The Brutalist

First watch. The first act was near perfect; the cinematography and score might be my favorite of the year. The second act, however, I am still digesting. I feel it’s more than the harsh deconstruction of the American Dream — the build up of dehumanizing comments and actions by Van Buren toward László, the reassurance by Erzébet… I was starting to loathe László until the final 20 minutes when it started to click for me. His work, his passion, his efforts were being more than just striped from him — they don’t want us here. And the conclusion is more than a “it’s about the destination and not the journey” trope, but rather the destination justifies the journey. The risks, the consequences, all conforming to an intended outcome, but unfortunately his work beared the White man’s name. I will say, the epilogue, in a way, forces this conclusion onto the audience which I wasn’t a fan of. “Is there a better description of a cube than that of its construction?”