Where should you start with a movie that lasts 3 hours and 35 minutes? A movie with such epic scope but also a laser-focused story on the life and times of one man over the span of 13+ years? The Brutalist answers some of these questions and leaves you with plenty of others through its absolutely epic runtime. Adding to that the film is shot entirely on 70mm film, giving it an aesthetic of movies from the same time period.

If you’ve ever been told of “The American Dream”, The Brutalist shows both sides of that coin. It shows the side where someone rises up from nothing and creates a life full of wonder and riches. It also shows the hardships that come with emigrating to the United States. There’s plenty of commentary throughout the film on this process, and how America really feels about its people. The story of architect László Tóth is one that is like the title says, brutal. Adrien Brody gives László a deep side of humanity but doesn’t shy away from his worst qualities. This isn’t a movie about glorifying the acts of a desperate, lonely, and flawed man.

Joining Brody in the cast is Guy Pearce, who plays Harrison Van Buren. Van Buren is a Jay Gatsby-type who plays up a deep intellect and love of the fine arts. As the film goes on, you realize that his intellect and love is only skin-deep. He physically represents the end goal of that “American Dream.” László’s wife Erzsébet and his neice Zsófia are played by Felicity Jones and Raffey Cassidy. The narrative structure of the film tells most of László’;s story before they arrive in America. The second half focuses a lot on the familial dynamics that come up after they’re reunited with him.

That story structure makes for a film that is much more enjoyable in the first half than the second half. By enjoyable, I don’t mean that the second half is worse, less well shot, or lesser in any way. The second half of the film just ends up as much more of a downer as you see the downfall of a man, who was already downtrodden in László. That first half shows the hardships that immigrants face when they come to the United States. They’re forced to rely on family members, they’re ostracized by the general public, a lot of them go homeless and have to rely on the kindness of churches or other organizations. László is the same, he works with his cousin Attila, and they get a job working secretly on Van Buren’s new library by his son, Harry Van Buren (played by Joe Alwyn).

Following this, as Attila and László are finishing up, Harrison comes home, furious that random people are in his house and kicks them out. They refuse to pay Attila and László, and it doesn’t stop there. Attila’s wife Audrey (played by Emma Laird) accuses László of making a pass at him after an incredibly awkward night of celebration between the three of them. Attila kicks him out, and he’s forced onto the street.

Only after a lengthy time working odd jobs, does Harrison Van Buren come back into László’s life. He’s discovered that one, people rave about his library, and two, that László was formerly an incredibly accomplished architect in Europe before the war. He invites him over and offers him a job to design a community center in honor of his late mother. That’s the end of part one, and really where all the “fun” of The Brutalist ends.

At that point in the movie, there’s a 15-minute intermission that is built into the film stock. You have 15-minutes to ponder, think, and guess about what’s to come. As the thread of The Brutalist unravels, the questions come back up. Is this movie about the American Dream as we know it, or is it about the broken version that leaves plenty of people like László in its wake? The gut punches and real meat of the performances come out in this second half. Director/writer Brady Corbet lays bare for the audience to see just what kind of people László and Harrison are.

Throughout the second half, László is hit with one thing after another. Erzsébet and Zsófia are reunited with him, but Erzsébet is now limited to a wheelchair due to conditions in the post-war period. Zsófia is mute. His relationship with his wife is strained and the rising anxiety from the project only adds to the problems. It’s really one tragedy after another through the years that leads to the ultimate act of brutality in the film. Harrison Van Buren shows his true colors in the climax of the film. The hardest-hitting portion of the film isn’t there though. It’s when they reveal why László was so unrelenting in his passion and vision for the community center. It’s a somber moment that puts the entire film in perspective for László’s side.

There’s a lot going on in The Brutalist. It’s a lot to keep track of. What does it mean to sacrifice for art? How about when you have to sacrifice in the face of morons putting their fingers into your project? Or how about when your wealthy benefactor ends up as a monster? Those questions are amplified by an epilogue that’s triumphant but feels hollow.

Adrien Brody in The Brutalist (2024)

Between the smashing performances, the soaring epic score, and every other bit of The Brutalist, there’s an epic movie fitting of that marathon runtime. There’s so much commentary to unpack throughout the film. It’s about art, life, family, wealth, power, control, the American Dream, making art, and so much more. Even the portions of the film where László has to deal with Van Buren’s cronies, including his absolutely squirm-inducing son, there’s commentary there about what it means to make your art, your own. Don’t let the runtime dissuade you from experiencing this masterwork by Brady Corbet. It’s heartbreaking, but you’ll be left thinking about The Brutalist for long after the film stops rolling.

The Brutalist releases in theaters on December 20th, 2024.

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