The Brutalist (2024)
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A traumatized Hungarian-Jewish architect navigates the complexities of survival and artistic integrity in post-war America.
The story
In 1947, László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor, arrives in the United States after being separated from his wife and niece. He settles in Philadelphia, where he struggles to rebuild his life while navigating the complexities of his past. His life takes a turn when he is hired by a wealthy industrialist, Harrison Lee Van Buren, to design a grand community center. As construction begins, László must navigate the demands of his wealthy patron and the challenges of his new life in America, all while attempting to reconcile his artistic vision with the harsh realities of his circumstances.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following his arrival in 1947, László Tóth finds work in Philadelphia but faces hardship and addiction before being commissioned by Harrison Lee Van Buren to build the Van Buren Institute. In 1953, his wife Erzsébet and niece Zsófia reunite with him; Erzsébet is a wheelchair user and Zsófia is mute. During the construction of the Institute, László faces conflict with contractors and the demands of the wealthy Van Buren family. In 1958, the family moves to New York City. Tensions peak when Harrison rapes László during a trip to Italy, leading to a breakdown in their relationship. In 1980, following Erzsébet's death, a retrospective of László's work is held in Venice. Zsófia gives a speech revealing that László designed the Institute to mirror the concentration camps where they suffered, using the architecture as a way of processing his trauma.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 215
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brady Corbet
- Writers
- Brady Corbet · writer; Mona Fastvold · writer
- Cast and characters
- Adrien Brody · László Tóth; Felicity Jones · Erzsébet Tóth; Guy Pearce · Harrison Lee Van Buren; Joe Alwyn · Harry Lee Van Buren; Raffey Cassidy · Zsófia; Stacy Martin · Maggie Van Buren; Alessandro Nivola · Attila Miller; Emma Laird · Audrey Miller
- Genres
- drama; period drama; epic
- Themes
- trauma; immigration; architecture
- Tone and mood
- epic; somber
- Premise and plot tags
- historical drama; biopic-style; architectural
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Enigma of Arrival by V. S. Naipaul
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, being praised for its scale, cinematography, and performances, particularly by Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Cinematography · win; Academy Award · Best Original Score · win; Academy Award · Best Actor · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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