This year's Oscar favorite is an emigrant epic of monumental dimensions in which Adrien Brody plays the role of his life.
Rarely before, a film title misleaded us. What sounds like Jason Statham's latest action cracker is actually a three and a half hour epic about a Hungarian architect named László Toth (Adrien Brody). Of course, the man never existed, but his life stands on behalf of many emigrant fates after the Second World War in the United States.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Corbet's film miracle in Vistavision
Brutalism means a building style that relies on concrete and barren, massive shapes. Perhaps the term corbetism in the film world, as a name for massive dramas that have the best Oscarch opportunities. In any case, Brady Corbet reached a film monument here at the mid -30s that is second to none – and only spent a ridiculously low budget of almost eight million dollars. For the particularly intensive image effect, he used the popular wide wall process Vistavision in the 1950s.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Ingenious opening scene
The big opening scene makes it clear what qualities this work has: Toth is pushing through human crowds in the abdomen of the emigrant ship and we as a spectator feel as disoriented as he then suddenly gets on the deck and looks up at the statue of freedom that we through his Experience eyes in an unfamiliar perspective. Everything is already included here: loneliness, fear, disturbance, anger and at the same time cheers, euphoria and hope. This sequence is accompanied by a “overture” by Daniel Blumberg, which fulfills our ears with anticipation for the further soundtrack.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Hard path to the new beginning
Lásló is apparently absorbed by a relative with open arms, but happiness does not last long. After escaping from Nazis and Communists, the once renowned architect now has to struggle through coal shovels as a auxiliary worker. Then the American dream seems to realize himself when the stony Harrison Lee van Buren (Guy Pearce) discovered Toth's skill. While her first encounter was not a good star, Now offers him the chance of an ambitious project.
A chain of accidents and humiliation is also part of this supposed success, which always leads to strong delays in the construction project. Especially when alcohol is involved, the members of the upper class show their true face and let the emigrants feel their superiority and contempt or take what they want.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Musical breakfast before visiting the Marmorland
Because of the epic width of his film, Corbet chose a break at half -time: This “intermission” takes exactly 15 minutes, as is illustrated by an expiring countdown. Staying is still worthwhile, because during this time there is also a separate title of the phenomenal soundtrack.
One of the highlights of this work is a visit to the Marble stone broken by Carrara, where a hermitage worker takes the lead. The massive scenery captivates everyone and at a dance festival in the tunnel, life in noisy joy is skilled, but at the same time there is a key scene between the two male main characters with decisive effects on further action.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Brody and Jones as a dream couple
Adrien Brody in the leading role is still a understatement. His appearance is even an increase compared to “the pianist” – rarely before that someone was written in the face as clearly as this figure of László Toth. Felicity Jones is an equivalent partner in every respect as his wife Erzsébet, but unfortunately only comes into play from the second half. You and Brody also have the task of holding out the whole film about an English with Hungarian accent, which you master with complete naturalness.

Scene from “the brutalist”
Final surprise with time jump
Above all, the end will surprise us: there is not only a radical change of setting, but also a big jump. This abrupt change is ingeniously expressed by the soundtrack, which absorbs the main topic in an unexpected transformation. Now aspects come up that have remained hidden so far, because this final scene opens our eyes open to us about Toth's real motivation – it is suddenly clear why this project has meant so much, and we see the film with new eyes, so to speak . This gives “The Brutalist” a not melancholic end, but offers the worthy conclusion of a fictional life's work.
So Brady Corbet has created a multi -layered work of art in which he, based on an invented emigrant fate, represents the shine and the dark side of the American Dream. Despite the dark topic, everything is perfect here: Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones have never been better, the camera images often radiate an almost unearthly beauty, and the score develops a regulation law hypnotic so -called film that would have deserved in every single category of ten nominations to get an Oscar.
5 out of 5 marble blocks from Carrara