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Review The Brutalist

What. A. Movie. Clocking in at nearly 3 hours and 30 minutes, this cinematic colossus is nothing short of breathtaking. Brady Corbet, the director behind Vox Lux, has grown and evolved in thrilling ways to deliver a hybrid beast of a film—an intense, stunning experience that feels both classic and avant-garde.

The first 1 hour and 40 minutes (before the intermission) could easily stand on their own as a complete and satisfying film. It’s a beautifully crafted story about an architect, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant trying to rebuild his life after the war, arriving in America without his wife. When a chance encounter with an eccentric millionaire changes his trajectory, it’s a poignant, emotional arc filled with raw humanity and visual splendor. The storytelling here is so rich and self-contained that, had the film ended at this point, it would still have been a triumph.

But Corbet takes a bold swing with the second part, diving headfirst into darker, more artistic waters. This section is where the film truly becomes a revelation—more intense, deeply original, and haunting. The tone shifts dramatically, yet it feels purposeful and exhilarating, pushing boundaries and challenging the audience to follow the story’s daring evolution. Together, these two parts create something monumental: a film that is at once sprawling and intimate, traditional and experimental.

Adrian Brody delivers a career-best performance as the deeply tormented architect. This is the kind of role actors dream of, and Brody rises to the occasion with nuance and ferocity. It’s not a stretch to say he’s on his way to earning his second Oscar. Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce are also incredible here—Jones bringing heartbreaking vulnerability, and Pearce embodying a magnetic presence that anchors some of the film’s most intense moments. Corbet’s greatest achievement, beyond his eye for striking visuals, is his ability to create space for his actors to truly inhabit their characters and soar.

This is a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Corbet’s vision is epic yet personal, and every frame feels deliberate. It’s rare to find a movie that takes such ambitious risks and sticks the landing, but this one does. While Vox Lux hinted at Corbet’s potential, this is the moment where his talent fully matures. The story is stronger, the stakes are higher, and the payoff is deeply satisfying.

A film that will leave you stunned. Don’t miss this one.

Stanley Berenboom

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