TravelingbeebryantRN & Flicks_withNick

The Brutalist directed by Brady Corbet, is period film that follows the life of Laszlo Toth (portrayed by Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-Jewish architect that survives the Holocaust, and immigrated to the United States in pursuit of the “American Dream”. The movie delves into heavy themes of immigration, artistry, and relationships formed in your lifetime.

The film’s visual storytelling is one the best strengths, taking you through the life of Lazlo’s struggle. The two best shots are heavily used in their marketing. One shot in the beginning of the movie starts out very dark. Lazlo is moving around, and finds his way out of the ship.  He looks out in the sky, and the picture is an upside down shot of the Statue of Liberty. At that moment I was like “This is why we love the movies!” with the beautiful score being played. My favorite shot in the movie was Laszlo smoking a cigarette with sparks flying in front of him. This was also in the beginning of the film, and to me I felt it showed you the mood for the rest of the movie.It was a perfect example of the amazing cinematography in the film.

I know most people will look at the runtime, and will run away, but the movie includes a 15 minute intermission. I thought this was a smart idea, as the story can be a demanding watch with heavy themes. It gives you a chance to take a break, and absorb the weight of the story. To all the studios out there, please incorporate an intermission like the good ole days, if your movie is over 3 hours long.

In my last review of A Complete Unknown, I suggested that Timothee Chalamet would be a heavy contender for Best Actor at the Oscars, but now I’m torn between him, and Adrien Brody. Both delivered powerhouse performances elevating the story and character in their respective movies. This will be an exciting awards race between the two, but I might have to give the slight edge to Brody to capture Best Actor.

The movie was very ambitious, and maybe at times it over reached, which led to a muddled 2nd half of the film, compared to the first half. The 2nd half of the film at times didn’t live up to the specular expectation that the first had delivered. But at the end of the day, I’d honestly rather have a movie take some artistic risks, especially dealing with the struggle of immigration at that time.

Overall The Brutalist is a beautifully shot film, with strong performances. The slow pace with heavy themes might not make this movie an easy rewatch, but there’s no denying the breathtaking cinematic achievements the movie will receive this awards season. If you’re not queasy about subtitles or long runtimes, I would highly recommend this movie, and hope you’re willing to take this ride.

I give this movie a 4.3 / 5.

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