Ever since its premiere at Venice, Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist has been the subject of much awards chatter. With comparisons to the early work of Martin Scorsese, Corbet’s film has been one of the key players on this year’s awards circuit. Corbet and cast members, Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce, having already scooped up plenty of statues, and we haven’t even arrived at the BAFTAs or Academy Awards yet. From Friday 24th January, the general public will be able to see what all the fuss is about.
Set over the course of a decade or so, The Brutalist begins in the year 1947 as architect László Tóth (Adrien Brody) flees postwar Europe to chase the American dream. Whilst life is initially hard, László’s work eventually captures the attention of the wealthy Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. (Guy Pearce) who tasks him with creating a career-defining building. Not everything is smooth sailing, and László endures more than his fair share of hardships, some self-inflicted, others not.
There is no denying that The Brutalist is a worthy awards contender. Every element from the cast, story explored, and use of 70mm during production, all scream awards bait. The result is a magnificent film that has worked hard to earn its place on the ballots rosters. It may however, have worked so hard that many won’t be able to separate the two events from one another, which could see The Brutalist left in the cold once awards season is over. This would be a travesty as Corbet has clearly put his heart and soul into The Brutalist’s meticulous creation.
Prior to spending the last decade honing his skills as a director, Brady Corbet was better known as an actor. His acting career saw him work with some of the best directors in the business such as Lars von Trier, Michael Haneke, and Gregg Araki. His collaborations with these auteurs has clearly been used as a learning ground for Corbet, with The Brutalist’s creation being as precise and as ordered as each of the directors’ own works. What makes The Brutalist so fascinating, is that although Corbet has been working as a director for only a decade, this film appears to have come from a much more mature voice. Corbet is clearly wise beyond his years and it will be hard to find a film that is as accomplished across the board as The Brualist, this year.
Assisting in making The Brutalist a success are the incredible performances of his cast. Adrien Brody currently holds the acclaim of being the youngest male performer to win an Academy Award for lead actor, and his turn as László could just bag him a second. It is László with whom the audience embark on The Brutalist’s gargantuan journey with. The character is a broken, complex, and driven man. Formerly a well respected architect in his native home, the shift to America sees László fall on hard times. Watching his progression from immigrant and homeless, to his intense role as lead architect on Buren’s project, is absorbing, thanks to the stellar work from Brody.
It is not just Brody who shines though. Guy Pearce is equally engaging as the eccentric and troubled Harrison Lee Van Buren. This character is an onion with many layers, not all of them pleasant, and the interaction between him and László creates some of The Brutalist’s greatest moments. Felicity Jones is once again on top form as László’s wife, and much of the opening third of The Brutalist is nearly stolen by a brilliant Alessandro Nivola. Each and every cast member is bringing their best and The Brutalist shines because of it.
Prior to The Brutalist’s release, one of the biggest talking points about the film had been its length. Clocking in at a meaty 215 minutes, many will wonder if it’s worth a trip to the cinema to see it, especially when the overlong pre-film adverts and trailers are factored in. Rest assured, the run time actually flies by; the inclusion of a fifteen minute intermission is vital to this. This break comes at the midpoint of the story, which is helpfully told across two acts. A trip to the cinema to see The Brutalist feels much like venturing to the theatre, the two halves of Corbet’s film working as complimentary sides whose content and tone are different enough in nature to make the second half still feel fresh. Given the break, The Brutalist feels more like watching two 100 minute movies rather than one massively long one.
Whilst the run time will make some baulk, The Brutalist really is a masterful feat. Brady Corbet has poured his blood sweat and tears into every single frame. The result is a film that may veer too close to awards baiting, but is nevertheless a powderkeg of a movie, one whose spark will hopefully continue to dazzle once the sheen of awards season has ended.
The Brutalist
Summary
Sure to be a lock-in for the big awards to come, The Brutalist establishes Brady Corbet as a new auteur whilst allowing his incredible cast to shine at their brightest.
The Brutalist arrives in UK cinemas on Friday 24th January 2024.
