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...
Cast of The Brutalist
The Brutalist Ratings & Reviews
- BradenFebruary 12, 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 ServerMarch 21, 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.
- Matthias_812April 2, 2025Absolute mad respect to creating a low energy drama with a long run time in this day and age, calling back to an era where film as an art form was common place. Every shot here is meticulously detailed, the color, the way the camera moves, and of course the performances. I can't say I was engrossed with every minute but I straight up respect every second.
- Eddie HoferMarch 30, 20253 and half hours of my life I will never get back. Very boring uninteresting movie in my opinion.
- TanalienJanuary 30, 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?
- The Gutter MonkeyMarch 2, 2025I wanted to like it but it was very long, very boring, with a somewhat unlikable protagonist.
- Shahriar70March 29, 2025Great movie. Must Watch
- Deep SanduneMarch 29, 2025Breathtaking cinema. One of the best films of the year, if not the best.
- xxjahasotoxxMarch 2, 2025Interesting film not necessarily very impactful, the run time and message gets lost in the messy "day to day" which is realistic but unfortunate for a film.
- Rowan KrzysiakMarch 24, 2025I was checking the clock throughout and feeling that this would be a better film at half the runtime but on reflection I feel it won me over against the odds. It touches on a number of highly provocative issues that would allow this to be at the centre of some good discussion. Overall it was extremely solid in every department and I liked that it raised pertinent questions about America.
- RebaMarch 20, 2025It's The Best movies
- rg9400March 1, 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.
- MisterArtVandaleyMarch 17, 2025Powerful acting and great cinema artistry- but The Brutalist is done with the same unadorned raw construction as the architectural style itself, and that can leave many feeling uncomfortable for more than three hours. There is nothing bright, airy, or warm to be seen. The cinematography seemed to favor natural lighting and a muted color grade. Brody's protagonist is not just an open book, he's like an unfinished building with all the pilings and joints exposed. We see it all, good, bad or indifferent. I Like the buildings, this film's fate is raw and unresolved- and may remain that way by design. Highly recommended , not an easy watch. Brutally true stories portayed in a un orthorthodoxic way.
- PapaHamzehMarch 11, 2025Great movie, a little long though. Adrian deserved his Oscar.
- Jack BlitzFebruary 18, 2025The scale and grandeur of the film is insanely impressive considering they shot it in about a month with a mere $10 million budget. I admired the carefully crafted story, score, cinematography, and transformative performance by Adrien Brody. It reminded me of the stories from my ancestors after the Holocaust. The Brutalist rewards you for your attentiveness and the final scene will leave you in your feels. The intermission was a great touch... I'm now convinced any film over 3 hours should include one!
