The Brutalist Ending Explained

Zsófia, László's niece, is one of the most significant characters in The Brutalist, despite having very few lines in the movie. In The Brutalist, Zsófia, László, and his wife Erzsébet all survived the Holocaust. But during the Holocaust, they were split apart. Actually, until he finally makes it to America at the start of the movie after a protracted journey, László is unaware that his wife and niece are still alive. László establishes himself in America during the first part of The Brutalist and eventually works on an architectural project for Harrison, a wealthy businessman.

The Brutalist is actually divided into two sections, with an intermission, due to its lengthy duration of 3 hours and 35 minutes. It is surprising that Zsófia is barely mentioned in the first half of The Brutalist, given how crucial she becomes towards the end of the movie. Zsófia's inner motivations are never fully revealed, even when it is revealed that she took a vow of silence when she and Erzsébet finally arrive in America. But at the end of The Brutalist, Zsófia, who is closely related to László, takes center stage.

The opening and closing scenes of The Brutalist center on Zsófia, László's niece.

The Brutalist actually opens with Zsófia being interrogated during the Holocaust, despite the fact that she does not appear for the remainder of the first half of the film. Zsófia doesn't actually speak in this scene, so not much is known about her. Zsófia chooses to take a vow of silence following the Holocaust. As a result, Zsófia stays silent for years after moving to America and living on the Van Burens' land with László and Erzsébet.

It is revealed near the end of The Brutalist that Zsófia has moved to America and even has a partner, a long time after László broke up with the Van Burens. Zsófia finally speaks, revealing that she and her partner are relocating to Israel. A much older Zsófia also speaks at the film's very end, discussing László's prosperous architectural career. The older Zsófia is shown in the last scene of The Brutalist saying, "No matter what the others try and sell you, it is the destination, not the journey."

The younger Zsófia that was seen at the start of the film when she was being questioned is then shown at the end of this final shot. It is evident how much Zsófia has changed since surviving the Holocaust by presenting both her younger and older selves. In many respects, Zsófia's happiness is the result of László's decisions throughout The Brutalist. Thus, it makes sense that Zsófia is the main subject of both The Brutalist's opening and conclusion.

In The Brutalist, Zsófia Is Clearly Linked To László's Motives

Although László is the protagonist of The Brutalist, he has a strong bond with Zsófia not only because she is his niece but also because they are both Holocaust survivors and immigrants. Whether or not it is evident in some of the film's scenes, László and Zsófia are connected by their shared trauma in The Brutalist. László does everything he can to earn a living when he first gets to America because all he wants is to get by. But his motivations change as he spends more time in his new nation.

László wants to succeed in America, not just get by, at the end of the first half and throughout the second half of The Brutalist. László discovers that he can live the life he used to have in Hungary after being given the chance to serve as Harrison's project's principal architect. Both László and Zsófia are attempting to reconstruct their lives following the horrific Holocaust events in The Brutalist. Both characters then want what's best for their families and themselves.

The Relevance of László's Niece to the Themes of the Brutalist

It is evident that László, Erzsébet, and Zsófia's identities as characters in The Brutalist are defined by the events of the Holocaust. Presenting the reality of the immigrant experience is one of The Brutalist's primary objectives. Upon reaching America, László, Erzsébet, and Zsófia must adjust to a new nation while still dealing with the atrocities they witnessed during the Holocaust. The Brutalist emphasizes how grim and hopeless the immigrant experience can be, even though it also offers hope at some points.

Although László explores the themes of The Brutalist, Zsófia also presents them. The Brutalist examines the experience of immigrants while also concentrating on surviving and moving on from trauma. Zsófia decides to take a vow of silence as a coping mechanism for her trauma. She stays silent and makes an effort to continue even after going through horrific experiences in The Brutalist, such as possibly being sexually assaulted by Harrison's son. Zsófia's progress since escaping the Holocaust and coming to America as a defenseless child is clear by the book's conclusion.

Is Zsófia's Point of View Used in The Brutalist?

Some have argued that Zsófia is the film's narrator because The Brutalist opens and closes with shots of her. The Brutalist follows Zsófia's transformation from a silent child to an independent, seemingly successful woman with a voice, despite László being the main character in theory. Thus, it is not unreasonable to argue that Zsófia's journey is the primary focus of The Brutalist. It's possible that The Brutalist is still told from Zsófia's point of view and concentrates on the aspects of her uncle's life that she is aware of, even though the first half of the film only focuses on László.

Although this is conceivable, it would be a stretch to claim that Zsófia's point of view is used throughout The Brutalist. Even though she plays a significant role in the film, The Brutalist would have needed to provide more information about her personal life if it had been her story. As a result, even though Zsófia remains a major character, The Brutalist omits too much about her experiences to qualify as a film that is told from her point of view.