I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning

Patrick, Shiv, Rian, Oli, and Conor have been an inseparable friend group since their childhood days growing up in the same public housing unit in working class Birmingham. Now adults on the cusp of their thirties, they’re forced to reckon with the realization that the lives they dreamt for themselves might remain out of reach. When successful Rian returns home from London to visit the old crew, buried tensions, past slights, and class divisions begin to fray the group’s bond.

Vivid, human performances from a remarkable ensemble lend I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning a warm familiarity as director Clio Barnard deploys a naturalistic visual language that accentuates her actor’s talents. Together, filmmaker and cast present a compassionate portrayal of blue-collar life and a heartfelt look at the fragile ties that hold people together.