The Brutalist
With its long runtime and sweeping ambition, Brady Corbet's award-winning film may be intimidating to some. But at its core is a simple story that represents the experiences of both immigrants and artists in America. Whether you're working on a building, a film, a song, or a company–anyone who sets out to create something great will face challenges like Adrien Brody’s character László.
There will be seasons when it’s difficult to find a decent job. The artist may wrestle with the tension between doing great work and answering to someone else. His work might be misunderstood, and there will be pressure to assimilate. To sand off all the harsh edges that makes him unique, so he can fit in comfortably with society’s expectations.
When his gift is finally recognized, less-talented people in powerful positions will seek to control or even monetize it, often standing in opposition to the quality of the work itself. Unexpected setbacks will cause division and threaten to derail the project. The final product may hardly resemble the purity of the original vision.
At least, that’s how the Hollywood system seems to function these days, if it functions at all. After #MeToo, COVID, strikes, and now fires, the entertainment industry has been in a state of perpetual upheaval. Outsiders may point fingers and claim the elites are getting what they deserve. What they don't understand is this community is made up of every color, nation, and class of people. We've all struggled to make our mark in a place where dreams can become reality, though so many never do.
A line from the film essentially claims “it’s not the journey, it’s the destination.” I’d argue it’s both. If László didn’t complete his beautiful structure, what was the point of all the suffering he endured? But if László hadn’t gone through the wringer, would his creations be imbued with any real meaning?
Setbacks are inevitable when trying to achieve anything of value. Our work will only be better when we’ve overcome hardships. I don’t think everything has to be as hard as we make it, but hopefully we can learn to enjoy the process so we're not resentful when our work is finished.
People looking for temporary pleasures–fame, fortune, power–will only find themselves producing inferior art. Maybe those of us with an eternal perspective can find a better way.