, allowing time for reflection and speculation about what is to happen next. While the general concept of what was to happen, did occur, director Brady Corbet made some decidedly odd choices in the second half of the film that left me scratching my head.
Though the story attempts to encapsulate the later years of the fictional Tóth’s life, the amount of loose ends are too numerous to forgive.
Though there has been some discord surrounding the film since it’s wide release regarding the use of AI within the film, there is no doubt that the performances within the piece are sublime. Adrien Brody and Guy Pierce being the two major standouts.
Brody has once again thrown himself into a complicated and tortured character and his portrayal is nothing short of heartbreaking. From the moment he disembarks the ship in New York harbor, Brody shows us a man who is broken and is simply looking for a way to survive a new world after escaping an unforgiving past. His expression of grief and sadness when his past architectural designs are shown to him are enough to shatter even the most jaded heart and that same passion continues throughout the entirety of the piece.
Guy Pierce makes just as big of an impression, though it is through his almost sadistic charm that we are drawn into his character’s, Harrison Van Buren, world of luxury and fortune. Pierce has been missing from the big screen for too long and this performance is something that is a spectacular return for the actor.
Although the film does tend to drag at times, due to an unfortunate pacing problem, there is true beauty in the cinematography and score. I believe that you will be hard pressed to find a more sweeping score this season in any film. The prominence of the French horn simply transcends and conveys raw emotion with both bravado and grace.
Although I do not feel as if it should be named Best Picture this year; Brady Corbet has given a valiant attempt at creating a new American Epic but sadly it just feels like a rushed limited series brought to the movie screen. It leaves the audience with too many questions and that begs the question: if you can’t fully convey a story within 3.5 hours, is the story really worth of the silver screen or should it be shown via a streaming service (which is not a negative in any regard)?
