The Brutalist
Directed by Brady CorbetEscaping post-war Europe, a visionary architect (Adrien Brody) arrives in America to rebuild his life. On his own in a strange new country, a wealthy industrialist recognizes his talent. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost...
The Brutalist Ratings & Reviews
- Hakihiko4 days agoAmbitious, Beautiful, but Weighed Down by Itself "The Brutalist" is a film that immediately feels grand in both scope and intention. The first half is genuinely impressive, drawing you in with confidence, atmosphere, and a strong sense of purpose. It is the kind of start that makes you think you are watching something truly special, maybe even something that could reach a much higher level. The performances are excellent and committed, carrying the emotional and thematic weight with conviction. There is a clear sense of depth in the characters, and that helps anchor the film even as it grows more complex. Visually, it is striking. The scale, the composition, and the overall aesthetic create something that feels big and carefully crafted. The soundtrack supports this vision well, adding to the sense of weight and importance that the film is aiming for. The script, especially in the first half, is engaging and thoughtful, building its themes with confidence. However, as it progresses, it starts to feel overwhelmed by its own material. The pacing becomes heavier, and the narrative loses some clarity, as if it is trying to carry too much at once without fully controlling it. That is where the film loses part of its impact. The ambition remains, but the execution becomes less focused, making the second half feel less sharp and more difficult to fully connect with. Still, what stands out is how close it gets to something greater. It is big, beautiful, and full of ideas, and with a slightly more controlled approach, it could have been something truly exceptional. Even as it is, it remains a compelling and worthwhile experience.
- Braden12 February 2025Brady Corbet's The Brutalist is one of the most exciting features of the decade. This sweeping epic is helmed by Adrien Brody, who plays architect László Tóth - a Jewish immigrant trying to survive in Post-WW2 America. Exceptional art direction, beautiful cinematography, a commanding soundtrack and wonderful performances from Brody, Pearce and Felicity Jones make The Brutalist a must-watch for any fan of the medium. While I have a few qualms with the third act, as a whole - I thoroughly enjoyed The Brutalist - no doubt improved upon by the 35mm print screening and 15 minute intermission. Movies are awesome!
- EFCIDIA Media Server21 March 2025I went into The Brutalist expecting something at least interesting. The premise had potential, and the early visuals hinted at a layered story. But as the movie progressed, any sense of intrigue slowly faded. By the time it ended, I didn’t feel connected, challenged, or even entertained. There was no emotional payoff, no lingering questions, no reason to hit play again. It’s not that it was bad—it just didn’t leave a mark. A film that promises depth but delivers a flat, forgettable experience.
- Slipthorn24 April 2026this movie feels like an extension of vox lux's ideas. do with that what you will.
- Alina Popescu23 March 2026Excellent, deep understanding of historical and emotional context that shapes people's lives
- Tanalien30 January 2025The Brutalist is about the American Dream, with an intermission that wisely divides two halves of the film which tell very different stories about America. If you stopped watching halfway through, you would walk out of the theater with a smile on your face. But if you wait until the end, you will leave with a strange feeling. It is a feeling that only arrives when a filmmaker tries to deconstruct one of our central beliefs. The American Dream is a fundamental reason for centuries of America’s success. Its mythology is central to the American identity, but what do we make of ultimate form? I will leave that for you to find out. Corbet has crafted an American epic in the same fashion as the great films of the twentieth century - on large-format film stock, with a thematic score, featuring some of the best actors of our time. In The Brutalist, he takes huge swings at a central pillar of our society - not with malicious intent, but with the wisdom of a filmmaker to ask questions of us. His film will live for a long time: What will be our reply?
- Joe Wright15 February 2026Thought provoking
- rg94001 March 2025The Brutalist is a fascinating movie, equal parts inspiring and frustrating. Told in two halfs split by an intermission, its runtime is almost 3 hours and 30 minutes, a staggering epic scale. The two halves feel almost like different movies. The first half is an intimate story, tightly centered on László Tóth as an immigrant and refugee who comes to America and finds an opportunity to showcase his architectural skills, a juxtaposition of a man searching for the American Dream while coming face to face with entrenched old money and American Capitalism. While this section of the movie could certainly have been edited down, it feels engrossing because the storytelling has a sense of clarity and purpose throughout, methodically building up the character and showcasing his ups and downs. There are moments where this sweeping and triumphant score will thunder over stunning imagery whether it be a montage, a tracking shot of a road, or strangely angled views of architectural marvels. From the opening sequence to one of the best title cards I have ever seen all the way to the intermission, I was fully convinced I was watching a modern classic. Then we get to the second half. To be honest, I still don't know how to fully talk about this portion of the movie. It introduces new characters, radically changing the dynamic of the movie so far. More importantly, it starts skipping across time compared to the much narrower focus. I almost want to say the movie starts to lose coherence. László's motivations start to feel more opaque. Where the first half of the movie seemed to be a case study in the immigrant experience, this half feels all together different. I was not expecting the movie to continue sort of its upward trajectory in terms of the story, but this feels far more of a jagged drop than a smooth crescendo and downfall, best represented by the score which shifts away from this staggering and thunderous style to something far more ominous. With roughly an hour left in the runtime, the movie has a bit of a time jump. This is when I feel it completely jumps off the rails. It suddenly becomes all about one event, an event that feels completely out of place in the context of the rest of the movie. After this happens, the entire story becomes centered around the aftermath of said event, and none of the characters, their relationships, or themes have a chance to reach their concluding parts. Indeed, Part 2 suddenly ends after this event reaches its peak, leaving me so utterly confused and baffled as to what the story was trying to do. It also has some troubling Zionist propaganda. Then the movie has an epilogue. And that epilogue is honestly brilliant. I loved it. It ends the movie by clarifying its thematic underpinnings, showcasing what it was trying to illustrate. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with The Event that I mentioned becomes the central focus of the last act of this movie. It's honestly so confusing to me because had the movie actually focused on what it is trying to say in its epilogue, I think it could have been a tour de force. To have it revealed what really motivated László Tóth after seeing how he approached his work for 3.5 hours...I get shivers how well it could have worked. Instead, the movie gets distracted and fails the landing. Throughout the movie though, the cinematography remains top tier despite the bloated runtime. Even in its confusing second half, you still get some scenes set in this stunning Italian mountainside that took my breath away. When the score hits against these scenes, I was floored. Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce are both fantastic, the former especially showcasing this vulnerability and stubbornness so effortlessly. This movie had everything going for it, so to see it come apart due to a single decision feels like I witnissed a crime. Maybe one day I will understand what director Brady Corbert was going for. At this point though, it just seems like a massive missed opportunity.
- Emil Lavinen3 May 2025Brutal and realistic — those are the two words that best describe this film. The story is tightly written, carrying you through emotional highs and lows that still manage to surprise you. Even with its three-hour runtime, it remains dense and engaging throughout, in true A24 fashion. Visually, it’s stunning, with carefully composed shots and beautiful use of color. I’d definitely recommend it to any artist looking for inspiration.
- Gerard11 February 2026I understand the hype around it because the acting and the visual aspect is incredible however that’s about as far as it goes. The story is far too deep to be a 3 1/2 hour movie. Only watch this if you’ve got nothing else too watch.
- slim3324 January 2026Watched an hour of this thinking it was Avatar. Had to look online to find out Avatar is blue. I enjoyed the hour I watched. Edit Not watched Avatar yet.
- Joe G21 December 2025This was a film avoided for a long time. There was little desire to engage with it, largely due to exhaustion with stories built around antisemitism—subjects too often presented to extract emotion rather than understanding, reduced to something bordering on emotional indulgence. Perhaps going in with expectations that low allowed the film to overdeliver. Everything about this film reflects how movies should be made. It shows rather than tells. The story unfolds through scenes and interactions that quietly but decisively communicate theme and purpose. There are almost no explicit statements of feeling or intention; instead, meaning emerges through behavior, environment, and implication. The deeper truths are never announced, only suggested—and they are harsher for it. The music sustains engagement throughout, doing what so many films strain to achieve and fail at. This is not a biopic, nor is it simply a film about postwar antisemitism. It’s difficult to reduce it to a single subject. It is about creation, survival, humanity, immigration, and class—about what it means to endure and build in a world that resists both. There may never be a more beautifully shot film. That is its undeniable center. Every frame is composed with intention and care; nothing feels careless or incidental. This is what cinema used to be, and what it is still capable of being—a masterclass in visual storytelling, in translating words and ideas into images that do the work on their own. The ending is the lone exception. It is the only moment where the film directly tells the audience what to think. While the clarity is appreciated, the shift feels abrupt, as if that final statement is placed on top of the film rather than emerging organically from it.
- Grant Fitzsimmons15 December 2025Movie is ok but very slow moving.Adrian brody is fantastic actor but once again guy pearces supporting role get the movie to high reviews,but i didnt like his role in this one but to have a good hero in a movies you have to have a good villian.
- The Gutter Monkey2 March 2025I wanted to like it but it was very long, very boring, with a somewhat unlikable protagonist.
- Deep Sandune29 March 2025Breathtaking cinema. One of the best films of the year, if not the best.
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The Brutalist Trivia
The Brutalist was released on 20 December 2024.
The Brutalist was directed by Brady Corbet.
The Brutalist has a runtime of 3h 20m.
The Brutalist was produced by Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews, Andrew Morrison, Brian Young, Brady Corbet.
Escaping post-war Europe, a visionary architect (Adrien Brody) arrives in America to rebuild his life. On his own in a strange new country, a wealthy industrialist recognizes his talent. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost...
The key characters in The Brutalist are László Tóth (Adrien Brody), Erzsébet Tóth (Felicity Jones), Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr (Guy Pearce).
The Brutalist is rated 18.
The Brutalist is a Drama, History film.
The Brutalist has an audience rating of 7.9 out of 10.
The Brutalist had a budget of US$9.6M.
The Brutalist has made US$50.1M at the box office.