Skip to main content

The Brutalist (2024)

 

The Brutalist is a historical fiction set in the forties and fifties about a Jewish man who survived the holocaust. 

Written and directed by Brady Corbet, the film is primed with being nominated for an Oscar. I have never seen a movie done by him before, but I did see him in Funny Games and it makes me wonder where the quality of filmmaking came from. While the Venice Film Festival has loved Corbet for years, this might be the first time he gets more wide recognition. 

He relies on lead actor Adrien Brody to carry the film. Brody can channel the emotions needed to sell the film. I first saw him in The Pianist, and this film tries to recreate that spark. Alessandro Nivola plays a supporting character in the film who was recently in the nearly horrible Kraven: The Hunter. It's not like the film will hurt from him being in it at the super limited box office as it is only available in four theaters. It's smart for Corbet to keep the camera focused on Brody for most of the film.

Emma Laird plays a quite annoying character, which I believe to be by design. She has this pissed-off look the entire time. She hasn't been in anything good and the only thing of note is A Haunting in Venice.  I don't get why she has three upcoming projects if she keeps putting out effort like this, perhaps she has the right connections. Isaach De Bankole is also in the film and adds a layer to the film I wasn't expecting. You might recognize him from Casino Royale.

Guy Pearce shows up with a force that could have come across as overacting and has to carry his time with Nivola not carrying his weight but Brody easily elevates his performance. While Pearce has more misses than hits, although he can do well with a good director, see Memento and L.A. Confidential. 

I'm glad to see Hollywood hasn't given up on Felicity Jones after Rogue One's failure at the box office. She hasn't had a good movie to shine since The Theory of Everything so it's wonderful to see her again.

The film is long but has some great dialogue and acting. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psycho Killer (2026)

Psycho Killer (2026) is a religious-tinged detective thriller that leans far more into procedural tension than outright horror. Directed by Gavin Polone , who is better known as a producer than a filmmaker, the movie benefits heavily from its screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker , the writer behind Se7en . His fingerprints are all over this. The writing is sharp, layered with foreshadowing that only fully clicks at the end, and structured in a way that constantly feels like it is building toward something inevitable. The gorgeous  Georgina Campbell plays the detective tracking down the titular killer, and she carries the film with confidence. You'll remember her from Barbarian and recently Cold Storage.  The script gives her plenty of emotional range to explore, from controlled professionalism to visible cracks under pressure. She handles the lore-heavy exposition well and grounds what could have been overwhelming backstory. It is another strong showing for her and proof she c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cold Storage (2026)

Cold Storage (2026) is a sci fi horror thriller that surprised me in a good way. The writing is solid enough that it actually calmed some of my worries about Disclosure Day coming later this year since the same writer is involved. The story holds together and stays engaging, even when the visuals do not. The CG is laughably bad at times, but the acting/chemistry keeps the movie watchable. Jonny Campbell directs, with the screenplay by David Koepp , known for Jurassic Park and Spider-Man . His writing here is tighter than expected, which is why it gives me more confidence about Disclosure Day. The direction is straightforward and lets the script do most of the work, even if the effects budget clearly limits what can be shown on screen. He needs a redemption after  Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Joe Keery , known for Stranger Things and Free Guy , is the main reason I showed up. He proves he can handle a leading role after Stranger Things and carries the film with a relax...
Post a Comment
Read more