The Brutalist (2024) Review

When László Toth a visionary architect must flee post-war Europe in 1947 and rebuild his legacy in the United States as everything is changing, attempting to be reunited with his wife against all odds.

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The Brutalist is set up in a truly epic manner and rather theatrical with an Overture, Part I: The Enigma of Arrival, Part 2: The Hard Core of Beauty and Epilogue: The First Architecture Biennale. Not forgetting a fifteen minute intermission at the cinema screening. This all certainly made it more of an event than just a another film.

In the overture we meet Hungarian-Jewish László Tóth who had been seperated from his wife and orphaned niece were all Holocaust survivors. He managed to get himself to the United States and unites with his cousin in Philadelphia.

Part 1 – We hit 1947, and during this pivotal year, Attila offers László work in his furniture business, a gesture that seems to open up new doors and possibilities, making everything look like it is going to be more positive for everyone involved. However, as we delve deeper into László’s world, we quickly realize that nothing is ever going to be easy or nice for him; his life has way too many tragic moments that overshadow simple joys. Despite the appearance of stability offered by Attila’s support, László battles an undercurrent of despair, wrestling with haunting memories and relentless misfortune that cling to him.

In a cruel twist of fate, despite incredible work on a library for Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr organised by his son Harry this actually sees László back to a horrific style of life when his cousin asks him to leave. He is left struggling to survive despite his background as a successful architect before the war. Then you have to throw in trying to be reunited with his wife Erzebet and niece which never really feels as though it is going to happen.

Despite that though Harrison would be the best thing to happen to László until he became the worst. That is saying a lot as well considering everything that had happened in him until his life, but almost a week on from seeing the film THAT scene in part 2 has still shook me to the core. It was utterly unexpected and pushed everything to a place that I certainly was not expecting at all.

I can’t really say this is a film that I found incredible or amazing in the traditional , but I fully appreciated the performances and style. I would firmly have it as a film that one viewing is all it needs for me. Adrien Brody is very impressive and it is somewhat of a performance that we have grown to expect from him. I thought Guy Pearce was a scene stealer with his utterly charming yet unhinged character. Felicity Jones puts in a decent performance, but I cannot say it was anything that blew me away.

The interesting aspects of the story delve into the differences in social classes and how that can have such an detrimental impact on those at the bottom, not having any option to say no and being forever in debt. While also adding in aspects of dealing with trauma from events which happen to you.