“The Brutalist”: Adrien Brody Shines in Brady Corbet’s Latest Epic

“The Brutalist” is a cinematic epic for true cinephiles.

Brady Corbet’s ‘The Brutalist’ is an epic historical drama. It feels like it was made for the most hardcore of cinephiles. Its three-and-a-half-hour runtime includes a built-in intermission. This harkens back to the epics of old. It will sit firmly in the minds of film enthusiasts. ‘The Brutalist’ stands alongside other modern epics such as ‘There Will be Blood’ and ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ ‘The Brutalist’ tells a detailed story about immigration and the American dream. It features remarkable performances from Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce.

‘The Brutalist’ centers around László Toth (Adrien Brody), a visionary architect who has been unwillingly separated from his wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), while fleeing Europe during World War II. Toth works hard to build his career in America. His life changes when wealthy client Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) offers him a massive opportunity.

The pacing is often deliberately slow. This approach lets the audience really spend time with these characters. They learn how the characters operate on a deeper level. While scenes of design and architecture don’t scream action, the underlying score by Daniel Blumberg brings a level of brass intensity, which perfectly complements the remarkable cinematography by Lol Crawley. The whole picture just looks and sounds absolutely magnificent.

Brody’s performance is incredible, even masterful at times.

Toth begins as a soft-spoken immigrant, but a different side takes hold once you see him immersed in his art,. It’s an extremely nuanced performance, the best of the Oscar-winner’s career. Pearce is also amazing as the wealthy industrialist warped by his riches. Pearce has become such a wonderful character actor over the years, and his ability to switch between charming and menacing is showcased superbly in this role. Jones enters the film much later, but her character is extremely impactful.

Brady Corbet is a young actor-turned-director in his 30s. He is telling a story on a scale that veteran directors struggle to accomplish. I was stunned to learn that Corbet also wrote the film with frequent collaborator Mona Fastvold because it feels like a tale that could only be written by someone with decades more life experience. Corbet is a young director to look out for, and I look forward to seeing more from him in the future.

Verdict

‘The Brutalist’ is long and winding, featuring incredible performances and technical achievements all around. While the material might seem unapproachable by the young and distracted casual moviegoer, the hardcore cinephiles are going to love this one.

Read more Reviews on Nerdtropolis and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube.