“Promise you won’t let it drive you mad.”
This line, whispered to Adrien Brody’s immigrant architect László Tóth by his wife, Erzsébet, played by Felicity Jones, comes in the second half of Brady Corbet’s massive American epic “The Brutalist,” ironically, at a point in the film in which madness is all Tóth has to cling to. After all, in a world dominated by insanity, how can one not respond in kind? For Tóth, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who was well known for his work prior to the war, his madness is the construction of a community center to be named in honor of his benefactor’s late mother. It’s a feat that will last over a decade, a span of time during which his skills and expertise will constantly be minimized and his ability to create something beautiful will be challenged by the fluctuating virulence of said benefactor, Harrison Lee Van Buren, brought to sickening reality by Guy Pearce.
Set to a section of Daniel Blumberg’s swelling, discordant score, the new trailer for “The Brutalist” below showcases the grandness of Corbet’s vision and imagery, some of which was shot in VistaVision, as well as the three central performances between Brody, Jones, and Pearce. Tóth is introduced as having been relegated to coal shoveling on a construction site shortly following his arrival in America, but when Van Buren finds out who he really is, he’s determined to employ his abilities, both out of admiration and to lay claim over his talents. This doesn’t prove as easy as he thought it would be, as Tóth, like all true artists, refuses to allow his designs to be challenged by others. If he is to raise something divine, there must be nothing and no one standing in his way. And yet at every turn, Van Buren and others place obstacles as if for no other reason than to assert their own dominance.
While it’s still early in awards season, “The Brutalist” is gaining momentum going into Oscar nominating season, having already picked up Best Film and Best Actor from the New York Film Critics Circle, Best Production Design from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and seven Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Actor in Motion Picture — Drama for Brody, Best Supporting Actress in Motion Picture — Drama for Jones, Best Supporting Actor in Motion Picture — Drama for Pearce, and Best Director for Corbet. In addition, following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Corbet took home the Silver Lion and recently, at Camerimage in Poland, cinematographer Lol Crawley received the Silver Frog.
Watch the new trailer for “The Brutalist” below.
