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The History of Concrete

Play trailer 1:47 Poster for The History of Concrete Now Playing 1h 41m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 61 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 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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The History of Concrete

The History of Concrete

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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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Critics Reviews

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Robert Abele Los Angeles Times 3 days ago
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. Go to Full Review
Barry Hertz Globe and Mail 4 days ago
Wilson’s film feels like a puzzle that is being pieced together in real time, right in front of you. Not every fragment fits so neatly with the other, but that is also part of the movie’s significant charm. Go to Full Review
Stephanie Zacharek TIME Magazine 4 days ago
Wilson is an affable armchair tour guide into offline worlds you’d never have thought to explore, and the movie has a casual, ambling charm. Go to Full Review
Eric Marchen Rogers TV 19 hrs ago
A-
A warm, comforting feeling prevails as you experience Wilson’s humorously heartfelt perspective, perhaps similar to why Hallmark Christmas movie fans seek out the same plot over and over again. Go to Full Review
Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) 1 day ago
I didn't love it. It really depends on how much you like John Wilson and he was not for me Go to Full Review
Ray Pride Newcity 2 days ago
8/10
Seeking a new subject Wilson finds it all around him in New York City in the deadpan, free-associational docu-comedy... in which his editing is more slipstream than stream of consciousness. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Nicholas E 2 days ago There’s a moment in here that felt so existentially scary to me on a personal level, and I don’t think I’ll be able to get it out of my mind. That aside, this was very funny. I didn’t think documentaries were allowed to be this funny. I’d recommend checking this out with an audience, if you can. It’ll play a lot better than watching at home. This movie is a delight though. I kind of wish I had an easier way to watch it again, or to take people to see this. Regardless, I’ll be recommending this one to people for the rest of the year. (CHECK OUT MY HORROR MOVIE PODCAST: Morbid Curiosities) See more Ron K @Yinzer 1 day ago Despite the narcissistic distraction of the director’s presentation of his life, this stream-of-consciousness documentary is entertaining when in focuses on the primary subject—which is only 50% of the runtime. See more Joan B @JayBee1338 3 days ago I was attracted by the title, but very disappointed in the disjointed presentation. It often felt scattered or juvenile, which diluted and cheapened some very important and universal themes. See more Read all reviews
The History of Concrete

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Movie Info

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)
$90.9K
Runtime
1h 41m
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