Four-Hour Epic Hailed as ‘Next Godfather’ After 13-Minute Standing Ovation

A nearly four-hour-long film is creating a buzz at the Venice Film Festival, with many calling it a “masterpiece” on par with *The Godfather*.

Following the screenings of gritty Jude Law’s film *The Order* and a biopic on soprano Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, *The Brutalist* premiered on Sunday, September 1, receiving an impressive 13-minute standing ovation—the longest at the festival so far.

Directed by Brady Corbet, this film spans over 30 years and delves into the life of László Tóth, portrayed by Adrien Brody. Tóth is a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survived the Holocaust and emigrates to the US with his wife, played by Felicity Jones. Their lives take a dramatic turn when they meet the enigmatic Harrison Lee Van Buren, played by Guy Pearce.

Corbet, known for cult films like *The Childhood of a Leader* and *Vox Lux*, spent seven years creating this 215-minute epic. The film, shot in 70mm to reflect the widescreen experiences of the 1950s, includes a 15-minute intermission. Corbet co-wrote the script with *The World to Come* director Mona Fastvold.

After its first screening, critics were effusive in their praise for *The Brutalist*. Journalist Diego Andaluz likened the film to cinematic giants like Francis Ford Coppola’s *The Godfather*, Sergio Leone’s *Once Upon a Time in America*, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s *There Will Be Blood*. Andaluz called it “a visionary, era-defining American epic.”

Yasmin Kandil, senior critic at *Discussing Film*, described the movie as “a staggering cinematic accomplishment and one that feels so rarely seen in the modern age.”

Critic Ben Rolph declared *The Brutalist* “a near-masterpiece that transcends modern cinema,” adding that “the opening scene alone is out-of-this-world great, immersing you into the troubled yet brilliant mind of Tóth László.”

Stu Wilson, host of *Stu Talks*, corroborated Rolph’s claim about the opening scene, calling it “one of the most immediately staggering things I’ve ever seen in a cinema.” He described the film as “monumental,” and Beyond Fest stated: “*The Brutalist* is a film that transcends and will endure, it’s the one that warrants the term ‘masterpiece.’”

They added, “Corbet is operating in rarified air having created an American epic that will be discussed alongside *There Will Be Blood* and *The Godfather*.”

In its five-star review, *The Times* suggested that *The Brutalist* could be “the film to beat” at next year’s Oscars.

At a press conference, Corbet addressed criticisms about the film’s lengthy running time. “Because this film does everything we are told that we are not allowed to do, I think it’s quite silly to have a conversation about runtime because that’s like criticizing a book that has 700 pages instead of 100 pages. I’ve read great novellas and I’ve read longer masterpieces,” he said.

Besides writing and directing, Corbet has also acted in films such as *Thirteen*, *Melancholia*, and the remake of Michael Haneke’s *Funny Games*.

*The Brutalist*, which also stars Joe Alwyn, Stacy Martin, and Alessando Nivola, does not yet have a release date.

Source: Venice Film Festival, The Times, Discussing Film, Beyond Fest