This is a fictional story about a Hungarian born Jewish architect by the name of László Tóth (Adrian Brody) who emigrates to America after surviving the holocaust in World War Two. Initially struggling he gets involved with Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) a wealthy benefactor who commissions him to build a massive community centre in a small Pennsylvanian town. Eventually reunited with his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) the story explores the challenges of László’s personal and professional life and his growing issue with alcohol and drugs.
The film definitely qualifies as epic being over three and a half hours long and curiously, in this day and age, includes a 15 minute intermission about half way into the action. Splitting the film into two parts is quite jarring.
Part one explores Tóth’s arrival in America and his stumbling attempts to establish a life without his wife. The film feels well grounded and the development of character and plot is intriguing and satisfying. The second part after the intermission feels more fractured and almost obsessive. Sadly, it also becomes bogged down with uncomfortable and overly long scenes. The drama in this second half seems a little contrived.
What the film gets right is the contrast between people traumatised by the horrors of the war and the privilege and hostility of an American community distrustful of foreigners and largely unaffected by the hostilities in the rest of the world.
The acting is superb and the aesthetics and cinematography top notch. Watching the interplay between characters, particularly in the first part is magical.
Overall, the film feels self-indulgent and far too long but it is quite an epic experience.
Starring: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, Alessandro Nivola
Directed by: Brady Corbet
Duration: 215 Minutes
Open in New Zealand – 23 January 2025