Adrien Brody, center, stars in “The Brutalist.” Credit: Handout via TNS
Brutalist architecture emerged in the 1950s as a post-war response to a period of rebuilding and reimagining the world.
Characterized by harsh geometric shapes and an emphasis on exposed building materials, this style had multiple meanings among different groups of people.
For Americans entering a new age of 1950s consumerism and prosperity, it offered a chance to embrace a trend that was equal parts artistic and practical.
For immigrants and refugees fleeing from the horrors of war, brutalist architecture symbolized something entirely different. Above all else, brutalism is honest. Brutalism reestablished faith in structure, providing a feeling of permanence and perseverance against erosion and destruction caused by the beating waves of time.
In “The Brutalist,” these conflicting ideologies are at constant odds with one another. Despite being fictional, the film draws inspiration from the real-world brutalism movement, also functioning as a period piece that illustrates the post-war sociological struggles of people with staggered World War II experiences.
“The Brutalist” follows a Jewish-Hungarian brutalist architect named László Tóth (Adrien Brody), who is forced to leave Europe and find work in America following the Holocaust. Tóth’s struggles to make a living in this new world are constantly overshadowed by his desire to reunite with his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) and niece Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy), who were unable to join him in America due to legal issues.
When Tóth does find work, it’s at the hands of the wealthy Van Buren family, who offer him various opportunities to design brutalist architecture for their illustrious Pennsylvanian estate.
Brody — who already earned a Best Actor Oscar for his role in the 2003 film “The Pianist” — makes a strong case for adding another accolade with his portrayal of Tóth.
Brody, however, doesn’t have to carry the weight of a great performance on his own. Each cast member adds a distinct presence that brings an ever-evolving, human feeling to every scene.
For instance, the Van Buren family features standout performances from both the father, Harrison (Guy Pearce), and his son of the same name (Joe Alwyn).
Harrison Sr.’s prim-and-proper, blunt Americanisms are in constant juxtaposition with Tóth’s cultural understandings, made even more complicated by Harry Jr.’s borderline-neurotic tendencies.
The scene-stealer of all scene-stealers, however, comes in the form of Jones’ Erzsébet.
Tóth is molded by the women in his life, as well as his relationship with his own sexuality, and no one draws out more layers in this struggle than Erzsébet. She’s an easy character to root for, despite being an incredibly complicated, multi-faceted woman who has lost time with her husband due to a global tragedy.
The film’s runtime is, well, brutal. It’s the biggest barrier in its path to fill up theater seats, and it’s understandable for people to write off a three-plus-hour runtime as overindulgent and pretentious.
But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
“The Brutalist” earns every minute of its runtime. It’s a raw, deep-cutting portrayal of the double-edged sword that is forced assimilation into American culture.
Its soundtrack, blaring with sharp blows of brass, evokes the chugging of trains on tracks and determination to persevere and build against all odds. It serves as a constant reminder of the crossing of borders and the baggage immigrants carry with them, whether it be spiritual or physical.
A rare mark against “The Brutalist” comes due to its use of generative AI.
According to a Jan. 11 Redshark News interview with director Brady Corbet and editor Dávid Jancsó, AI was used to change the way actors’ voices sounded during the Hungarian-spoken scenes, as well as to generate some of the sketches Tóth drew throughout the film.
Though this relatively minor AI use should not discredit the massive accomplishment that is the rest of the film, it’s still a noteworthy break of trust between a film and its audience.
Keeping every instance of generative AI in film in a broader dialogue, especially given that “The Brutalist” is expected to be among the top contenders for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars, is crucial.
Movies are made as a result of thousands of human jobs, and even small instances of AI use can rob people of the ability to share their talents — in this case, a dialect coach or native Hungarian speaker, not to mention authentic artists who could sketch the building designs.
One of the first shots of “The Brutalist” features the Statue of Liberty shot upside-down. There’s no better synecdoche for how the rest of the film interprets what it means to be an American; there is a dream that is offered and attainable to everyone who lays eyes on Lady Liberty — one of hard work and the ability to climb up the social ladder.
On the other hand, there is a nightmare — one of condemnatory eyes and exclusion. Across its two halves, “The Brutalist” portrays both the American dream and nightmare with undeniable skill and emotion.
Rating: 4/5
