Johnny goes to see the big Hollywood blockbusters. I went to a documentary. Last Sunday I had a ticket to The History of Concrete at the Festival du nouveau cinéma, in a theater at Concordia University in Montreal.
How’s that for a movie title? It’s the first feature from John Wilson, the guy behind HBO’s How To with John Wilson, and I’ve seen every episode of that show more than once. So I went in a fan.
I came out a fan too. Four out of five stars. But I also came out with a nagging feeling that something was missing, and I want to explain both.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- The verdict: Dave Simon gives The History of Concrete 4 out of 5 stars and says he’d buy it tomorrow.
- What it is: John Wilson’s first feature documentary, about trying to make a documentary about concrete, and everything he finds along the way.
- The critics agree: The film sits at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes from 45 reviews, with an 83 on Metacritic.
- The one knock: It plays like a great, long episode of How To with John Wilson. Dave wanted a bigger step forward.
Table of Contents
The History of Concrete at a Glance
⚡ Quick Facts
- Director: John Wilson
- Premiere: Sundance Film Festival, January 22, 2026
- US release: Limited theatrical release, September 18, 2026
- Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Executive producers: Josh Safdie, Eli Bush and Ronald Bronstein
- Dave’s score: 4 out of 5 stars
Details via Wikipedia.
What The History of Concrete Is Actually About
The History of Concrete follows John Wilson trying to sell a documentary called The History of Concrete. He needs a budget. He needs a way to make concrete interesting. So the movie becomes the making of the movie, and it’s part of the documentary itself.
Along the way, he tries every trick to finance it. Music documentaries about huge musicians win awards and make money, so maybe he profiles a big musician. He meets all sorts of people, and you get to explore their lives a little bit.
My favorite was a guy Wilson finds working in a liquor store. Turns out he’s in a band, and he’s more than you’d expect. He’s a memorable character, the kind of person only John Wilson would find and only John Wilson would let talk for that long.
Underneath the jokes, the film digs into low-income and affordable housing, how the economy works, and how we value money. And yes, eventually, concrete: how it’s made, why it isn’t sustainable, how it cracks over time, and how we may run out of it one day.
John Wilson’s Style Is the Whole Point
If you’ve never seen How To, here’s the deal. Wilson films everyday life on the street and stitches it into a kind of video collage that illustrates whatever he’s narrating. The result is funny the whole way through, then suddenly touching when you don’t see it coming.
That’s what makes this work. He uses comedy to explore real things. Some people call it alternative comedy. I don’t know what you’d call it. I call him a brilliant filmmaker.
“He seems like a genuinely real and decent person making real art and sacrificing for his art, which I respect a great deal.”
Dave Simon, Wrestling Uncensored, October 23, 2026
How many people can make a movie that gives you hope for the world? John Wilson does that for me.
Where The History of Concrete Falls Short
Here’s the complicated part. I think my expectations were too high. This was supposed to be the next step, the big-screen John Wilson. I expected something similar but a little different.
What I got felt like a long episode of How To with John Wilson. It didn’t feel like an evolution. It felt like more of the same.
Now, I love that same. So I’m not really complaining. But I walked out feeling like something was missing, and I’m still not sure what that something was. That’s the one point I’m taking off.
Most critics went higher than me. The film holds a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic calls it universal acclaim.
Final Verdict: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Four out of five. I want to see it again. I’d buy it on DVD tomorrow if I could and watch it on my PlayStation. When you finish a movie and immediately want to own it, that tells you something.
Johnny summed it up on the show: “That tells you that’s the keeper right there.”
If you like offbeat comedy, watch How To with John Wilson first, then go see The History of Concrete. It’s playing in US theaters now, and it’s showing in parts of Ontario and Quebec. If you’ve never seen anything like Wilson’s work, this is a fun, very enjoyable time at the movies.
Johnny has been doing the blockbusters for us. His Street Fighter 2026 review went the other way, and his Resident Evil review landed in between. We also reviewed Jackass: Best and Last this summer if you want something a lot less philosophical.
Next Up: Nathan Fielder
Now I have to go see Nathan Fielder’s new movie, which everybody is raving about. Nathan is one of my favorites too. I’ve been a fan since the first episode of Nathan for You, through The Rehearsal and everything he’s done since.
I’ve been trying to tell everyone, including the Wrestling Uncensored audience, about the brilliance of Nathan Fielder for over a decade. The world is finally catching on. I hope to have a review for you next week.
The Reality: The History of Concrete is not a reinvention of John Wilson. It’s John Wilson doing exactly what he does, for 101 minutes, on a big screen. If that sounds like a letdown, it isn’t. It’s just not a surprise.
The History of Concrete: Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed The History of Concrete?
John Wilson, creator of HBO’s How To with John Wilson, directed The History of Concrete. It is his first feature documentary.
When was The History of Concrete released?
The History of Concrete premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2026, and opened in limited US theaters on September 18, 2026, through Magnolia Pictures.
How long is The History of Concrete?
The History of Concrete runs 101 minutes.
Is The History of Concrete worth watching?
Dave Simon of Wrestling Uncensored gives it 4 out of 5 stars, and it holds a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It is especially worth it for fans of How To with John Wilson.
What is The History of Concrete about?
John Wilson tries to make and sell a documentary about concrete, and the film follows that journey, from fundraising to the people he meets, while exploring housing, money, and the built environment.
