An epic film with gorgeous cinematography and fantastic performances, The Brutalist, about one man’s personal and professional journey in the US after the Holocaust, is a tad pretentious and a little too long.
I have no problem watching a long film. I have watched all three extended cut Lord of the Rings films in a one day 11-hour marathon with my son, and Schindler’s List and Titanic multiple times. If the story can hold through the entire runtime, I am here for it. I am in. So when I heard that this film was over 3 hours long, that didn’t scare me at all.
The Brutalist is about László Tóth, a Hungarian Jew who has survived the Holocaust and has just reached the United States, where he is greeted and housed by his cousin. A notable architect before the war, Tóth eventually makes employment connections with the wealthy Harrison Van Buren and works to retrieve his wife and niece from Europe, where they have been stuck since the war ended.
This movie deservedly won the Academy Awards for both cinematography and original score. In addition to the acting, which we’ll talk about in a minute, those were by far the best parts. The music is often on point for what you’d expect of the emotion in a scene, but shortly, something very different and unexpected will play. Rock music or loud notes, meant to amp up your anxiety or place you in a different year. It’s very difficult to describe in words, but it is remarkable the emotions it elicits from you.
The visuals are stunning. Vast shots of land, caves, and towns in addition to very quiet, intimate moments. The architecture itself is essentially its own character, as buildings, sketches, and intricacies in design are always around. Even the angle on the movie poster is indicative of design.
Adrien Brody plays László Tóth, and absolutely deserved the Academy Award for this role. This is a man who struggles with the weight of both physical and mental pain, a broken spirit, and a constant battle with trying to maintain power in his life. He is obsessive about his art and his own talent, but all of the factors around him work heavily to strip him of his autonomy. It is a heavy burden that I can only imagine took Brody time to release after filming. Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce are also excellent.
While the length of the film didn’t bother me and I didn’t get bored, I am still not sure why it had to be as long as it was. It felt as if they were intending to create a saga of the life of a man, but, for me, that choice came off as a little more pretentious than honest. It took over 2 hours for me to establish any kind of emotional connection to the film, which is a long time. It seems as if the first few hours are the foundational building blocks and the last hour and a half are the rest of the structure. And I get it, I will just always wonder if it is necessary.
There are many wonderful things about The Brutalist, including the acting, cinematography, and sound design, and there are some specific events that will keep me thinking about it. It is worth watching, so snuggle into the couch on a rainy day in the future and grab a bowl of popcorn. It’s a time investment.
Runtime: 202 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English, Hungarian, Italian, Hebrew, and Yiddish with English subtitles
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Max and Hulu, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have no problem watching a long film. I have watched all three extended cut Lord of the Rings films in a one day 11-hour marathon with my son, and Schindler’s List and Titanic multiple times. If the story can hold through the entire runtime, I am here for it. I am in. So when I heard that this film was over 3 hours long, that didn’t scare me at all.
