The Brutalist (2024): review

The Brutalist is Brady Corbet's monumental 2024 epic about Hungarian Jewish architect László Tóth. Across several decades, it explores identity, artistic integrity and exile. Its roughly 3.5-hour running time, including an intermission, asks for attention and rewards it richly.

In 1947, László, played by Adrien Brody, arrives in the United States after the devastation of the war, initially separated from his wife Erzsébet, played by Felicity Jones. He hopes to rebuild his career and find a future in America. Industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce, offers an opportunity to realize an ambitious building project. The relationship becomes a test of both artistic principle and moral endurance.

Corbet's direction matches the scale of the story. Photography chiefly using the 35 mm VistaVision format gives the film striking visual presence. Yet the epic construction also allows intimate moments in which the characters' internal struggles become clear. Production design, colour and texture make the post-war environment immersive.

The performances are outstanding. Brody gives László considerable depth, showing a man pulled between his artistic ideals and the practical demands of survival. Jones convincingly portrays Erzsébet's effort to establish herself in an unfamiliar world while sustaining her connection to her husband. Pearce makes Van Buren compelling as a figure who can appear both benefactor and exploiter.

At the centre is the question of what an artist must compromise to make a vision possible. The film connects that question to the sacrifices of exile rather than treating artistic independence as an abstract luxury. Its complex narrative and moral dilemmas give the audience much to consider.

The Brutalist is essential viewing for lovers of demanding cinema. Its visual force, performances and substantial storytelling make it an experience that continues long after the credits.