The Brutalist

Pursuing the American Dream is an ambition of almost every immigrant who manages to make it to this country’s shores. Its realization can take many forms, too, depending on one’s circumstances. But, as many new arrivals discover for themselves, there’s no guarantee of success (or, at the very least, they may find that the journey can be more problematic than anticipated). One such story that provides the focus for this optimistic undertaking is the latest offering from writer-director Brady Corbet. The film follows the odyssey of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a fictional Jewish Hungarian architect who flees Europe in 1947 after being interred in a concentration camp during World War II. He initially struggles to assimilate, to re-establish his career, and to find a way to bring his wife, Erzsebét (Felicity Jones), to America. But, despite these sundry challenges, his fortunes change drastically when he’s commissioned to design a high-profile mixed use community center with the generous support of a wealthy and powerful benefactor, a capricious, enigmatic industrialist (Guy Pearce) whose many impulsive, emotionally charged whims provide László with a firsthand introduction to the many possibilities and pitfalls tied to that elusive American Dream. In telling this story, the filmmaker explores the ups and downs associated with these themes, as well as an array of additional diverse story threads involving the protagonist’s professional pursuits and personal life. These combined elements make for an engaging and intriguing tale, even if some of the story arcs and character traits are unevenly developed. That sometimes includes the nature of László himself, which is somewhat perplexing given the production’s hefty 3:35:00 runtime (with an included intermission), a duration that should provide ample time for the picture to sufficiently flesh out its core narrative elements and character attributes. That shortcoming aside, though, “The Brutalist” has myriad strengths to its credit, including the fine performances of Pearce, Jones, Golden Globe Award winner Brody and a host of capable supporting players, along with its superb cinematography, stirring original score, and ably sustained pacing (quite a commendable feat for a film of this length). Admittedly, this offering’s solid opening act is far superior to its back half, which tends to sag at times as it wears on, but, on balance, this Golden Globe winner for best drama and best director generally holds up well. In an awards season that has had more than its share of dismal disappointments, it’s heartening to finally find a release that comes closer to approaching the standards that a film should embody to merit the kinds of accolades and attention such honorees truly deserve. It may not be perfect, but it’s a far sight better than many of its other 2024 cinematic peers.