Some ninety minutes movies can feel like an eternity. Films like “The Brutalist” (2024), which has a daunting runtime of three hours thirty-five minutes, will go by so quickly that it will never occur to you to look at your watch, and you may want to immediately rewatch it. Starting in 1947 and ending in 1980, László Toth (Adrien Brody) leaves post-war Hungary for a new start in the US, but he accepts that his days of being a renowned architect are behind him. His wife, Erzsébet (Felicity Jones), and niece, Zsófia (Raffey Cassidy), are alive and hoping to find and reunite with him. An encounter with magnate Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr. (Guy Pearce) holds the promise of reclaiming his professional identity and reuniting with his family, but what is the price of the American dream? Actor turned director Brady James Monson Corbet’s junior feature film elevates the young director to auteur status.
“The Brutalist” is the kind of film that is better to go in cold without knowing a lot of details and allowing it to sweep you away. Even the way that the credits roll is unique. It tells a coming to America story that embodies what is expected from such narratives then functions like a cha cha in the way that just when László can touch success, it seems to dissolve like cotton candy in water only to reappear or does it? After the Nazis, László is willing to take a chance and ignore red flags, which seems a little less red after spending time in a concentration camp. It is not as if anyone is trying to murder him. Brody has always had the swagger of a great man while simultaneously holding his character’s pain in a discernible way that does not detract from innate dignity and pride. László is initially grateful but as time passes, it is harder not to notice disparate treatment. Is he valued for his brilliance or a show horse to exploit until not useful? For someone as useful, hard-working and versatile as László, it feels as if survival is assured.
Alessandro Nivola is such a talented actor. In a parallel universe, he would be as acclaimed as Christian Bale though he is more of a chameleon. As László’s American cousin, Attila, who has reinvented and anglicized himself, Nivola has the tough job of establishing the foundation of the relationship dynamic that László will repeat throughout the course of the movie. Attila is a warm, welcoming and physically affectionate man, but from the comfort of movie seats, warm and with full bellies, his hospitality feels off. A person with healthy boundaries who knows how to be treated will spot warning signs early. There is a scene where László does not even get a chance to finish getting dressed after a shave before he gets trotted out to a customer. Attila knows that László has the power to elevate his merchandise and has real talent, but Attila is above László in status because he is more established with a home and business. Attila’s actions are charitable, but the unspoken reality is that he benefits from László more than he gives. In a family, there would not be talk of fair compensation based on László’s talent. László gives his all, is satisfied to work hard and reestablish his identity through work.
If the Venn Diagram between people who watch the prequel “Alien” franchise and “The Brutalist” has a high overlap, it will come as no surprise that Pearce is perfect at playing a wealthy man. Harrison and László make a mutually horrible first impression. Harrison never apologizes, but his actions indicate a change of heart—a dream project, good money, a place to stay and reuniting László’s family. Still Maya Angelou’s saying, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.,” applies. Some of Harrison’s conduct can be rationalized as expected loutish behavior from a wealthy man without a boss, but eagle-eyed viewers will spot some portends during László’s first night with Harrison. László is not dumb. In comparison to living in a shipyard with Gordon (Isaach De Bankolé), a veteran and single father who is like a brother to László, the decision is a no brainer.
Once reunited with Erzsébet and Zsófia, László finds it harder to stomach the indignities and constant undermining.
The Nazis could not destroy László, but the American dream may. Corbet symbolizes this cloud in the silver lining before the credits roll. It is hard to discern what is going on—whether László is still under Nazi reign being treated like cattle, but he arrives at Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty is upside down then lying horizontally in the sky like Barbie on the lawn overwhelmed at the staggering injustice. Also whether in a car, truck, train or boat, Corbet favors the windshield POV showing how fast everything is moving, the nature of the landscape, the tone of the speed and how it would affect a passenger. America is in a constant dynamic state of urgency and grinding. It is awe-inspiring, but also inhumane. Corbet masters pulling focus to prioritize his subject without shutting out the surroundings. Even the way that he included an intermission, an image with a countdown over a family photo, and then reveals Erzsébet for the first time on screen is so evocative of how important she is to László. His work is equated with himself, but she is his priority.
Felicity Jones deserves the credit that everyone is giving Isabella Rossellini for her performance in “Conclave” (2024). Even after bearing the visible wear and tear from surviving concentration camps, Erzsébet and László as a couple and individuals are clearly the most modern and talented people even among the more affluent. It is as if everyone else is still living in the past, and they are outpacing everyone in the future without being insufferable or impatient. They are far from a perfect couple, and the war has different effects on their libidos and bodies, but they are a team. Erzsébet’s letters are the emotional twine that brings the story together. Unlike László, perhaps because she has more experience with this kind of crowd, Erzsébet can withstand the microaggressions, which gradually just devolve into aggressions, that begins to destroy László’s demeanor. He transforms from a man who can walk away from any situation and pick himself back up to a man who is driven to feeling as if there are no other options. Who drove him there?
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There are multiple villains in “The Brutalist”: the Nazis for obliterating László’s self-worth and standards so future exploiters could not trick him; the US for allowing immigrants into the country but not welcoming them with suitable infrastructure to support them so there is an exploitable workforce; the drug dealers for profiting from his pain. On the individual front, Attila may beat out the Van Burens because he is family. The first red flag was the minute that he stuck László in the stockroom and not his home. The second was the implicit way that he treated his wife, Audrey (Emma Laird), like hors d’oeuvres. Finally it was blaming László for the deal gone south so he could cut his financial losses and falsely accuse him.
The first sign with the Van Burens was the fact that they did not pay Attila, but it can be rationalized as compensation for damage to the dome. Harrison grooms László by acting as if he treats László as an equal, but they are not. Wealth is not talent, and they are not equals so Harrison is actually pulling him down. During László’s first evening after Harrison allegedly makes amends, László has no freedom of movement. He cannot leave. Harrison was not just attracted to László’s talent and the attention that it directed to him, he wanted to create a scenario where László could not walk away from him so he could play with him. He is a manipulator. Van Burens’ home is a mansion, yet they put László in a house far away from the main house. He is a servant, not a guest. He is not permitted to get his belongings and leave. If someone must live where they work, it is a plantation, and László is a glorified sharecropper. Even before “The Brutalist” reveals that Harrison is setting up the conflict between László, Leslie Woodrow (Jonathan Hyde) and Jim Simpson (Michael Epp), it is obvious that he relishes baiting and switching-promising a ton, giving less and making the person grateful for it. He did it to his maternal grandparents, and he is doing it to László. Harrison is trying to cut László down, and he cannot hide it once the family arrives—throwing coins at him, the son’s implicit permission to start being rude, the undercutting and financial exploitation. In the end, László is working for free with no autonomy.
A lot of people may complain that when Harrison rapes László, it comes out of left field, and it really does not. It is implied that László had no desire to return to Europe after surviving the war, and he has no ties to infrastructure in the US, which is an additional reason that he must rely on Harrison and is vulnerable to the bait and switch. The trip to Italy has two restorative functions for László: healing and victory from the war with an Italian resistance fighter and being on top in terms of his job. László’s joy and success disgust Harrison, especially when he has the nerve to be a faithful husband.
This trip shows the ugliest side of Harrison—he uses explicit racial slurs, is physically reliant on László for safe passage and uncomfortable since he is not the central focus of the party and not in control of the festivities. There is a concept of pet versus threat, Harrison is pernicious because he hides his seething hatred and resentment over László’s innate superiority. He deliberately seats László next to affluent Jewish people to lull László into thinking that Harrison is safe then waits until László is incapacitated to victim blame Jewish people and use Nazi anti-Semitic descriptors of Jewish people during the rape.
It is a uniquely American trait to want to the receive the credit of being enlightened and simultaneously victimize and have social, intimate access to the group that they victimize. Plantations once held the quarters of the enslaved, which gave slaveholders constant access to victims while claiming a friendly relationship. Also see “Blink Twice” (2024). People of color cannot assume that a space is safe ever and must always remain vigilant. It translates in minor ways to Presidon’t supporters demanding civility and the right to socialize with anyone regardless of their politics and its effect on others.
My theory is that Harrison is a rapist and abused his son, Harry (Joe Alwyn). Alwyn’s acting is so good that without dialogue, this moment is conveyed. It is a shaky theory, but as soon as Harry wants to renovate the library, I casually thought, “I would be furious if someone messed with my office/study even if it was for a nice reason,” and Harry is committing an act of passive aggressive revenge. Later Harrison only blames Harry, not his daughter, which could be emblematic of the parent child dynamic: hating his son and treasuring his daughter by whitewashing her involvement, or it is accurate. Later László calls out Harry for embezzling from his father. Harry never expresses anger against his father, but does surreptitiously attack from the sides. When Erzsébet confronts Harrison by calling him a rapist, once she clarifies that he did not rape her, Harry leaps up before she can say Harrison’s target because he knows. It happened to him. The minute that Harrison talks about his son, he disparages him. Also it is implied that Harry has rapist tendencies in an ambiguous sequence between him and Zsófia. Once Erzsébet reveals that Harrison raped László, it is Harry, not Harrison, who loses control because he is afraid of that secret coming out. His violent reprisal is a misdirected action that he should have turned to his father.
Rape is literal in “The Brutalist,” but it is also metaphorical in the way that people are always close to achieving the American dream before it is snatched away, but there is no way to opt out of the system that exploits and harms you except if you leave. Even though the movie ends on a high note, it is a pyrrhic victory. László survives and is successful, but he cannot move like his wife when they reunite, and he is mute like his niece. Yes, it is old age, but it is also about the accurate fallout on health and psyche of a toxic environment. This movie seems especially germane at this point as we enter a second Presidon’t term. At what point do you opt out when it feels impossible? László chooses to stay at great personal cost whereas his wife and niece do not, and they recover.
“The Brutalist” also nails the precarious no man’s land that American white women like Audrey and Maggie Van Buren (Stacy Martin) navigate. They are not openly hostile, but they are not exactly welcoming. Maggie is warm compared to Audrey. They are masters of not talking too much and showing allegiance to the men who dominate their life. Audrey talks more to László than Attila, who is never overtly abusive, but he ridicules her in subtle ways. Before the confrontation starts, Maggie offers a seat at the table to Erzsébet, but during it, she stands with her father. Then when Harry erupts, she protects Erzsébet. They never take a stand, see and know more than they say and know how to be subservient in a way that is alien to immigrants. Unlike Harry, Maggie is treasured, but not a full character, not because of a lack of writing, but because that is what society allows.
Zsófia can feel like an afterthought, but she appears in the opening of “The Brutalist” before László and gets the last word. There is a subtle theme about gender and motherhood in the ability to withstand and remain whole in a way that men cannot because of the way that they internalize their wounds. Harrison and Zsófia lose their mothers off screen and are traumatized afterwards. Zsófia is the only onscreen, living mother, and she survives when she flees the US, which ensures that her child will not have the same life. It is implied that Zsófia’s survival, especially as a mother who raises her kids, is only possible because László and Erzsébet treat her like family unlike Attila. Erzsébet refuses to leave her otherwise she could have come to the US earlier. They also send money to her when she does not have it. She is the one character who benefits from the US without falling for it. Her move to Israel may be controversial, but within the framework of this movie, it is the sensible choice. Cassidy plays Zsófia’s adult daughter. Like László, she may survive unspoken abuse, and like the other women, it is not an overt part of their story or central to their character. Her survival, full recovery of her voice and ability to explain the significance of her uncle’s work are achievements that no one experiences fully, particularly the latter.
“The Brutalist” feels like “Foxcatcher” (2014) meets “There Will Be Blood” (2007) with the underlying melancholy of “Charlie”, and an excellent double feature would pair it with “A Real Pain” (2024). It punctures the idea that merit is a guarantee for success.
