'The Brutalist' cast beams over the breadth of the film's story

The cast of "The Brutalist" credits director Brady Corbet with the movie's strong acclaim.

“He's a special filmmaker because he focuses on psychology and behavior and those things that we as actors are genuinely interested in,” said Guy Pearce, who plays wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren.

“So, it was a real treat from start to finish,” he added.

The movie is an epic tale of a Hungarian immigrant who flees the horrors of World War Two to rebuild his life in the United States. It stars Oscar-winner Adrien Brody as the architect Laszlo Toth.

"The Brutalist," which has a three-hour and 35-minute runtime and a 15-minute intermission, was co-written by Corbet's wife, Mona Fastvold. It was successful at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this year, with Corbet winning the best director prize.

The film, distributed by A24, arrives in movie theaters on December 20 in the United States.

Brody, who read the script nearly six years ago, expressed his deep connection to the story and his character through his Hungarian-born mother and grandfather.

“Her [his mother’s] journey as an artist, her pursuits as an artist are deeply profound and linked to this,” he said.

Filmmaker and actor Mona Fastvold attends the premiere of the film "The Brutalist" at Vista Theatre in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 5, 2024. REUTERS/Etienne Laurent

For Brody, the role connected him with his mother’s yearning to leave something of significant meaning behind, which was enhanced when contrasted with an understanding of hardship.

He also thought of his own grandfather's struggles with language and assimilation as a foreigner without work opportunities or respect.

“That (respect) was lost and taken from him,” Brody added.

His grandfather, fleeing from home due to the war, largely shaped the actor’s perspective of his role.

For “The Theory of Everything,” actress Felicity Jones, who portrays Toth’s wife, Erzsebet Toth, the most compelling aspects of the film are its characters and unique storytelling style.

“These characters, particularly Laszlo and Erzsebet, you know, are doing everything they can to preserve their integrity and self-worth,” she said.

Brody was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance for a Male Actor in a Motion Picture drama and is receiving Oscar buzz for his role.

For “The Pianist” actor, having a strong team was key to the power of the film.

“To do work on this level, you need all of those to conspire with you and not against you,” Brody said.