The Brutalist

johnny_ultimate

Playing in glorious 70mm at the IFI now, released more widely from Friday. Directed by Brady Corbet (Vox Lux, Childhood of a Leader) and starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.

https://youtu.be/6d7yU379Ur0?si=EkvEg-aVvqYJPPkz

Have been going back and forth on this since seeing it over the weekend. The film opens with huge pomp in an overture, as a wonderfully momentous score from Daniel Blumberg roars as the camera woozily captures the arrival of the protagonist - an accomplished Hungarian architect fleeing Europe - arrives in New York. An epic of the immigrant experience in America this very much is, and for the first half it plays some big, bold notes with conviction. 

This is a Brady Corbet film, so suffice to say it’s not quite as straightforward as it initially appears, and any myths hinted at in part one are very much dismantled as the film progresses. The film is split into two with a built-in interval, and the second half certainly takes a few wilder swings. Some land, some I reckon come across as something of an overreach. Some of its thematic concerns are well explored, others not so much (one metaphor about the relationship between capitalism and art goes very far indeed). Don’t expect a simple clean resolution to some of what’s established early on, though do expect some curious callbacks and an epilogue that adds some intriguing context that maybe comes too late in the game.

It’s a lot of film - grandiose in some regards, though surprisingly intimate over all (the beautiful 70mm photography is as concerned with shadowy close-ups as it is with epic feats of architectural prowess). The performances shoot for a lot and mostly hit the mark, though I think Guy Pearce is the most successful of the three leads - he goes *really big*, and what the performance maybe loses in realism as a result it certainly makes up for with character moments that are often hilarious and others that earn a genuine gasp. 

Again, this is a Corbet film, so no surprise it’s as ambitious as it is messy. I for one don’t think it entirely works to be honest, but it’s certainly an audacious film painted on a very large and impressive canvas (looks like it cost ten times its actual budget). It’s a moonshot of a film from Corbet, and he made it to orbit even if he didn’t ace the landing.

JP Liz V1

What is the total run time?

Gary_dunne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123081303#Comment_123081303

215 minutes, they're including a 15min interval in all their showings.

johnny_ultimate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123081313#Comment_123081313

I believe every single screening of the film has the interval, regardless of venue or format. It’s built into the film with a 15 minute countdown timer and tailored score playing during it. So yes, 215 mins inclusive of 15 minute intermission.

Banjaxed82

I get it and I don't get. I can appreciate many aspects of the film, but if it does win best picture, it will join the list of many that you'll be hard pressed to remember 10 years down the road.

Ambitious in aspects, but I already know I will never watch that film again in my life.

santana75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123096995#Comment_123096995

Im going to see it this weekend and I already know its the kind of film I'll never watch again

santana75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123112912#Comment_123112912

At the risk of seeming like that twat who quotes his own comments…………I will never watch this movie again so long as I live. In fact I will do everything I can to drive it out of my memory. Its grim, its depressing, but its also depraved. There are sexual scenes thrown into the mix that serve absolutely no purpose. I wouldnt mind if this was a true story and the film makers were relaying the facts of what happened, but theyre not because its a complete work of fiction. And one scene in particular that takes place in Italy is depraved and horrible and it was this, for me, that was the straw that broke the camels back as it were because It was at this point that I just upped and walked out of the cinema. And thats saying something because the way I figure it there was only about 30 odd minutes left to go from a 3hrs 35min run time. The acting is amazing, no doubt about it, and Adrian brody will more than likely win the Oscar, but the subject matter is unremittingly bleak, depressing and like I said, there are scenes of depravity that serve absolutely no purpose which reflects a sick mind that threw them in there in the first place. In future Im just gonna steer clear of anything that studio A24 produces.

El Duda

Each to their own, but you're completely missing the point if you think the 'act of depravity' served no purpose.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123130357#Comment_123130357

Sorry but this is a ridiculous thing to do.

Just because an act is depraved or criminal does that mean it should not be in a film? Do you think these things don't happen and therefore should not be included in movies?

It reminds me of years ago when Game of Thrones was criticised for a rape scene (in which nothing was shown) and it was ridiculous and people tried to imply that the makers were somehow condoning or supporting rape.

Either way, the scene in The Brutalist you are referring too shocked me as I didn't expect it but it was not graphic or depraved and not something that is beyond the capabilities of people.

It was important in relation to the rest of the film and its ending but of course you wouldn't know because you walked out.

santana75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123136598#Comment_123136598

Just because "These things happen" doesnt mean they should be included in a movie. It wasnt just that scene, but others too, like the scene where The main characters wife Jerks him off in bed. Im sure this happens, but why crow-bar it into the film? It made no sense. It was sex scenes for the sake of sex scenes and it was ugly sh1t.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123137731#Comment_123137731

Well you didn't stay till the end to find out how the scene was integral to the plot so your point is totally discredited.

The other scene, which again was not graphic told about their relationship and i didn't find it out of place at all.

The film had other problems for me in relation to run time and plot but not the things you mention and is overall a very good movie.

El Duda

THAT scene that comes after the marble quarry, is a visual metaphor that sums up the entire thesis of the film.

How on earth you can argue that it was needless or irrelevant is beyond me.

homerun_homer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123130357#Comment_123130357

The idea that you would steer clear from A24, a studio with a solid, wide ranging styles of film, and who did not make this film but bought it after it premiered, is daft.

santana75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123137764#Comment_123137764

I'm amazed I made it through over 3 hours of this movie so I think that's long enough to form a credible opinion. They could've made that film without those sex scenes, they could've told the story another way and I'm sure it would've worked and would've resulted in a better movie. This isn't art or entertainment. It's something far darker and if that's your thing then so be it, I prefer movies to be uplifting, inspirational with a good message.

johnny_ultimate

Of course it’s art. You certainly have every right to dislike it, but trying to insist it’s not art is a silly suggestion: ‘art’ isn’t reliant on the audience liking it or finding it tasteful. That sequence is a fairly clunky and heavy handed metaphor IMO, but no question of a piece with the film’s themes and identity. If anything, it’s the scene that most clearly emphasises some of its concerns - especially Pearce’s dialogue during it, perhaps his revolting character’s only truly honest moment in the whole thing.

As for a ‘good message’… the hypocrisy of the American Dream; the corrupting influence of wealth and capital; the complexity of the immigrant / displaced people experience; the ability of great, highly personal art to emerge from adversity and cruelty… plenty worthwhile themes to explore IMO, often quite effectively done here. Indeed, its very last scene is where some of these themes are most movingly emphasised.

El Duda

The Brutalist – 7/10

A hugely ambitious project that has drawn comparisons with Once Upon a Time in America and There Will Be Blood. It’s one of the best-looking films of the last decade or so, rivalling the likes of PTA’s The Master. It has an excellent score and the performances across the board are superb. Brody wraps up his Oscar win within 15 minutes and Guy Pearce puts in some of his best work for years. Felicity Jones has a real presence about her, and it's always nice to see the ever reliable Jonathan Hyde pop up. Shout out to Pollux Troy.

My enjoyment wavered. At times it really hits a stride and has all the hallmarks of a 5-star classic, but there are several lulls and some sub plots/themes that are merely hinted towards, without fleshing them out or fully exploring them.

I’ve seen many reviews that say the first half is the strongest, but I preferred the second half. That’s where it starts to get darker and weirder. It’s difficult to make comparisons with There Will Be Blood as it took me several watches to realise its genius. That may also be the case for The Brutalist, but I’m not sure there will ever come to urge to watch this again, let alone another three or four times. Mainly due to the excessive runtime, which will no doubt hamper its accessibility and lifespan. I think it would be much better if they shaved 25 minutes off and got it in at under three hours.

When I commit this much time to a single film, I expect it to leave a big impression on me. For it to give me a thirst to find out more. Who it was based on and where all the ideas came from etc… That hasn’t really happened with The Brutalist.

head82

Haven't seen this yet and I'm on the fence whether I want to take this on. I've no problem with the ~4 hour running time provided it's warranted. But I'm reluctant to invest that amount of time if it turns out to be one of those films that I end up admiring for it's technical achievements rather than enjoy as a cinematic storytelling experience.

There's way too many films of late that are bloated and give off an air of just lazy editing, pretentiousness.. 'Poor Things', 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'..

I can happily re-watch the likes of 'Once Upon a Time in America' or 'There Will Be Blood' but those movies are few and far between.

I suppose I'll just have to bite the bullet and dive in!

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123184529#Comment_123184529

I think it us alot like Once upon a time in America. It needed to be as long as it was but at the same time the second half of the movie is a bit disappointing plot wise. The resolution of the various different storyline felt a bit unsatisfying. Glad I saw it but don't think I will ever bother to watch it again.

steve_r

Watched this recently and its given me a lot of food for thought.

It's led me to do a lot of reading, reviews both positive and negative, as well as a very interesting interview with the director, and broader on the topic of Brutalist architecture itself, a topic of which I am wholly unfamiliar.

https://filmcolossus.com/the-brutalist-explained-america/
https://www.filmsfatale.com/blog/2024/12/23/the-brutalist
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-empty-ambition-of-the-brutalist

As an aside, from the interview it appears that Trump is against Brutalist architecture, which itself was a reaction to fascism.

I found myself wondering about the themes of the film (art and capitalism, the treatment of immigrants, the American dream etc) and I found I was curious as to what exact message the film was looking to get across. After reading the interview, I understand now what he is aiming for but I'm not sure whether after viewing the film alone I would have taken the same message away.

That doesn't necessarily detract from it. Many works of art/literature require further analysis to be understood/appreciated correctly.

The run-time will put many people off doing a rewatch and I think that's a shame because I think this is a film that would quite benefit from a rewatch, especially with regard to the comments in the epilogue.

As to that rape scene, to take a particular comment from the interview:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-brutalist-brady-corbet-making-of-interview-1235995475/

One thing that I’m very interested in is the dissemination of information in a film. With 99 percent of what I see these days, I know the themes from the first two or three minutes of the film — usually before the opening credits. I immediately know what I’m watching. And when you already know what it is, it’s not an exhilarating experience anymore. To completely disrupt everyone’s comfort is actually an important part of the cinematic experience. Of course, when you disorient people, you can make some viewers quite upset. But these are important public-facing decisions. It’s not about saying “**** you” to the audience. It’s about making people wake up and really engage with the material — and then investigate their own feelings about what is good taste and what is bad taste. It’s not very difficult to make a movie where everything is in good taste. People would be shocked by how easy that is to deliver. Truly.

It's quite interesting that scene has thrown up that exact conversation on this thread. To give my own opinion on it, I think it was excessive.

I think Brody well deserved his Oscar. The supporting cast was strong, I do think Pearce's character could have been toned down a bit and it would have been interesting to see more of the cousin in the second half.

The score didn't have the same impact on me as others. Visually I thought it was beautiful but I thought some of the specific shots (showing the statue of liberty sideways, the chunk cut out of the marble mountain, the scene with him in front of the sparks) were a bit grandiose and left me a bit cold. The marble shot in particular, coming so close to the rape scene, did feel like the director bludgeoning his point home.

It's interesting that "There will be blood" is the most highlighted comparison to this film. In some ways the themes are the same (the American dream, power and deception) but I think The Brutalist has a different focus as well, on the role of art in society and the immigration experience.

I don't think everything in the film works, but I am glad I watched it.