The History of Concrete

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The History of Concrete

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1h 41m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

72 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Following the finale of his acclaimed HBO series "How To with John Wilson", NYC documentarian John Wilson looks to the bedrock of his beloved New York City for inspiration and structure. Concrete, the world's most widely used building material, appears as an ever-present life force, and John sets out to make the definitive documentary on the matter. After attending a workshop on how to write and sell a Hallmark movie, he decides to use the industry-approved Hallmark formula to tell this seemingly drab story and increase his movie's appeal. But his foundation soon begins to crumble--literally and figuratively--as he struggles to balance artistic freedom with the realities of the modern film industry.

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Critics Consensus

The History of Concrete transforms a seemingly banal subject into a funny, moving, and genuinely revelatory exploration of the overlooked worlds and universal connections hiding in plain sight.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

1 day ago

3.5/5

I would have cut an extended sequence involving a little-known musician whom Wilson films because of the popularity of musical biopics on the streaming services. But his gentle tongue-in-cheek humour and his self-deprecation both have their charms.

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Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

Oct 1, 2026

4/5

Wilson is mulling the big questions here. Eventually we arrive at the same corny but apt conclusion as those runners, doggedly rounding the block: It’s the journey, not the destination.

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Sep 25, 2026

The gravitational joy of Wilson’s comic approach is watching how he follows his instincts and later applies his own sui generis mortar to the assembled vérité blocks.

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Kiko Martinez

The Cinesnob Podcast

2 days ago

B-

An eccentric film that takes you down some strange rabbit holes.

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Kristian M. Lin

Fort Worth Weekly

3 days ago

Wilson’s ruminations on concrete become a disquisition on the impermanence of all things.

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Daniel Allen

Loud and Clear Reviews

6 days ago

4.5/5

This documentary is about more than just concrete. It is a film about our changing, hectic modern world, trying to cope with it and accepting change.

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coolie

22 hrs ago

Super weird, I might know less about concrete after the film them before.

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SoCalLife

5 days ago

Really funny! Interesting, creative, and touching as well. If you liked his show, this movie will not disappoint.

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Sara

6 days ago

It meandered all over, and while there were interesting moments, the four people who accompanied me and I wish we hadnt attended.

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Ssvenus

Sep 30, 2026

It was silly and it was very Art Film. There were a lot of little funny moments.

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David I

Sep 30, 2026

Funny, emotional, touching, and poignant. Can’t ask for more than that.

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Anton A

Sep 30, 2026

Its a fun and entertaining ride with John Wilson on concrete!

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John Wilson

Director

John Wilson

Producer

Clark Filio

Producer

Shirel Kozak

Producer

Allie Viti

Producer

Josh Safdie

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

Following the finale of his acclaimed HBO series "How To with John Wilson", NYC documentarian John Wilson looks to the bedrock of his beloved New York City for inspiration and structure. Concrete, the world's most widely used building material, appears as an ever-present life force, and John sets out to make the definitive documentary on the matter. After attending a workshop on how to write and sell a Hallmark movie, he decides to use the industry-approved Hallmark formula to tell this seemingly drab story and increase his movie's appeal. But his foundation soon begins to crumble--literally and figuratively--as he struggles to balance artistic freedom with the realities of the modern film industry.

Director: John Wilson
Producer: John Wilson, Clark Filio, Shirel Kozak, Allie Viti
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Central Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 2026, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $545.3K
Runtime: 1h 41m

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