During this current award season, Adrien Brody has received significant attention for his performance in The Brutalist, a movie which is a strangely perfect companion piece to another Brody movie that was a critical darling. Directed by Brady Corbet, The Brutalist is a historical epic starring Brody as László Tóth, a Hungarian man who flees Europe following World War II, hoping to restart his life as an architect in America. His dream seems to move closer to reality when he meets wealthy businessman Harrison Lee Van Buren. The Brutalist is nominated for ten Academy Awards.
The Brutalist’s Oscars success is certainly exciting, but it isn’t the first time Brody has caught the eye of the Academy. In fact, the actor became a big name because of his very first Academy Award nomination, which he won, for portraying Wladyslaw Szpilman in The Pianist. Not only did this performance put Brody on the map as a serious dramatic actor, but he also broke Oscar’s history by being the youngest person to win for Best Actor, at just 29. Because of this, it is unique and interesting that The Brutalist shares such similar themes with Brody’s magnum opus.
Adrien Brody’s The Brutalist & The Pianist Are About Jews & The Holocaust
What The Brutalist & The Pianist Have In Common
The most obvious connection between The Brutalist and The Pianist is that they both revolve around the Holocaust. In both films, Brody plays Jewish men who have been deeply affected by the rise of Nazism in Europe. Regardless of whether their scars are physical or mental, the two characters struggle to move past this event and its consequences. More than that, The Brutalist and The Pianist delve into the Jewish experience during this time in history. The films are concerned with injustice, loss, and hope, whether it is helpful or hurtful.
Although The Brutalist and The Pianist follow different storylines, the two feel quite similar in terms of style and themes. Through the stories of Tóth and Szpilman, Brody infuses a sense of determination and ambition, which is what allows the men to survive. However, the worlds that surround both characters are bleak and harrowing, and their struggles are more than difficult: they’re nearly impossible. In this way,The Brutalist and The Pianist are stories of epic proportions that will inevitably make audiences feel some form of devastation and heartbreak.
The Brutalist & The Pianist Show Two Different Jewish Perspectives Of World War II
Why The Brutalist & The Pianist Pair Well Together
The Brutalist and The Pianist are different movies, and their stories diverge significantly, despite their shared themes. For one, The Pianist is set during World War II in Poland, which puts audiences right in the midst of the horror. It isn’t just Szpilman’s story that is traumatic, but all those around him as well. On the other hand, The Brutalist is focused on the years following World War II, and in the United States. Tóth, though reeling from the Holocaust, is more focused on his career. Because of this, the movies explore vastly different parts of the same historical period.
By watching both The Brutalist and The Pianist side by side, audiences can see two sides of the same coin: stories about Jewish men being wounded by the Holocaust in different ways.
Arguably, The Brutalist and The Pianist are such good companions because of their differences. Both WWII movies have very specific tales to tell. They do not just entertain or evoke emotions from audiences, but they also inform viewers about experiences they might never have known about. This is especially true for The Pianist, which is based on a true story. By watching both The Brutalist and The Pianist side by side, audiences can see two sides of the same coin: stories about Jewish men being wounded by the Holocaust in different ways.
The Brutalist & The Pianist Each Were Huge Awards Season Hits, Including The Oscars
Will The Brutalist Win Big At The 2025 Oscars?
Of course, The Brutalist and The Pianist are also tethered by the fact that both projects are notable Oscar contenders. In 2003, The Pianist was nominated for seven Academy Awards, three of which they won, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The 2025 Oscars are still a few weeks away, but the chances of The Brutalist winning something are high. At the very least, both The Brutalist and The Pianist will be bright spots on Brody’s acting resume.
Many believe that The Brutalist could take home the biggest prize of all, the Oscar for Best Picture. Though all ten nominees are very deserving, The Brutalist has the second most nominations of all the movies, and has already won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. The Academy Awards can be full of twists and surprises, but it wouldn’t be too shocking if The Brutalist followed in The Pianist’s footsteps, and took home a few major prizes.
