At the Venice Film Festival, The Brutalist has taken center stage, earning a 13-minute standing ovation and being compared to iconic films like The Godfather. Directed by Brady Corbet, this 215-minute epic chronicles the life of László Tóth, a Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor, played by Adrien Brody. The film, which took seven years to create, has critics calling it a “monumental” and “era-defining” masterpiece. Its stunning visuals and sweeping narrative span over 30 years, showcasing a deeply emotional and visionary journey.
The cast includes Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, and Stacy Martin, while Corbet’s script, co-written with Mona Fastvold, explores post-war ambition and trauma. Shot in 70mm to capture the cinematic feel of the 1950s, the film also features a 15-minute intermission. Critics have lauded the film’s ambitious scope, with some even drawing parallels to There Will Be Blood and Once Upon a Time in America.
While there’s no release date yet, The Brutalist is already being considered a strong contender for next year’s Oscars.
