The Brutalist: A monumental architectural and cinematic fresco

With The Brutalist , director Brady Corbet delivers a work that redefines the codes of the biopic and the historical epic. Starring Adrien Brody as László Tóth, a visionary architect and Holocaust survivor, the film explores post-war America through a prism where the Brutalist aesthetic becomes a metaphor for the struggle for existence. Shot in VistaVision 70mm , a format rarely used today, The Brutalist makes each shot a living tableau, precisely capturing the texture of the concrete and the rigor of the architectural forms.

Cinematographer Lol Crawley drew on Edward Hopper 's painterly contrasts and Saul Leiter 's photographic perspectives to create a striking image. Each shot is a play of light and shape, where the oppression of rigid lines evokes the protagonist's personal story.

In this demanding production, Corbet manages to transcribe the duality between the American dream and disillusionment . The image does not simply illustrate an era: it becomes its memory, a frozen space between utopia and despair.

Presented at the Venice Film Festival , The Brutalist earned Corbet the Silver Lion for Best Director , before winning three Golden Globes , including Best Picture and Best Director . Its rise to the Oscars , where it was nominated in ten categories, consecrates a film that could have remained an unsaleable project but which has established itself as a critical and commercial phenomenon.

This success is striking in a cinematic landscape dominated by franchises and streaming platforms. How could such a dense work, lasting 3 hours and 35 minutes with intermission , shot in an outdated format, captivate a wide audience? This strong comeback of ambitious auteur cinema could well be the sign of a reaction to the standardization of the industry.

At the center of the film, Adrien Brody delivers a performance of rare intensity, recalling his unforgettable role in The Pianist . His character, László Tóth, is a man in search of recognition, facing a world where art and ambition collide with brutal realities.

He co-stars with Felicity Jones , who is moving as Erzsébet Tóth, and Guy Pearce , who plays a patron with ambivalent intentions. Together, they offer a poignant human fresco, carried by a script that combines modernity and sensitivity.

A work that is already a cult?

The Brutalist isn't universally acclaimed: some see it as a stunning display of force , while others hail it as a cinematic masterpiece . What is certain is that this film marks a break and a rare ambition in the current cinematic landscape.

More than a biopic, more than a tribute to Brutalist architecture, The Brutalist is an exploration of artistic legacy, the construction of memory, and the persistence of ideals in the face of a changing world. A unique cinematic experience, one that has already established itself as a modern classic.