Clio Barnard’s Birmingham ‘I See Buildings’ Review
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Clio Barnard directs "I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning", a social‑realist drama set in Birmingham.
- Enda Walsh adapts the film from Kieran Goddard’s novel, converting its pentaptych of five consciousnesses into a dynamic hometown story.
- Joe Cole portrays Rian, a successful stock‑warrant trader who buys a designer flat in London but longs to return to Birmingham.
- Daryl McCormack plays Conor, a builder’s son who launches a construction firm named “Dedalus” and hires his friend Oli as a site‑worker.
- Lola Petticrew leads a trio of standout performances alongside Anthony Boyle (Patrick) and Jay Lycurgo (Oli), depicting a mother, a depressed delivery cyclist, and a heroin‑dealing slacker.
Why it matters: The film spotlights Birmingham’s Gen Z facing widening wealth gaps, giving Clio Barnard a powerful showcase and delivering a vivid, relatable portrait that stays with audiences, underscoring youth disenchantment.
Ask SkimNews
