"The Brutalist" is an exhilarating film directed by Brady Corbet that competes against the highly anticipated "Megalopolis" by Francis Ford Coppola. Corbet engages the audience with a story that outlines the journey of a Hungarian-born Jewish architect, László Tóth, played by Adrien Brody, who after enduring the horrors of World War II finds himself in America.
His character is initially introduced as a refugee trying to survive, but as the story unfolds, he emerges as a powerhouse. Throughout his journey, the protagonist wrestles with surface-level innocuousness and deep-seated self-destruction. He sets foot in America with a broken nose, numbing his pain with heroin, revealing a hidden part of himself that continues to shadow his life.
Placed in Pennsylvania with his cousin, Attila, László finds a spark of hope. His architectural brilliance is eventually noticed when he is commissioned to transform a conventional reading room into a state-of-the-art library, impressing both the public and the tycoons. His work garners attention from the influential Harrison Lee Van Buren, brilliantly performed by Guy Pearce, who becomes fascinated by László's intellect and vision, leading to an intriguing partnership between the two.
From here, the plot takes on contrasting undertones – artist/patron, immigrant Jew/American blue blood, exploited/beneficiary, and more – ultimately leaning towards a darker realm. "The Brutalist" not only communicates a life-altering tale of immigration and ambition, but also reiterates the extensive ambivalence that threatens the Jewish populations during this era. The realization of a man's life highlighted in the film may be daunting but, at its core, "The Brutalist" is a cinematic work of art.
