The Brutalist - Review

It’s the Destination, Not the Journey..

Review written by Jack Aling

The Brutalist is directed and written by Brady Corbet and co-written by Mona Fastvold.

Starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones & Guy Pearce.

When a visionary architect and his wife flee post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern United States, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious, wealthy client.

The Brutalist is a miracle. A near-perfect culmination of artistry and history colliding to create a film so monumental in scale that you can't help but stare in awe.

Like a just-discovered film from old Hollywood, the immaculate performances, pounding score and VistaVision presentation make this stand tall amongst the modern, digital, franchise-filled landscape.

Narratively, I didn’t agree with all of its decisions especially the second half (post-intermission!) where the realities of the 'American Dream' come to the surface, resulting in some startling and unanticipated moments.

Overwhelming in the best possible way, we must not take films like The Brutalist for granted as they do not come around often enough. Celebrate it loud, with a crowd and in 70mm for an astounding and irreplaceable experience.

Our verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Brutalist arrives in UK Cinemas January 24th 2025

Read more of Jack's reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling