To understand the American Dream is to understand the changing tides of the 20th century's most powerful nation. Writer James Truslow Adams popularized the phrase in his 1931 book The Epic of America, describing it as a social order wherein every person is given the ability to realize their individual potential, regardless of the circumstances they were born into, and to be solely judged on their merits.
Elvis Presley personified this dream within a domestic context, achieving success beyond his wildest dreams, despite being born into abject poverty. Internationally, the idea was in contrast to many countries and societies where lineage determined a person's fate even before birth. The concept took on an elevated meaning in a post-war Europe that saw generational political and societal disruption and devastation.
In The Brutalist, Oscar-winner Adrien Brody plays László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect who manages to arrange passage to America after surviving the Holocaust. Armed with the optimism of the American Dream, László attempts to build a life for himself, his wife and his niece in Pennsylvania, only to fall victim to its false promises.
Throughout writer-director Brady Corbet's epic that releases in Canadian theatres on Christmas day, we examine the American Dream through László's experiences: the strength of its hold on László when he first sets his sights on the Statue of Liberty, and the joy felt when reuniting with his cousin, and the devastating disillusionment it eventually brings.
"The film really speaks to the immigrant experience and the disconnect between what the American Dream is upon arrival and the harshness of that, as opposed to what you might imagine, especially in the '50s," Brody tells Exclaim!
For Brody, the role not only represents his most substantial work as an actor in a decade, it also carries with it a personal note, as the actor fondly connects the film's story to the trials and tribulations his mother encountered when she emigrated from Hungary in 1956. A photographer herself, Brody sees the parallels between her and László, particularly in how their struggles dictated their artistry.
"I've witnessed her life's work and how the horrors of war and hardships — that struggle of leaving home behind — have deeply influenced her and her work, which is very much aligned with the journey of László," Brody says, explaining how this intimacy with the material provided him with a starting point to build the character.
He continues, "It's an honour and responsibility for me to represent that struggle. I'm drawn to representing injustice and matters that are of some social relevance and importance. I find that to be the most meaningful and rewarding work for an actor."
History's cyclical nature means that films like The Brutalist will always be pertinent, but there's a particular timeliness to the film and its messaging that feels especially urgent today.
"The world, through numerous events, including catastrophic events like COVID, has become a much more competitive place. It is noticeably harder," says Brody, considering the changes the American Dream has undergone within his own lifetime. "And that's already being an American trying to escape a sea of anonymity."
However, Brody recognizes that there will always exist "deep, painful struggles" abroad with many living in "circumstances that make you or your family have to start again with a new culture and a new language," which is where the film's poignancy lies with the actor.
The Brutalist ends with the words, "It is the destination, not the journey" — a sweeping statement that speaks to the sheer desire to escape the fortune (or misfortune) one is born into, and the amount of pain and suffering László, and those like him, were willing to endure in pursuit of the American Dream.
"The hardships and the poverty that László toils through [are] still better circumstances than the kind of oppression and horrors that he left at home," Brody asserts.
It's a bold claim, given what we witness László overcome across The Brutalist, and demonstrative of a generation that emigrated from their homelands to America for a better life. The empathy Brody found for the character was undoubtedly coloured by his family's own history.
In many ways, Brody is the product of the American Dream, which has given the actor an expectation for himself about his career and the legacy he leaves behind. Brody wants to create films and performances that have "some significance and value to the world, that isn't disposable [or] merely going to entertain you."
He assers, "I'm striving to leave behind work that outlives me — much like László is striving for, and much like my mother is striving for."