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- 2017
- 1 h 40 m
- 2017
- 1 h 40 m
Summary When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin (John Cho) finds himself stranded in Columbus, Indiana - a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a young architecture enthusiast who works at th...
- 2017
- 1 h 40 m
- 2017
- 1 h 40 m
Columbus
7.3
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Summary When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin (John Cho) finds himself stranded in Columbus, Indiana - a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a young architecture enthusiast who works at th...
Where to Watch
Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 27 Critic Reviews
89
96% Positive
26 Reviews
26 Reviews
4% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 27 Critic Reviews
89
96% Positive
26 Reviews
26 Reviews
4% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The quietly stirring, exquisitely photographed Columbus is an art-house gem that beautifully illuminates not only the architecture of a small Indiana town, but also the characters that inhabit it.
The hypnotically paced drama carried by the serendipitous odd-couple pairing of John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson is lovely and tender, marking Kogonada as an auteur to watch.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 115 User Ratings
7.3
76% Positive
87 Ratings
87 Ratings
11% Mixed
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
13% Negative
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 115 User Ratings
7.3
76% Positive
87 Ratings
87 Ratings
11% Mixed
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
13% Negative
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
This might be a weird thing to say considering its Ozu-like, detached style, but Columbus feels like a hug.
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I could watch this movie 10 times and discover different things every time. Very quiet, but much is said.
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The existence of a debut as confident and allusive as Columbus is almost as improbable as the existence of Columbus, Ind., where the movie is set.
The movie is beautiful without wasting its time on cliched beauty. Kogonada, who edited as well as wrote and directed, collaborates intuitively with cinematographer Elisha Christian, who’s as good with faces as he is with sharp modernist edges etched in concrete.
Delicate business is being transacted in Columbus, a whisper-soft debut from Kogonada that nonetheless results in something unique and unforgettable. It's pure cinema.
Columbus is an engrossing and unexpectedly passionate film, although much of the passion is displaced outwards into a feeling for space, for mass, for building materials. It is a static passion, but not inert.
A minimalist film like Columbus depends almost entirely on the shading of the characters and the depths of the performances. By that metric, it’s a too-delicate creature, tickling and piquing instead of fully thrusting us into the realm of feelings.
Simply an incredibly moving film. (How is it, by the way, that I saw the two best movies of the year on a Saturday in August??) The visuals are incredible, but the lives of the lead characters are so deftly drawn, and their relationship is so tangible. Was happy to see Michelle Forbes and Parker Posey (along with Culkin) play some impactful supporting roles. And I just loved the writing - excellent use of the uroboros. Haven't walked out of a theater with that kind of a feeling in quite some time.
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This is a tricky movie to grade, but it is certainly well done. The stakes of the film seem constantly low, but it's because the film itself takes on the pace of the place. The characters, who were acted very well, are in a place of wandering and self-discovery, which perpetuates the slow-going film. The slow pace made me feel less for the characters. I understand why the movie is important now, but isn't making a choice and doing it even more important? I didn't think the film thought so. The script and acting was great, but I wonder if the direction could have been more precise. If you are an indie theatergoer, I'd recommend the film. This is one that just didn't resonate with me.
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“Columbus” is a film written and directed by its one named creator, Ogonada. This is his directorial debut and unfortunately for him and his audience, is a totally non-auspicious entry into the theatrical genre. Aided and abetted in this visual felony are actors John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, with minimal participation by Parker Posey and Rory Culkin. The film takes place in Columbus, Indiana where many architectural feats have been accomplished and this serves as the basis for the common interest and attempted chemistry between its two co-stars. Although what well may have started out to be an effort to intellectualize and compare the world of architecture and life, the film fails miserably in that regard and becomes one of the most boring and tedious “entertainment” experiences this viewer can remember. As one member of the audience correctly put it: “It was like watching grass grow”. Mr. Cho manifests almost no emotion or credibility in the role he portrays in stark contrast to the performance of Ms. Richardson who is a delight to watch. Unfortunately, seeing her in the film is like listening to a fine singer performing a bad song. This is not a good film and one that I sincerely urge the potential viewer to avoid unless, of course, insomnia compels one to go to the theater for his or her much needed sleep. I give the film a 2.0 rating and that is solely due to the efforts of Ms. Richardson who hopefully will find better vehicles to expose her obvious talent.
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Production Company
- Depth of Field
- Nonetheless Productions
- Superlative Films
Release Date Aug 4, 2017
Duration 1 h 40 m
Genres
Awards
VC FilmFest - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 4 Nominations
Gotham Awards
• 4 Nominations
Chlotrudis Awards
• 1 Win & 3 Nominations