The Brutalist 2025 Movie Review
I had no intention of watching The Brutalist, but I ended up going to the cinema unexpectedly. With a runtime of almost four hours, I was convinced I would feel the weight of time and eventually get bored. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong-I was absorbed from the very first minutes and drawn into a rare and powerful cinematic experience.
The Brutalist is a dense, demanding, and meticulous film. It’s one of those works that require a certain state of mind, and honestly, I know it’s not for everyone. I completely understand those who might find it boring or excessive, but for me, it was the opposite. From the start, I was captivated by the masterful editing, which maintains an almost hypnotic rhythm without ever becoming monotonous, the outstanding performances that bring incredibly complex characters to life, and the breathtaking cinematography that turns each frame into a true work of art. The soundtrack, grand and carefully integrated, adds an epic layer to many scenes, contributing to the film’s immersive atmosphere.
To illustrate how I felt watching this masterpiece, I recently had a completely different experience with Nosferatu (2024). Although they are very different films, Nosferatu is half as long, has more action, and yet I found it absurdly boring and soulless (like 75% of Eggers’ films). On the other hand, The Brutalist, with its slower development, managed to keep me engaged in every scene, allowing me to form a genuine emotional connection with the story. In my view, cinema should involve me and evoke emotions, and The Brutalist achieved exactly that.
The story itself is relatively straightforward, but its depth lies in the themes it explores. Following the journey of a Jewish architect who emigrates to the United States in search of a new life, the film delves into topics such as immigration, identity, ambition, greed, and the desire to leave a lasting legacy. More than just the story, it’s the characters that make The Brutalist so impactful. Each one carries an emotional complexity that unfolds layer by layer, and the performances are simply astounding. It’s impossible not to feel immersed in the protagonist’s journey, brilliantly portrayed by Adrien Brody.
It’s not hard to understand, but it’s an extremely dense work with much to reflect on regarding themes such as immigration, greed, ambition, legacy, and architecture. However, it’s the depth of the characters and the remarkable performances that define each moment.
Despite all its strengths, the film is not perfect. For me, the biggest issue is the ending (well before the epilogue), which felt rushed and somewhat inconclusive for certain characters who played such a significant role throughout this odyssey. It’s as if the film was building up to something grand but didn’t quite know how to wrap it up in the most satisfying way. The epilogue tries to fill some of these gaps, but it still feels like a somewhat abrupt conclusion for a film that demands so much from the audience over nearly four hours.
Overall, The Brutalist is a film that requires patience and commitment but rewards those who allow themselves to be immersed in it. It’s not an easy film, but it’s a powerful and emotionally rich cinematic experience that encourages reflection on timeless themes in a visually stunning way. Without a doubt, it’s a film that will stay with me for a long time. And this, my friends, is cinema in its purest form.
