The Brutalist by Brady Corbet had an incredible run at the Golden Globes and for a good reason. It’s a film that tells the story of the American Dream from the Jewish perspective, refusing to shy away from the harsh and horrible realities of pursuing that dream. The movie is a staggering three hours and twenty-five minutes, but this runtime can certainly be justified. Moreover, the editing is truly unique, with a vintage style that strays from the typical gray and bland formula of Hollywood, keeping the audience engaged.
The Brutalist follows a decorated Hungarian architect Lazslo who survived the Holocaust, escaping to the United States for a better life, where he awaits the arrival of his wife and niece. In summary, Laszlo eventually gets hired full-time by Harrison Van Buren, which is where things take a shaky turn for the worse.
Van Buren, despite giving Laszlo an opportunity and even bringing his wife and niece to the United States, horrifically abuses Lazlo in small and unimaginable ways, showcasing the anti-Semitic and racist undertones of his character. In one of the lunch scenes, Van Buren throws a coin at Laszlo and forces him to pick it up and hand it back, ultimately humiliating him in front of many. This demeaning action showcases the racist undertones of Van Buren’s character, who does everything in his power to control and torture Laszlo.
The Brutalist culminates in a harrowing scene where Harrison commits rape against Laszlo while Laszlo is intoxicated. This scene represents a lot of the underscored power dynamics between corporations and workers (mainly immigrant workers), especially in America. This is not an exaggerated experience, it is simply the truth—as awful as it is, it should be acknowledged. This climax scene literally and metaphorically demonstrates the pure evil associated with capitalism.
The movie, especially with Van Buren’s character, reflects the racist and anti-Semitic sentiment in the United States during this time. A prime example is Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, who is well known and well publicized to have been an extreme anti-Semite. Director Corbet has done his due diligence with research, making this film feel authentic and realistic.
The Brutalist is enjoyable because it does not shy away from the truth of the immigrant experience. I feel that I’ve heard, especially in government propaganda, how black and white the American dream is. Typically, an immigrant arrives in America and they work hard, immediately achieving all their dreams and aspirations. The Brutalist revels in the gritty and realistic pain that immigrants arriving in the United States face. It places particular emphasis on the difficulties that Jewish immigrants face.
Of course, the movie’s stellar performances solidified this well-made film, with Adrien Brody who has experience with playing emotionally destroying roles such as in The Pianist, Guy Pearce as Harrison van Buren, and Felicity Jones as Erzsebet Toth. I praise every single actor that committed to this project, but especially Guy Pearce. Harrison is close to evil incarnate, and he gives a tremendous performance to demonstrate the horror of abusive and destructive power. Additionally, I admire how he can seamlessly transition from seemingly caring and understanding to cynical. As always, Adrien Brody never fails in his performances and always connects to his characters, leading to incredible acting. This is seen in his personal connection to Laszlo, with his Hungarian heritage taking center stage. Brody, when asked if his grandfather plays a role in a CBS News interview, states: “Oh definitely, yeah, I conjure it up. I also knew every bad word in Hungarian as a kid. So, I infused some of that in it that’s not in the script!” Regarding the length of the film, Brody said: “This is an event. Generations before us, you could expect to see something like this in a theater. But that’s becoming much more rare today. I think we all need to be fed nourishing meals! And this is one of them.”
Overall, The Brutalist is an excellent critique of the immigrant experience, while also delving into the horrors of capitalism and Robber Barons/Captains of Industry. The film, despite being set nearly 50 years in the past, still conveys a relevant message. Many immigrant workers face harsh treatment from corporations and many Jewish communities continue to face anti-semitism. Despite its lengthy runtime, it stays engaging throughout the entire film and delivers a prominent message. It already had a stellar run at the Golden Globes, but hopefully further down this award season, many hope it gets further recognized for its incredible storytelling, acting, and directing.
