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SummaryFollowing the finale of his TV series, filmmaker 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. To tell this seemingly drab story, he dec... Read More
Directed By:John Wilson
The History of Concrete
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
83
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.1
My Score
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Metascore
Universal Acclaim
83
100% Positive
23 Reviews
23 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Sep 29, 2026
100
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.
Jan 24, 2026
91
For those willing to meet Wilson on his wavelength, The History of Concrete is a joyous ride full of his now-trademark detours and persistent, underlying sadness at both the state of New York (his first and true love) and, on a secondary scale, the world at large.
Jan 24, 2026
90
I doubt any movie, especially any documentary, will make me laugh harder this year, and many of its emotional grace notes land fully. Even with my high expectations, The History of Concrete is a small triumph.
Sep 16, 2026
80
Wilson has worked with fellow documentarian Nathan Fielder, and boasts a similarly skewed view of humanity. But his voice is very much his own – and, arguably, more humane than Fielder’s.
Jan 24, 2026
80
As a standalone film, The History of Concrete is consistently laugh-out-loud funny, compelling and surprising, if 20 minutes too long. And, of course, about much more than just concrete.
Sep 21, 2026
70
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. This is killing time in movie form—though it also flirts with the possibility that killing time and spending it may amount to the same thing.
Sep 21, 2026
63
This material will interest Wilson fans but will likely bewilder anyone who sees the movie’s thumbnail on a streaming platform and clicks it hoping to learn all about concrete.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.1
80% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
10% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Sep 27, 2026
10
Great documentary filmmaking about a subject that isn’t really explore often in film… would highly recommend it
Sep 19, 2026
10
Amazing… I learned about concrete, Hallmark movies funding for a movie project and so much more. My favorite part of the movie was the personal connection that John Wilson has with some of his subjects. Recommend you see the movie at least twice! I actually plan on seeing it for third time
Production Company:
- Bronxburgh
- Central Pictures
- Peanut World Pictures
Release Date:Sep 18, 2026
Duration:1 h 40 m
Awards
Calgary Underground Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
