Really wanted to like it but couldn’t.
The first part had moments of interest, even if it leaned towards pretentiousness. The second half, however, felt messy and directionless, culminating in a heavy-handed and simplistic message that the film practically shoves in your face.
What frustrated me the most is that The Brutalist seems to be trying too hard. Brady Corbet appears to equate intensity with depth, favoring excess over nuance. Maybe he’s right—maybe that’s what audiences respond to today—but it…
