The Brutalist Review

Brady Corbet’s three-and-a-half hour epic is a grandiose exploration of addiction, discrimination and obsession

A tale about big dreams and crushing realities, The Brutalist follows the life of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), an architect who emigrates from his native Hungary after surviving the Holocaust. The film focuses on a period of roughly 13 years (excluding a short epilogue), over which László arrives in America and, after initial struggles, is commissioned to work on a grand project for the wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Ritchie).

As László steps off the train we see the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom and hope, upside down. This foreshadows László’s coming journey as a Hungarian-Jewish immigrant in the supposed land of opportunity. Initially, László lodges with his cousin, Attila (Alessandro Nivola) and his wife, Audrey (Emma Laird) and agrees to help out with Atilla’s furniture business. But when a job for the Van Burens is badly received, László is thrown out and subjected to years of poverty, falling into addiction.

But Harrison eventually hunts down László, apologising for his outburst about Laszlo’s work and paying him in full. He invites László to a party at his estate, during which he reveals his offer. Come and live on the estate and assume the role of chief architect for the development of the Van Buren Institute, a tribute to Harrison’s late mother.

László’s wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) and niece, Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy) remain stuck in Europe and for the opening portion of the film we hear of them only via narrated letters between László and Erzebet. Once they secure passage to join László in Philadelphia, Jones steals the show with her portrayal of a woman whose intellect and temperament surpass those around her in a male-dominated world. Erzsébet serves as the calm rational to László’s tortured genius, all while battling through deteriorating health.

The Brutalist is littered with magnificent performances. Brody is excellent as ever, while Ritchie nails Van Buren’s intellectual snobbery and volatile temper. Similarities can be drawn with the power dynamics between Lancaster Dodd and Freddie Quell in Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master (2012). Except here, Van Buren is genuinely in thrall of László’s genius. A keen reader, Van Buren sees himself as an intellectual, clearly wishing he possessed the artistic verve to truly create something meaningful. He sees László as a visionary artist and so, deserving of his appreciation. But he never sees László as his equal, far from it. Despite respecting his mind, to Van Buren, László will always be a humble immigrant, far below the standing of a native, wealthy man like himself.

The way this relationship plays out throughout the film is fascinating and ultimately, tragic. For László too sees himself as a visionary and is allured by Van Buren’s offer and interest in his abilities. There is a certain naivety to him, believing his talents will ultimately elevate him above being seen as an outsider by the likes of Van Buren.

But as this optimism begins to erode, László falls further into the grips of addiction and depression. Clearly kind-hearted, László is a tortured genius of sorts. He needs a grand project to set his mind to, but this becomes an obsession which chips away at all other aspects of his life.

The Brutalist is a monument achievement of filmmaking, illustrating that truly epic tales can be told on a relatively modest budget (the film cost a total of just $9.6m). Seeing this in 70mm is an entrancing experience and while there is an argument no film needs to be three-and-a-half hours long, The Brutalist never feels as though it drags. Certainly, the intermission plays a part in this and it is a wonder more lengthy movies don’t incorporate one. There aren’t many reasons for someone to remain sitting, without so much as standing for a moment, for several hours at a time. Having just a few minutes to stretch your legs can make a world of difference.

In a time of growing success for far-right anti-immigration political parties in the Western world, The Brutalist is a timely depiction of the discrimination faced by those who brave the journey to a different land. Corbet extracts award-winning performances from his cast with the result producing a story that feels so real that it’s a surprise to learn it is fictional. The Brutalist will rightly be a favourite to scoop numerous accolades over award season.