From the cellar to the sky: ‘The Brutalist’ harshly illuminates the realities of modern America
Dek: A month after its release, the architectural epic establishes itself as a modern classic
Social Dek: The new A24 historical drama exposes the anti-immigrant sentiments that plague American culture.
“The Brutalist,” produced by Brady Corbet, consisted of two parts that tackled pertinent topics like class struggle, the American ego and the role of artists in a capitalist economy. Using the lens of Jewish immigrant architect László Tóth, a harsh light is shed on the American class system and the roles that immigrants are forced to play. Eugene cinephiles braced themselves as they watched the 3.5 hour long A24 historical drama. Warning Spoilers.
“Part 1: The Enigma of Arrival” throws the audience into the gritty industrial U.S. as Tóth, played by Adrien Brodie, flees WWII in Hungary and arrives in Pennsylvania. After leaving his wife and niece in the concentration camps of his homeland, he is initially taken in by an Americanized cousin and his wife. While things are looking up following the completion of a library renovation for rich industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce, his familial relations sour due to the deal’s falling out.
Tóth, now toting a newfound heroin addiction, is kicked to the smog filled streets and finds his way to the charity houses in the City of Steel. Through his homelessness and job search, he befriends Gordon, played by Isaach de Bankolé, who is also looking for work in construction following his stint in the military. As the two of them navigate the harsh climate of early industrialization, Van Buren, who discovers Tóth’s reputation as a Bauhaus trained architect, becomes enticed by his novel European culture and thrusts a wad of bills in his face along with the promise of his legal power to bring his family across the Atlantic. The exchange, however, is a multi-year contract in the form of an extravagant new church for the Americans to enjoy. Tóth, a devout Jewish man, is whisked along by the Gatsby-esque Van Buren and as the project morphs into a church, he is forced to design a place of worship opposite his cultural values.
The film highlights some incredible costume design and styling. The mastermind behind it all is Kate Forbes. She approached the ‘50s workwear and casual menswear seen throughout the film with a subtle sensibility, which was showcased in the many shots of Brodie and Bankolé walking throughout the construction site. While the flow of tweed suiting and cotton button ups was carefree, it would distinctly contrast the haunting subject matter of part two.
The beginning of “Part 2: The Hardcore of Beauty” finds Tóth continually questioned by both his benefactor and the outside architects he hires. As rage toward the Americans who “tolerate” him grows, the project develops sporadically, relying on the whims of Van Buren. As an artist relying on his fickle proprietor for the funds to continue the project, his situation instills tension on Tóth and eventually his wife Erzsébet, played by Felicity Jones. When Erzsébet arrives, in a wheelchair due to famine, their reunion is initially a fond one. But as the American ego is continually asserted upon Tóth’s designs, his relationship with both his wife and niece Zsófia, played by Raffey Cassidy, begins to deteriorate.
Expanding on the theme of immigrant alienation and exploitation, Part Two shows Van Buren simultaneously infatuated and disgusted by Tóth’s talent and culture. As Van Buren and Tóth travel to the idyllic marble quarries of Italy, looking for the centerpiece of the church, the exploitative nature of the film comes to a head.
The sickening finale shows Tóth, hopelessly intoxicated following a party, collapsed against the hazy quarry wall. Van Buren finds him, and in a final act of ego induced domination, he violates Tóth, afterwards blaming the immigrant community for enabling his condition. Such jarring imagery seems rather symbolic of America today. Ego dominates our political landscape and the workers who provide the backbone of the American economy are disenfranchised. “The Brutalist” forces its audience to come to grips with the fact that the American dream is built on the bodies of the immigrants for whom it was founded.
While the film certainly leaves its audience stunned, there is a certain beauty in madness. The film was peppered with gorgeous shots of architecture, emphasizing the stark lines which divide the upper and lower classes. It also featured a series of clips, shot on a low resolution camera, which drew attention to the historical nature of the film. Similarly, the epilogue consists of what appears to be live action footage of the first architecture biennial, or exhibition, and ends with speech from Zsófia, who quotes her uncle, proclaiming, “it’s not the journey, it’s the destination.” This is a cynical yet resounding line which finds its mark in the American audience of 2025. The film is currently screening at Metro Cinemas.
