Filmmaker John Wilson, known for his critically acclaimed HBO series "How To with John Wilson," brings his unique brand of observational documentary to the big screen with "The History of Concrete." The film, inspired by Wilson's own home and the crumbling infrastructure around him, delves into the surprising resilience of ancient Roman concrete while contrasting it with the more fragile materials of modern construction. This exploration serves as a foundational metaphor for the director's musings on modern anxieties and the feeling that societal foundations are straining.
In his previous series, Wilson would pose a question and follow its often tangential path to unexpected and humorous conclusions. For "The History of Concrete," his initial quest to understand the self-repairing properties of ancient Roman concrete leads him on a journey through a variety of peculiar subjects. He encounters a specialist in chewing gum removal, samples an in-house wine label, and observes a spiritualist jogging movement. The film also touches upon futuristic ideas, including a Las Vegas concrete trade show where experts discuss mixing cement on the Moon.
Wilson weaves together these disparate threads with his signature visual poetry, drawing from unstaged New York moments to emphasize his thematic explorations. The contrast between the durable Roman concrete, responsible for enduring mega-structures, and modern concrete, which often fractures and requires unsightly repairs, becomes a central motif. The film highlights how buildings are often crudely patched with metal bolts and tape, a visual representation of a pervasive sense of decay.
While "The History of Concrete" offers many of Wilson's characteristic uncanny and funny observations, the review notes that it may not serve as the most accessible entry point for new viewers. The cohesive thread that typically ties Wilson's work together feels somewhat frayed, particularly as the narrative becomes distracted by a local metal singer and his fiance. Despite this, the film is rich with paradoxical enigmas, questioning how communities thrive when growth is resisted, or how modern figures might navigate financial discrepancies. Ultimately, the documentary posits that it is difficult to feel optimistic about the future when the present foundation appears to be in a state of visible strain.