Why Long Movies Need Intermissions

Whenever a movie runs for more than two hours and a half, I find myself psyching up. I’m aware that I’m committing to a lengthy watch, and often, I feel apprehensive about it. At times, this prolonged duration can even dissuade me from watching a film. It’s undeniable that such an extended run-time can significantly impact a movie’s reception. When the critically acclaimed 2024 film, The Brutalist, boasted a runtime of three and a half hours, I was daunted by it and hesitated to watch. However, fortunately, there was an intermission halfway through, which enabled me to understand why all long movies should have a mid-point pause.

After The Brutalist scooped up numerous Golden Globe awards in 2025, I felt compelled to watch it at the cinema, even though its length was a turn-off for me. However, what I didn’t fully understand was that Brady Corbet’s film included an intermission, which turned out to be quite beneficial. It made the experience more manageable and contributed significantly to the movie’s success.

Corbet mentioned that he required a break during “The Brutalist”, as he finds it challenging to stay seated for more than three hours. I can relate, and I’m sure many others do when preparing for a prolonged movie. From my perspective, it’s refreshing to take a breather, stretch, and get ready for the remaining part of the film.

Read More About The Brutalist

The A24 film with a brutalist style is still on my mind, and I’m amazed by how it was produced with just a budget of $10 million.

I’m still pondering over the A24 movie that had a brutalist aesthetic, and I can’t help but be astounded by the fact that it was made for only $10 million.

In terms of narrative structure, “The Brutalist” consists of two separate segments. To avoid revealing too much, the initial segment focuses on Adrien Brody’s character, László Tóth – a Jewish immigrant architect – as he endeavors to build a new life in America following his escape from Europe during World War II. The subsequent part delves into his professional advancements, the reunion of his spouse, and the various forms of discrimination and antisemitism he encounters throughout his journey.

Taking all that in was quite a task, but the break came at just the right moment. It allowed me to unwind, reflect on what I had seen, and psych myself up for what lay ahead. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to take a bathroom break without missing any of the movie. This pause made me ponder how plays and musicals have traditionally followed this pattern, and perhaps movies could benefit from doing so more often as well.

To underscore how significantly the intermission affected my experience of watching “The Brutalist”, I concurred with our review and awarded it 4 stars. Had there been no intermission, I would have rated it 3 stars instead.

Taking a midway pause in the movie made it feel more manageable, almost like watching two movies of 1 hour and 40 minutes each instead of one long 3.5-hour film. This break allowed me to ponder over what I had just seen, as well as to take a brief moment of respite before diving back into the narrative.

Reflecting on lengthy films I’ve watched recently, runtime significantly influenced my overall assessment of them. Although reviews for “Killers of the Flower Moon” were laudable, its prolonged duration and density made it a bit overwhelming; perhaps an intermission could have eased the experience. Similarly, “Horizon,” directed by Kevin Costner, would have been enhanced with a break as well. Even the epic film “Wicked,” which I adore, was quite lengthy, and I had to take a restroom break during my theater viewing.

Essentially, breaks serve multiple purposes: they aid in understanding what we’ve experienced, offer a moment of rest, and provide chances to stretch, use the facilities, or grab a quick snack. People require time for reflection and relaxation, and intermissions cater to this need — as demonstrated effectively by The Brutalist.

In an era where 90-minute films are often preferred, incorporating a break of around 10 to 15 minutes into longer movies (over 2 hours and 30 minutes) could make these extended films more enjoyable for viewers. Instead of viewing them as enduring tasks, audiences might appreciate them more, take time to process the content, and even anticipate watching extra-long movies. Therefore, filmmakers and studios, consider adding intermissions to your lengthy productions!

If you’re keen on watching “The Brutalist”, an exceptional film featuring a captivating intermission, you can catch it in cinemas currently, as it’s also part of the thrilling lineup of upcoming movies scheduled for 2025.

2025-01-20 03:38