THE STORY – A filmmaker applies lessons from a Hallmark movie writing workshop to pitch a documentary about concrete.
THE CAST – John Wilson
THE TEAM – John Wilson (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes
A documentary called “The History of Concrete” typically wouldn’t be high on the list of most anticipated Sundance titles. The public may joke about slow-moving, far too artsy documentaries about everyday subjects that would only ever appeal to the most pretentious of cinephiles. Thankfully, that’s not at all what director John Wilson had in mind here with his feature directorial debut. Fresh off a three-season run of his HBO docuseries “How To With John Wilson,” the filmmaker brings the same strange, dry sense of humor to his debut feature. Yes, it does explore the history of concrete, but this documentary is so much more than that. In many ways, he’s exploring the history of building things, physical or not, and how humans want these foundations to last. This, while connecting with a truly random assortment of humans across the globe, particularly in New York City. It’s a unique experience that, more than anything, is the funniest documentary in ages. John knows he wants to make something, now that his show wrapped up. He’s got producers, a crew, even the tiniest bit of financing (but not really), but doesn’t really know what to make. So, he makes a movie about trying to decide which movie to make.
Armed with a camcorder, John films everything he can, gathering an astounding amount of footage that captures every strange, mundane moment he lays his eyes upon. Leaking pipes, looming skyscrapers, a couple rubbing their hands on each other on the street – he layers these underneath his own droll narration, punctuating his words with the silliest imagery possible. We get the sense that, by pulling all these sporadic clips together, he’s making sense of the world around him, finding some sort of order in the chaos, however ordinary it may seem. The primary object of his fascination, though, becomes concrete. How did this gray material become so pervasive in our cities? What stories do the holes and poorly patched cracks hold? And thus, “The History of Concrete” is born. But John’s journey to make a movie never goes in a straight line. He weaves through a thousand different detours, following any lead that sounds remotely interesting. Fascinated by the specific places where gum seems to land throughout a city, he connects with a “Gumbuster” and powerwashes spots on the concrete. He meets the shocking preservation of tattoos with Dead Alive.
And what would a documentary about concrete be without a visit to Bellefontaine, Ohio, to pay homage to the oldest concrete street in America? As amusing as these detours are, and they truly are unforgettable, there’s something really sweet about seeing people who are living out their passions and working to preserve something. It may seem meandering on the surface, but the connective tissue becomes clear. “The History of Concrete” gets huge laughs from the subjects John trains his camera on, but it’s never at their expense. He sees what makes these people unique and can embrace those qualities in full. As John sets out to make something, he explores what it means for something to last. We’re all just looking to make our own marks in the world in some way or another, and John zeroes in on people doing just that. What are the things that will stand the test of time? Will a show, a movie, or a building make a difference in the world? Connecting his art to a sense of longevity takes John to unexpected places, not ignoring the inevitability of change but embracing it. Or at least coming to terms with it.
John has managed to tap into the soul of longevity here, looking into every nook and cranny to find what will last. Fans of John’s HBO show will recognize the same quiet, hilarious exploration here in “The History of Concrete.” So too will fans of Nathan Fielder’s “Nathan For You” and “The Rehearsal,” who also produced “How To With John Wilson.” The sparse shooting style that marks those projects, with editing that perfectly punctuates every hilarious moment, is fully intact here. Wilson manages to weave in a nearly non-stop barrage of jokes into the 100-minute runtime, while still keeping the tone lowkey. Though the film starts to lose steam toward the end, feeling as though it might have struggled to fill the feature runtime, it never stops being funny. Could this have just been an episode of John’s show? Maybe, but perhaps as a film, it could reach a new audience that hadn’t tapped into the series. “The History of Concrete” may be one of the funniest documentaries you ever seen, but it also packs a surprising emotional punch.
