MOVIE REVIEW: THE BRUTALIST

 

Escaping postwar Europe, a visionary architect comes to America to rebuild his life, his career, and his marriage. On his own in a strange new country, he settles in Pennsylvania, where a wealthy and prominent industrialist recognizes his talent.

Director: Brady Corbet

Cast: Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, Alessandro Nivola

Release Date: December 20, 2024

Genre: Drama, History 

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, rape, drug use and some language.

Runtime: 3h 35m

Review:

Brady Corbet's mammoth immigrant epic, The Brutalist, is straightforward but so densely packed with so many themes and undercurrents that its unwieldly at various points but the whole thing is buoyed by a pair of powerful turns from Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce.  Corbet's steady sense of structure paired with cinematographer Lol Crawley stunning visuals make for an elegant film from start to finish.  Each moment and shot are constructed with a meticulous level of detail that echoes films of a bygone era exemplified by the decision to film using VistaVision.  It all gives the film a specific look and feel that pops off the screen throughout its extended runtime.  The inclusion of an overture, intermission and epilogue all add to the overall effect Corbet is trying to achieve.  Amidst all the technical bells and whistles the story, at its heart, is grounded in harsh realism missing any semblance of rose colored nostalgia.  Adrien Brody's László Tóth is a complex character filled with intelligence, ambition, trauma and human imperfections.  The role makes for a fascinating character study as well as following his journey from the moment he hits the shores of America as he tries to find his footing before meeting industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren played by Guy Pearce.  Brody turn is fully formed with his evolution over the course of the film coming off as authentic.  He carries a sense of intellectualism even during his lowest points which serves as Van Buren's main fascination.  Pearce creates a blue blood industrialist who serves as the de facto face of American capitalism presented in its most brutish form.  His hardnose, cold pragmatist serves as a perfect foil to Brody's more measured and cerebral employee.  Their interchanges serve as fascinating explorations of their power structure, with a sprinkling of Ayn Rand for good measure.  The script stumbles in its back half as the subtleness gives way to more overt allegories that feel unnecessary.   Its an odd choice for a film that moves so methodically for a large portion of its runtime before feeling the need to make its larger point more explicit to the point where the final line of dialogue serves as coda for the film's story and experience watching it unfold.  

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: A HAUNTING IN VENICE

 

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot investigates a murder while attending a Halloween seance at a haunted palazzo in Venice, Italy.

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Michelle Yeoh

Release Date: September 13, 2023

Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images and thematic elements

Runtime: 1h 40m

Kenneth Branagh's third Agatha Christie adaptation is just as lavishly directed and performed as his first two films, but the added dash of horror spices up the formula to the murder mystery template.  Branagh gives this entry a decidedly different feel from the start as he makes great use of Venice on Halloween to set up an unsettling, spooky feel to the film.  Once the film settles into its primary setting of the haunted palazzo Branagh throws in plenty of visual flourishes which makes wonderful use of off kilter angles and framing which make the film far more effective and engaging than if he'd played it more straightforward.  The cast is again made up of a wonderful assortment of impressive international actors.  Branagh leads the way with a slightly more weathered and cynical take on Hercule Poirot in this entry which gives this iteration of the character some much needed texture and depth outside of his sleuthing skills.  Tina Fey joins the fray as Ariadne Oliver, an Agatha Christie proxy in the novels, with mixed results which leaves you feeling she's miscast in the role. Fey does her best but you get the sense somebody like Rachel Brosnahan would have been a better fit for this role.  On the other end of the spectrum, Michelle Yeoh leaves a strong impression on the film even with her limited screen time.  Kelly Reilly and Jamie Dornan do just enough to make their characters interesting but sadly both roles are fairly one dimensional.  Jude Hill follows up his impressive performance in Branagh's award winning Belfast with another strong turn here.  Hill possess such a natural ease on screen as he delivers lines with seasoned actors that you can't help but be impressed with the level of talent this 11 year old brings to the production.  His interaction with Branagh early on is a surprising high point in the film which sets up a nice payoff in the end once the film concludes its twisty murder mystery.  A Haunting in Venice shows there's still life in this film series, something Branagh's character reiterates onscreen as his legendary detective finds renewed purpose.

B+