The Brutalist: Near four-hour epic hailed ‘masterpiece’ and ‘next Godfather’ after 13-minute standing ovation

A nearly four hour-long film is making waves at Venice Film Festival, with many calling it a “masterpiece” akin to The Godfather.

After screenings of gritty Jude Law filmThe Order and a biopic on soprano Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, The Brutalist premiered on Sunday (1 September), receiving a rapturous 13-minute standing ovation – easily the longest of the festival so far.

Directed by Brady Corbet, the film, set over 30 years, explores the life of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who survived the Holocaust and, after emigrating to the US with his wife (Felicity Jones), crosses paths with the mysterious Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), who changes the course of his life.

Corbet, whose previous credits include cult films The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, spent seven years making the 215 minute-long epic, which was shot in 70mm to “reflect the widescreen experiences of its 1950s setting” and comes with a 15-minute intermission. He co-wrote the film with The World to Come director Mona Fastvold.

After the film’s first screening, critics didn’t have enough superlatives for the film, which has received unanimous praise and is being compared with some of the most acclaimed Hollywood films of all time.

Journalist Diego Andaluz said the film was “on the level” of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America and Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, calling it “a visionary, era-defining American epic”. Discussing Film’s senior critic Yasmin Kandil wrote: “A staggering cinematic accomplishment and one that feels so rarely seen in the modern age.”

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

Stu Talks host Stu Wilson corroborated Rolph’s comment on 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”, with Beyond Fest adding: “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 with There Will Be Blood and The Godfather.”

In a five-star review, The Times suggested it might be “the film to beat” at next year’s Oscars ceremony.

Speaking about criticism of the film’s lengthy running time at a press conference for the film, Corbet said: “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 criticising a book that has 700 pages instead of 100 pages. I’ve read great novellas and I’ve read longer masterpieces.”

As well writing and directing, Corbet has appeared as an actor in films including Thirteen, Melancholia and Michael Haneke’s Funny Games remake.

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