The Brutalist 2024

I like the moment when Harrison Lee turns from being mad to eventually falling in love with László’s design for his library. I can relate to that. I used to not appreciate the Brutalist buildings in Makati and the numerous government buildings around Metro Manila designed by Leandro Locsin. I would often dismiss them as cold, bland, and old school looking. But as time went by, I started appreciating them more, especially because of the shadows these massive structures create. There is something almost alien and out of this world about them, especially now that most modern buildings we see are covered in glass. At the same time, Brutalism has this elegant, simple, and honest look because I can really see and feel the structure for what it is. I also like how intimate the score becomes whenever it accompanies László’s vision. It almost feels like listening to a dream slowly coming into fruition. Then it shifts into something much grander during the construction scenes. It gives me this feeling that they are not simply constructing a building, but creating a monument or some kind of beacon of hope. I also loved the scene where László builds the scale model for his project with Harrison. It reminded me of the time I made a scale model for a project in high school. Mine was not perfect, but I still remember how proud I felt after accomplishing something that was completely outside my comfort zone. It was made by hand and with a lot of care, so I remember being genuinely delighted with myself when I finally finished it. Maybe that is also why those scenes worked so well for me. There is something deeply satisfying about seeing an idea that originally exists only inside someone’s head slowly become tangible. Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce are also excellent here. Brody carries so much of the film through László’s ambition, pride, exhaustion, and obsession, while Pearce gives Harrison this unpredictable mix of admiration, entitlement, and menace. For me, Brody is actually even better here than he was in The Pianist (2002). And visually, this film is just impeccable. I love the cinematography.