10 Movies To Watch if You Love 'The Brutalist'

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The Brutalist is one of 2024's most epic movies. It follows the story of László Tóth (Adrien Brody), an architect who survived the Holocaust and immigrated to America. While the movie isn't based on one specific story, it encapsulates so many aspects of the Jewish immigrant experience in America. The Brutalist uses its massive run time to follow Tóth throughout his life as he faces challenges to be accepted by American society.

For those who loved The Brutalist, there are several movies that explore similar themes. Some movies, like The Godfather, are also sweeping meditations on American identity from immigrant perspectives. Other movies, like Gentleman's Agreement, are authentic reflections on the Jewish American experience in particular. Many of these movies speak to how damaging prejudice is to everyone. The best movies, like The Brutalist, highlight human characters and how they flesh out their respective identities.

10 'The Pianist' (2002)

Directed by Roman Polanski

The Pianist is based on the true story of Władysław Szpilman (Brody), a pianist who survived the Holocaust. The Pianist is a brutal look at the Nazi occupation of Poland and the destruction that they caused to millions of individuals. The movie follows Szpilman as he survives the Warsaw Ghetto but watches those closest to him perish. Throughout The Pianist, Szpilman struggles and ultimately succeeds in maintaining his sense of self against the brutality of the Holocaust.

For fans of Adrien Brody, The Pianist is essential viewing. This is one of Brody's most vulnerable performances. Like his character in The Brutalist, Brody's character in The Pianist is a man who has witnessed so much horror. The characters that Brody portrays in The Brutalist and The Pianist are complex men who must navigate their changing identities. Both movies showcase Brody's ability to create nuanced characters who have seen some of the darkest moments in recent history.

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9 'The Godfather' (1972)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

The Godfather is based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo. The story follows the Corleone family, who have built a life for themselves after the family patriarch, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), left Sicily. On its surface, The Godfather is a crime drama that gives an inside look at how the Italian mob operated in America, especially in the post-war years. On a deeper level, however, The Godfather is a family drama about the struggle for survival and the failure of the American Dream.

Like The Brutalist, The Godfather is a sweeping narrative that is a meditation on the American experience. Both stories feature individuals and families living on the fringes of American society. The Brutalist and The Godfather also examine the immigrant experience, particularly those from Europe, and how these individuals had to fight collectively for acceptance into American society. Both movies feature nuanced portrayals of families creating new identities to survive in the United States.

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8 'Exodus' (1960)

Directed by Otto Preminger

Exodus is another historical epic with a breadth and scope similar to The Brutalist. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Leon Uris. Like the source material, Exodus stars Paul Newman and depicts people who witnessed the founding of the State of Israel. Exodus follows characters who must confront the chaos of this moment in history. The movie presents the Jewish perspective on the founding of the State of Israel through characters who are either Jewish themselves or who are connected to the Jewish community.

Exodus and The Brutalist are both examinations of the Jewish experience in different contexts. They both show the post-war years in Europe and how the Jewish community was impacted by the Holocaust long after the war ended. These character-focused dramas highlight the existential threats the Jewish community has faced in recent history. Exodus and The Brutalist do not present easy answers to complex questions but present stories that leave viewers to ponder these issues long after the movie has ended.

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7 'The Theory of Everything' (2014)

Directed by James Marsh

The Theory of Everything chronicles the life of physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne). The movie is based on the biography Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, written by Hawking's first wife, Jane Hawking. The Theory of Everything is often told through Jane's (Felicity Jones) perspective. The Theory of Everything shows Hawking as a deeply flawed man with a brilliant mind who was unable to love his wife after getting caught up in his own brilliance.

For fans of Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything showcases how compassionately she portrays characters. Like in The Brutalist, Jones highlights her ability to play nuanced women with many layers. In The Theory of Everything, Jones plays a real woman who was caught in a complex relationship. Both The Theory of Everything and The Brutalist showcase women who are married to men who struggle to love their wives sufficiently.

6 'Vox Lux' (2018)

Directed by Brady Corbet

Vox Lux stars Natalie Portman as Celeste Montgomery, a famous singer who survived a school shooting as a teenager. The movie follows Celeste's career and the fact that she struggles to cope with fame throughout her life. Celeste becomes progressively more unhinged as fame consumes her. Even as her family tries to ground her in reality at different moments, her mental health continues to unravel as her career peaks and falls.

Brady Corbet's unique vision, evident in Vox Lux and The Brutalist, paves the way for dynamic stories involving interesting protagonists. Both protagonists in Vox Lux and The Brutalist become increasingly self-destructive as they struggle with their identities. These movies tackle challenging issues of self-esteem and mental health and how trauma can be so destructive. Vox Lux and The Brutalist offer compassionate looks at deeply human characters who are simply trying to find their way in a chaotic world.

5 'The Belly of an Architect' (1987)

Directed by Peter Greenaway

The Belly of an Architect is the story of an American architect commissioned to construct an exhibition in Rome. As Stourley (Brian Dennehy) dives deeper into his work, his health and family life deteriorate over time. His life ultimately spirals into chaos as he becomes increasingly obsessed with Ceasar Augustus. His story ultimately ends in tragedy just as his life's work is released to the world, and his peers give him recognition.

Both The Brutalist and The Belly of an Architect highlight how all-consuming being an architect can be. They each feature stories of architects who become completely consumed by their work. The Brutalist and The Belly of an Architect introduce viewers to men who become so obsessed with their work that they often lose sight of what is happening around them. These movies show how self-destructive behaviors flourish in high-demand professions like architecture.

4 'Nashville' (1975)

Directed by Robert Altman

Nashville is a comedy-drama directed by Robert Altman that offers a satirical look at American politics while spotlighting the gospel music industry in Nashville, Tennessee. While Nashville follows multiple storylines, it primarily centers around Hal Phillip Walker's (Thomas Hal Phillips) campaign for President of the United States as the "Replacement Party" candidate. Everything that happens in Nashville follows the fallout of Walker's decision.

What makes Nashville so similar to The Brutalist is its massive scale. Nashville has over 20 main characters and over one hour of musical numbers. Both Nashville and The Brutalist use vastly different tones to examine the American experience and how national and international events impact ordinary people. While Nashville uses comedy to underline its political point of view, and The Brutalist uses drama, both movies construct characters who have to maintain their sense of self in the face of world-shattering events.

3 'Gentleman's Agreement' (1947)

Directed by Elia Kazan

Gentleman's Agreement stars Gregory Peck as Philip Schuyler Green, a journalist who goes undercover to write a feature on the prevalence of antisemitism. Green makes it his mission to find out how deep antisemitism runs in America. He finds that seemingly ordinary and otherwise "nice" people from different backgrounds are often comfortable expressing these types of views. He concludes that antisemitism is allowed to grow because of how many people do not stand up to this kind of prejudice.

Both Gentleman's Agreement and The Brutalist are unflinching looks at the prejudice that has always underlined the American Jewish experience. These stories highlight the damage that antisemitism causes in society and how easily this kind of hate is spread. While neither movie attempts to provide solutions to antisemitism, they both highlight the fact that this type of prejudice, like all prejudices, is not included in the American Dream.

2 'The Chosen' (1981)

Directed by Jeremy Kagan

The Chosen is based on the novel of the same name by American novelist Chaim Potok. The story, set in Brooklyn, New York, follows Reuven Malter (Barry Miller), the son of a professor from a Modern Orthodox family. He meets Danny Saunders (Robby Benson), the son of a prominent Hasidic Rebbe. The two become friends and navigate how much the horrors of the Holocaust impacted the American Jewish community.

The Chosen and The Brutalist examine the multitude of perspectives and experiences that exist within the American Jewish community. The Chosen does an exceptional job of showcasing how even people who are raised in neighboring Jewish communities can have such vastly different opinions on such topics as religious observance and Zionism as an ideology. Similarly, The Brutalist shows how views on these topics have evolved in an American context.

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1 'Minari' (2020)

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung

Minari is a coming-of-age story that follows a Korean family creating a new life in Arkansas. The Li family are intent on seeking out the American Dream and ultimately persevere when faced with adversity. They rely on one another when times are hard and when they try to form new identities within the American experience. Minari showcases the grit and determination that so many immigrants demonstrate as they build their lives.

What makes Minari so similar to The Brutalist is that both movies highlight the struggles immigrants face in America. Both tackle themes of belonging and acceptance. Minari and The Brutalist also highlight how essential it is for families to rely on one another in difficult times. They also highlight how much the challenges of immigration can impact mental health, particularly when immigrants don't feel accepted. Ultimately, both are heartbreaking and hopeful looks at the courage it takes to rebuild a life in America in particular.

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