The Brutalist

'The Brutalist' is simply outstanding. The biggest compliment I can pay it is that the run time of 215 minutes (!) comes and goes in a flash, the interval at ~1h 40m hit me like a brick! It's a perfect example of not overthinking run times, as long as what's onscreen is good it'll fly by. I'm not going to be able to add anything fresh to it what has already been lauded about this film, all I can say is that every inch of praise is unequivocally warranted. In regards to the Oscars, I agree that 'Anora' smashed it out of the park greater but it's a close run thing. Two spectacular movies! Adrien Brody's performance is indeed sensational, he is an actor I've seen in bits down the years and have always been impressed so I loved be able to see him act front and centre in such a grand, tremendously made picture. He nails every part of László Tóth. I couldn't imagine any other actor in the role. Guy Pearce is also a brilliant performer here, obviously 'Momento' remains his best work (that I've seen, anyway) but this is the greatest I've seen from Pearce away from that Christopher Nolan flick. He is superb! Joe Alwyn and Felicity Jones merit praise too. Nice to see Jonathan Hyde, as well. I don't think there is anything about this film that you could truly say is bad. The cinematography is particularly awesome, so is the score, the editing and practically every other detail. It's a quality piece of filmmaking. The first half is stronger than the second, but it's negligible.

The Brutalist is a slow-burn period drama that dives deep into the personal struggles of an immigrant protagonist driven by artistic ambition, trying to belong in a systematically adverse society. Through a mesmerizing, award-worthy performance by Adrien Brody, the filmmaker Brady Corbet focuses on the character's journey - navigating discrimination, family estrangement, and drug addiction - which is a compelling, intimate study of resilience. The architectural backdrop of a landmark institution being constructed serves as the main narrative that, while visually stunning through Lol Crawley's impeccable cinematography, ultimately fails to hold the same weight as the personal story, despite the evident parallelisms and metaphors. Daniel Blumberg's immersive score adds a layer of tension, creating an emotional undercurrent that enhances the viewing experience despite the slow pacing. The three-hour-and-a-half runtime can feel like a test of patience at times, especially with certain moments feeling repetitive or redundant. However, The Brutalist ultimately justifies its length, with the intermission offering a much-needed break in the otherwise epic storytelling. Personally, I feel like I'm in the minority on the positive side as I don't feel as blown away or impressed by the movie, but it's definitely a must-watch film of 2024. Rating: B

This movie is excellent. Beautiful. Good story. Funny stuff. Drama. Twists and turns. Despite all that excellence, the best feature of this film is the fact that you could turn it off and come back to it the next day when the intermission pops up.