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: KINDS OF KINDNESS

Three stories revolve around a man who tries to take control of his own life, a policeman whose wife seems like a different person, and a woman who searches for someone with a special ability.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer

Release Date: June 21, 2024

Genre: Comedy, Drama 

Rated R for strong/disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 45m

Review:

Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness isn't going to be for everybody with the anthology's trio of twisted tales dissecting a series of overarching themes such as obsession, self actualization, amongst others, with pitch black humor and a bleak worldview.  There's a fairly transparent sense that the cast and crew are well aware they aren't making something for general consumption as the stories veer into decidedly weird areas occasionally done for simple shock value with others presenting something more substantial to the proceedings.  Each segment sets ups a very specific story but the script only provides some scant, basic details to get the audience acclimated to the plots and characters but very little outside detail beyond that.  The abrupt endings give the film a whole disorienting feel throughout as you're given little to no time to digest what you've seen before moving to the next one.  The stories leave plenty of unexplained plot points which are sure to frustrate plenty of people.   At the very least, the film manages to burrow itself into the audience's mind as the cast and crew gives them plenty of leeway to make their own determination about what each section represents.  The core ensemble made up of Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau and Mamoudou Athie are clearly committed to Lanthimos's vision throughout.  Plemons gets the lion’s share of the screen time across all three segments delivering strong work in each as he showcases his versatility.  Emma Stone gets bigger spotlights in the second and third segments with Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley & Hong Chau mostly serving as supporting players across all three.  The group works well together but really is most effective in the middle segment where the performances and oddity of it all coalesces into the film's most effective moments.  Ultimately, Kinds of Kindness is a niche film that could be dissected as easily as its exalted depending on personal taste. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE FAVOURITE

In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne, and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne's ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing, and Abigail sees a chance to return to her aristocratic roots.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn, James Smith, Mark Gatiss

Release Date: November 23, 2018

Genres: Biography, Comedy, Drama

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime: 1h 59 min

Review:

At some point during Yorgos Lanthimos cynically funny film, you might get the sensation that you are watching a mash up of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon and Milo Foreman’s Amadeus.  That’s hardly a bad thing but as the film moves on its genuinely funny script and biting wit take hold, carried ably by the top notch cast.  The three leads share the sort of chemistry that’s rare to find.  It’s instantly recognizable and they make you care about these fairly terrible human beings.  Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz are all in top form with each being given multiple moments to shine.  It’d be criminal not to mention Nicholas Hoult who finds a way to standout in supporting role.  The Favourite is truly a fun ride through and through filled with top notch performance and stellar camera work that’s sure to be iconic as the film ages. 

A