The History of Concrete

After his humorous documentary series How To with John Wilson ends, Wilson looks for a new platform for his humorous observations of everyday life. After attending a workshop on “How to Write and Sell a Hallmark Movie” he decides to use the knowledge he has gained for a new project: a documentary about concrete. In the process of making it he discovers that concrete touches upon almost every aspect of American society.

This opens up precisely the kind of stories Wilson seeks out as a filmmaker, since he is most interested in the person behind the fact. So when he films America’s oldest concrete street, his attention is primarily on an entrepreneur who preserves the tattoos of deceased people. Along the way, he discusses the progress of his project with the people he interviews.

Through the camera, we see the world through Wilson’s eyes, and his signature use of the second person draws the viewer into his own observations. Ultimately, The History of Concrete is a witty portrait of New Yorkers struggling to get by in a city that, like old concrete, threatens to crumble apart.