The Brutalist (2024)

When a visionary architect and his wife flee post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern United States, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious, wealthy client.

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Main Cast:

Adrien Brody

Guy Pearce

Felicity Jones

Main Crew:

Directed by Brady Corbet

Written by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

Edited by Dávid Jancsó

Scored by Daniel Blumberg

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Making time for a three-and-a-half-hour film is hard for anyone—especially about an architect. By design, Director Brady Corbet was obtuse in regards to the themes of the film which was a bold choice due to the run time. All of which pays off during the film. 

It's about obsession, addiction, intelligence, class, politics, and pain. But it's also as much about architecture. But none of that is explicit, you'll have to ::gasp:: PAY ATTENTION. 

I could wax poetic about this film for hours or pages, but I want you all to see it first... then, if you'd like, we could have a conversation about it. 

Filmed in VitaVision, a film format invented in 1954, in 35mm, this film is stunning to look at on a big screen. 

And the most fantastic part of the film for me is the score. Daniel Blumberg ups the ante of grandeur with this mammoth score.... and it hits you from the jump Bah Bah bah... BAHHHHHHHHHH. You'll know what that means when you hear it. 

Adrie Brody may be on the posters and the focus of the film, and he is wonderful, but Guy Pearce steals the show. At once a cocky, self-confident man of wealth while also being a weak-willed and weak-minded confused child with petulance to boot, Pearce shows range I never knew he had. In one scene, one of the best scenes in years, Pearce and Brody go tete-a-tete while sipping brandy at a party meant to woo Brody's Toth while also belittle him. It's a showcase of talent we don't see often. The last time I recall seeing it was Cate Blanchette at Julliard in Tar. 

I did find Felicity Jones to be miscast and it leaves me to wonder if Brady Corbet may have a problem similar to early Nolan. Time will tell because Nolan outgrew his issue with Oppenheimer. 

For now, we will leave it at this:

The first act is a masterpiece. The second act is slightly disorganized and dare I say, rushed. The epilogue blew me away. And now I have to see it again before it leaves the big screen.