THE BRUTALIST - Review | TIFF 2024

Brady Corbet’s latest film is an awe-inspiring miracle with such an engrossing style/story structure reminiscent of period epics released during the 1960s - 1970s. Captured through stunning and expressive cinematography, crisp editing that makes the 3hr 30min runtime feel half its length, the grand score matching its tone perfectly. Furthermore, Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones show off a multitude of range with their ferocious and poignant career-best performances that make the fascism to capitalism transition story far more impactful. Even with a stronger first than second half where its themes become simplified during the epilogue. The Brutalist (2024) is a layered, touching, and gripping time capsule of a film that proves how a $6 million magnum opus can feel like something that was made for $200 million.

Still Courtesy – A24

Spanning over four decades and starting during the post-World War II phase of Hungary, fascist movements in the country force László Toth (portrayed by Adrien Brody) to flee from Hungary and immigrate to America in pursuit of a more autonomous life for his career. While waiting for his wife Erzsébet Tóth (portrayed by Felicity Jones) to eventually join him, the brilliant architect begins working in his cousin's furniture shop where he encounters Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. (portrayed by Guy Pearce). An incredibly wealthy industrialist starts a partnership with László for him to design a brutalist community center unlike any that the country has seen.

Taking into account the roles he’s played and the films he’s made, actor-turned-director Brady Corbet is someone who’s not afraid to be as daring and provocative as necessary depending on the stories he chooses to tell. His last directorial effort Vox Lux (2018), following the rise of a young pop star after being nearly killed at a school shooting, is something that certainly defines this; making his work at least unique even with some distracting aspects that prevent his films from being exceptional. However, with The Brutalist (2024), if Corbet’s last two films were the equivalent of a space shuttle ready to launch, The Brutalist (2024) is like that space shuttle launching into space as fast as possible. A film that is the epitome of the amount of time being spent to make something being completely worth it; to provide an exciting and transportive viewing experience that no other film this year has been able to capture.

From the 3hr 35min runtime to having an intermission with a 15min countdown to the uncommon use of VistaVision 35mm film stock for shooting the whole film (where compared to a standard 35mm frame, it's able to capture more than twice the resolution of it). It’s hard to think of any modern film containing all these aspects found in The Brutalist (2024) that harken back to 20th-century epics such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Godfather: Part II (1974) or Once Upon a Time in America (1984). Not only in style but also in story does Corbet's magnum opus share similarities with some of these films, starting during the early to mid-20th century that follow Europeans immigrating to America to build a better life for themselves and their families. However, with The Brutalist (2024), Corbet is able to provide a more internalized and sympathetic portrayal of that experience through László’s perspective.

This is established by possibly the best opening scene of a film this year reminiscent of the intense tone and tight tracking shots from Son of Saul (2015) along with an idiosyncratic and bombastic score; sounding both distinct while capturing the feeling of traditional melodic scores. That is followed by the opening credits with the titles flowing horizontally from right to left with a stunning perspective shot from a bus along with leitmotif music accompanying the visuals. It’s hard not to be hooked by the engaging execution for something that could have been more stale in the hands of a different director.

From there, Adrien Brody’s true commitment to the role while being given non-stop chances to believably showcase all types of emotions makes it very easy to connect with László and his journey. That along with the film taking its time to have full sequences consisting of basic actions and dialogue exchanges that serve to not only develop Brody’s character, but the rest of the excellent ensemble as well. Most notably for Guy Pearce who plays the film’s most eccentric and extravagant role of Harrison, which becomes blatant from the moment he’s introduced on-screen. However, more humorous and sinister layers start being revealed about him with subtle nuances to pick up on that support certain changes he makes. 

Still Courtesy – A24

It’s honestly hard deciding whether Brody or Pearce deliver the more engaging performance considering how well they work with one another, whether it’s during an argument or an intimate conversation. Even Felicity Jones whose character doesn’t appear until the second half still leaves a huge impression from her rapturous dynamic with Brody and Pearce. Especially during a confrontation scene closer to the end when standing up to Harrison where her initial innocence has gone away for her to deliver the best piece of acting from her career. Being a former actor himself, Corbet has a way of making each member of the ensemble not only deliver the best work they can but with endless subtle details that feel so effortless and natural to the world he’s created.

The film’s structure consists of being divided into two parts along with an epilogue where the intermission occurs between the two parts. When reaching the end of the first part, it’s honestly hard to find anything worth changing about it considering how consistently absorbing it remains as viewers follow Lázslo’s rise in status. However, the fact that the first part ends on such a high along with 15 minutes of pause time to be in awe of what was just witnessed. It only makes the second part’s more slow and spontaneous structure to feel that much more apparent. Luckily, the first part of The Brutalist (2024) does such an excellent job of hooking viewers to its world and characters that the change in pace/structure isn’t as distracting. Even with some uneven moments that may feel stretched out, there’s still an interest to see how the distinct characters will resolve their conflicts, which leads to some of the film’s most satisfying and heartbreaking scenes that feel earned for the scattered hints that would develop certain actions occurring.

Before the epilogue, the last scene which showcases the escape of a character to one of the main sets that all look so spacious, gothic, and intricate that it’s astonishing how much this film could show with only a $6 million production budget according to Brady Corbet. Anyways, it would have been a very haunting/vague but earned manner of ending the character’s journey, but then there’s a massive time jump where an epilogue takes place that primarily serves to make the film’s themes unsubtly clear to viewers. This ends up being the most unnecessary aspect of the film along with a casting decision from the epilogue. While not as distracting as the additional role that Corbet gave to Raffey Cassidy in Vox Lux (2018) given her other role's lack of screen time. It’s basically the same choice he made in Vox Lux (2018) where if viewers know about her two roles in that film, they’ll realize how much of a confounding choice it is despite her subtle but striking work in this film.

In current times when one could argue that the movie-watching experience feels less special due to the constant and unavoidable exposure to screens and videos that’s only been exponentially increasing. It’s incredible to have Brady Corbet spend seven years assembling The Brutalist (2024) with not as many resources as expected, resulting in an enthralling and miraculous epic for the ages. At the same time, one with a retro presentation that best serves the story while standing out from how most films are made nowadays. Suppose the creation of this film isn’t inspiring to see how much is possible to do with limited resources along with its moving story of defying expectations and remaining persistent to unlock one’s full potential. In that case, it’s unclear as to what would be more inspirational than The Brutalist (2024) for cinema. Thirty years from now, when people watch this movie and are surprised that it was released in 2024 when they would have assumed that it came out in the 1960s - 1970’s, that’s when Corbet should know that he’s made a timeless masterwork.

Verdict

10/10

Still Courtesy – A24