Note: Spoilers for “The Brutalist” Ahead
The dark interior of a ship is suddenly illuminated as László opens a door to the outside world. He and another immigrant rejoice in an ecstatic burst of laughter as they look up to the sky. The camera slowly pans upward, revealing the Statue of Liberty.
Only, the statue is framed upside-down. The camera tilts, shifting the statue to its side, but stops short of making a full rotation, never allowing Lady Liberty to appear upright.
This unexpected and disorienting introduction to the United States sets the stage for László’s journey in “The Brutalist.”
With a runtime of 3 hours and 35 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission, the film may not be the best choice for casual viewing as it addresses complex and, at times, disturbing themes connected to immigration struggles, discrimination, substance abuse, and exploitation.
“The Brutalist” centers on the character of László Tóth, a Jewish-Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor, who sets off to construct a new life in America.
Following his arrival at Ellis Island, László takes a bus to Philadelphia. There, he meets his cousin, Attila, who welcomes him with open arms. Attila immediately offers the newcomer a place to stay and a job at his furniture company.
Things appear to be looking up for László as it seems that working alongside his cousin may be the start of an American success story. Unfortunately, this stability is short lived. Attila’s wife, bothered by the foreigner’s presence, falsely claims that László “made a pass at her,” leading Attila to expel his cousin from their household.
This marks a turning point in “The Brutalist” as the film shifts its attention to contrasting László with the wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.
At first, László’s connection to the Van Buren family looks to be a pathway to the American dream. Harrison commissions László to design a community center, uses his legal connections to help bring László’s wife Erzsébet and niece Zsófia to the U.S., and allows the family to stay on his estate.
This dream is soon shattered. Harrison’s initial respect for László is a mask for his envy and need to project superiority over the architect. From his privileged standpoint, Harrison cannot comprehend why László refuses to tout his accomplishments and is made insecure by the immigrant’s genius and natural humility.
László’s conflict with Harrison and tireless commitment to building the community center in the name of the Van Buren family engulfs much of the narrative in the second half.
When Erzsébet comments on how the project has consumed László, the couple gets into an argument while driving on a dark, mostly empty road. She says, “Living with you is impossible. You’ve become a selfish, old bastard right before my very eyes.”
As Erzsébet voices her frustration over her limited career prospects, László closes his eyes before aggressively pulling at the steering wheel, shouting, “We came here because it was our only option!”
Still hurt by the rejection of his cousin Attila, he asks Erzsébet, “Did he tell you he kicked me to the street like a dog?” László and Erzsébet’s conversation is pivotal because for the first time in the film, László openly reflects on his disappointments. The journey that was meant to offer a promising future for his family has only driven them apart.
In László’s experience, the land of opportunity is revealed as a land of restricted choice and entrapment. While he is given the opportunity to express his talent as an architect, his employer is controlling and abusive. László feels unwanted by American society as his talents are simultaneously desired yet undervalued.
Through László’s personal story, director Brady Corbet disrupts the dominant “American myth,” offering a narrative on immigration that challenges our assumptions of what coming to America brings.
“The Brutalist” does not deny the success stories of immigrants in the U.S. Instead, the film asks us to consider if the American dream is truly attainable for everyone. What happens when someone loses the support of their family or realizes they are incompatible with the society they hoped to integrate with?
While “The Brutalist” is not easily palatable, its uncomfortable moments force us to reflect on the pain of László’s experiences. As László’s expectations for life in America are subverted, so are the audience’s expectations of the immigrant success story.
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