# John Wilson's concrete doc is barely about concrete

> The filmmaker behind 'How To With John Wilson' turns a simple material into a meditation on connection and curiosity.
- Title: John Wilson's concrete doc is barely about concrete · TIME
- Summary: The filmmaker behind 'How To With John Wilson' turns a simple material into a meditation on connection and curiosity. The best documentaries aren't about…
- Keywords: john wilson, the history of concrete, how to with john wilson, hbo, documentary, new york city, filmmaking, concrete, news, world, John, Wilson's
- Source: TIME — https://time.com/article/2026/09/15/the-history-of-concrete-review-john-wilson
- Author: Stephanie Zacharek
- Published: 2026-09-18T19:49:42.69+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: john wilson, the history of concrete, how to with john wilson, hbo, documentary, new york city, filmmaking, concrete, news, world
## Wilson's signature wandering style
His HBO show followed random threads, like finding an Italian flag to learn risotto or discovering a foreskin restoration device while protecting furniture.
## Post-show ennui sparks new project
After his series ended, Wilson felt directionless. While doing bad home repairs, he started wondering about concrete and decided to make a documentary.
## The basics of concrete
Wilson explains that cement is just one component. Concrete is actually a mix of cement, water, sand, and stone.
## Random detours define the film
He visits Roman concrete, a janky wax museum, a concrete convention, and a company that preserves tattoos by conserving the skin underneath for framing.
## Meeting everyday New Yorkers
Wilson talks to a Brooklyn guy who runs GumBusters, traveling the city with a special gizmo that vaporizes gum ground into sidewalks.
## A friendship with Jack
Wilson befriends a Long Island bar-band musician. When Jack's fiancée dies suddenly, he turns to Wilson for company in his grief.
## Jack's unexpected love story
Jack's deceased partner was the first Asian American judge in New York City. Wilson finds an old photo and realizes they'd built a life together despite seeming like opposites.
## Killing time versus spending it
The film has casual, ambling charm as Wilson connects random thoughts. It suggests that killing time and spending it might be the same thing.

> 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.
## Key takeaway

The best documentaries aren't about their stated subject, they're about the unexpected connections we make along the way.