Brutalist Movie: 2 Shocking Scenes More Powerful Than Ever

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⚠️ Caution: This article may reveal significant plot points about the drama “The Brutalist,” which won a Golden Globe. If you haven’t watched it yet, beware of potential spoilers. Consider returning to this piece after you’ve enjoyed the show.

Among the outstanding films released in 2024, “The Brutalist” stood out as one of the most exceptional for me. It’s been a long time since I felt such a profound impact from a movie, not since I watched “There Will Be Blood” multiple times nearly two decades ago. In November, I was fortunate enough to attend an early screening, and since then, I’ve been eagerly anticipating another viewing. When the opportunity arose at the beginning of the new year, I found myself captivated all over again by Brady Corbet’s $10-million masterpiece. Remarkably, my admiration for the film grew even stronger upon rewatching it.

The nearly four-hour film featuring Adrien Brody as a Jewish Hungarian immigrant pursuing the American Dream, complete with an expansive timeline spanning over a decade, left me truly astonished, moved, and awestruck. However, upon rewatching it, two specific scenes stood out even more profoundly. I can’t help but share my thoughts on this exceptional experience and my newfound admiration for the climactic ending of The Brutalist.

I Can’t Get Over Erzsébet’s Strength And Anger While Confronting Harrison

Just as rewatching “Conclave” deepened my appreciation, particularly the build-up leading to its startling papal climax, so too did a second viewing of “The Brutalist” enable me, as a film enthusiast, to savor the moments rather than wait in suspense for what was to come. This rings especially true when Erzsébet Tóth, portrayed by Felicity Jones, confronts Harrison Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce, about his past actions – years of emotional and mental abuse towards her husband during the construction of the community center, culminating in industrialist rapes. In revisiting this scene, I found myself fully immersed in the intensity of the confrontation, rather than anticipating it as I had on my first watch.

Initially, I found the scene incredibly impactful, full of raw emotion and power. However, upon rewatching it, something caught my attention that hadn’t occurred to me before – in this particular scene, Erzsébet uses a walker instead of her usual wheelchair. This detail struck me as significant because it suggests that Erzsébet, who is preparing to move to Israel with her husband, has found the resolve to not only walk again but also to confront the man responsible for taking everything from her partner and turning him into a mere shadow of his former self. Her anger seems to have fueled this remarkable transformation.

Should Felicity Jones indeed secure a nomination for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category (which I firmly believe is likely), it’s this impactful and historic moment that we can expect to witness during the Oscars ceremony.

The Epilogue, With The ‘It Is The Destination, Not The Journey’ Speech Brought Me To Tears

Initially, I found the sudden change to the epilogue in “The Brutalist” so abrupt that I overlooked quite a bit of it. To refresh your memory, following Erzsébet’s confrontation with Harrison (who is believed to have taken his own life), there is a leap forward in time from the late 1950s to 1980, where we find ourselves at an exhibition in Venice showcasing the work of László Tóth. At this presentation, his niece, Zsófia (played by Ariane Labed), discusses his art and the sources of inspiration, which essentially revolve around his survival of the Holocaust and his lifelong pursuit to reconnect with his spouse.

It wasn’t possible for me to hold back tears as Zsófia narrated the emotional scene in “The Brutalist”, where the Van Buren Community Center, frequently showcased in the trailer, was designed to mirror the two concentration camps where László and Erzsébet were imprisoned during World War II. The seemingly insignificant details that appeared random or unnecessary without proper context, turned out to be permanent tributes to their love and reminders of the hardships they faced long ago.

The final statement – “Regardless of what they may persuade you about, it’s the end point, not the process itself” – struck a chord with me, causing me to shed tears as the closing credits appeared.

To put it straightforwardly, I can’t resist re-watching “The Brutalist” on the big screen at least once more, possibly multiple times, as it stands among the finest productions from A24 in recent memory, offering an abundance of captivating elements that resonate deeply with me as a movie enthusiast.

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2025-01-18 04:07