Moving further into the award season, Brady Corbet’s film “The Brutalist” remains a strong contender for recognition. This lengthy production clocks in at approximately 3.5 hours and boasts an impressive ensemble cast featuring Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones.
The movie garnered almost unanimously exceptional praise from critics, earning a top rating from us. Our review labeled it as a movie deeply rooted in history that powerfully portrays America’s complex bond with immigrants.
In the movie, Brody portrays László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect who immigrates to Pennsylvania following the war. He endures numerous challenges until he catches the eye of affluent American industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, played by Pearce.
Stepping into the realm of cinema criticism, let me share my thoughts on this intriguing narrative: Upon forming a business alliance, I found myself tasked with the grandiose project of conceptualizing and constructing an impressive cultural center. However, as the work progressed, it became glaringly apparent that my challenges were far from being laid to rest.
Since the movie appears to be deeply rooted in historical facts, it could spark your curiosity about its authenticity. Here is the information you seek.
Is The Brutalist based on a true story?
Indeed, the straightforward response is that The Brutalist is purely a work of fiction, not drawn from real-life events.
It’s important to note that while Director Brady Corbet meticulously studied post-war Pennsylvania life and the Brutalist architectural style, none of the events portrayed in the movie actually occurred, and László Tóth, as well as Guy Pearce’s character Harrison Lee Van Buren, are fictional characters – the same applies to all other figures in the film.
It’s worth mentioning that László Tóth, a significant individual from Hungary, existed during the same time as the characters in the movie. However, beyond their shared nationality, there are no striking resemblances between them.
The true Tóth is a geologist, born in 1938, who eventually relocated to Australia. However, his most notable act occurred in 1972 when he allegedly defaced Michelangelo’s Pietà statue, asserting that he was Jesus Christ. Following this incident, he was admitted to a mental health institution.
When speaking with USA Today, co-writer Mona Fastvold clarified that the name similarity was simply a coincidence. She explained, “László Tóth is much like John Smith in Hungary – it’s one of the most common names. Since we spent a significant amount of time in Hungary, the name for our Hungarian character just seemed fitting.

In my critique, it’s clear that Fastvold and Corbet drew significant inspiration from real-life architects when shaping their character. Notable figures like Paul Rudolph, Louis Kahn, and Marcel Breuer all left a mark on this creation. Interestingly enough, Breuer, who is of Hungarian-Jewish descent, was also among them, although he migrated to the US prior to the war, not afterwards.
According to Corbet, the book titled “Marcel Breuer and a Committee of Twelve’s Church Plan” was one of his greatest sources of inspiration.
The narrative provides a rather factual depiction of Abbot Breuer’s efforts to establish Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota, hinting at the prejudice he encountered along the way. Interestingly, similar to the film, no character overtly expresses the underlying issues explicitly.
In an interview for the movie’s press materials, Corbet shared his thoughts on why emphasizing Brutalist architecture helped him capture a genuine aspect of the post-war mindset in America.
As a film enthusiast, I find that the architecture of the post-war era, particularly Brutalism, mirrors the psychological state of societies emerging from war. In our movie, we depict this connection through the creation of the Institute, which symbolizes the deep-seated trauma of three decades following World Wars I and II experienced by László Toth, and the subsequent impact of these conflicts.
It was a beautiful coincidence that the resources created for survival during wartime were later utilized in homes and business buildings in the 1950s and 1960s by architectural greats such as Marcel Breuer and Le Corbusier.
In my perspective, the post-war era has held an enduring allure for me. What captivates me most is how post-war psychology left a profound and unique mark on the architecture of that time.
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2025-01-24 15:05