The title promises a visceral, structural collapse. It evokes the image of Birmingham’s high-rise housing towers being leveled, a recurring motif in Clio Barnard’s latest feature, I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning. But the film itself never quite achieves that kind of impact. It is a kitchen-sink drama that feels more like a pile of loose bricks than a finished structure.

Premiering at Cannes in Directors’ Fortnight, the film marks a shift for Barnard. Known for the intimate, grounded humanity of Ali & Ava, she here attempts a sprawling ensemble piece. Adapted from Kieran Goddard’s novel, the script by Enda Walsh tracks five childhood friends in their thirties as they navigate addiction, housing precarity, and the slow erosion of their working-class roots.

The ambition is clear. The execution is not.

A Story That Needs More Room

Barnard’s ensemble is talented, featuring Anthony Boyle, Daryl McCormack, and Joe Cole. They do their best to breathe life into characters who often feel like placeholders for social issues. We have the delivery courier struggling to keep his family afloat, the heroin-dealing goofball, and the alcoholic construction manager.

It is a lot to juggle. The film feels cramped.

The script rushes through arcs that demand patience. Take Oli, played by Jay Lycurgo. He goes from a drug-fueled collapse to a sudden, dog-owning epiphany in a matter of scenes. It is jarring. The emotional stakes are high, but the narrative shortcuts make them feel cheap.

The Visuals vs. The Script

Cinematographer Simon Tindall brings a rhythmic, gliding energy to the film. The opening sequence at a 30th birthday party is a standout. It captures the frantic, boozy joy of a group clinging to their youth. Harry Escott’s electronic score adds a propulsive, modern heartbeat to the proceedings.

Yet, the film’s visual language often clashes with the heavy-handed dialogue. Barnard uses archival footage of Birmingham’s demolished towers to suggest a grand, anti-capitalist critique. It is a striking visual metaphor. But the characters’ personal dramas rarely connect to these broader systemic forces. They exist in parallel, not in conversation.

A Case for Serialization

This story is simply too big for two hours. The characters are trapped in a plot that forces them into predictable beats. Rian, the group’s success story living in a sterile London condo, is saddled with a romance that feels dead on arrival. The tension between him and his friends is telegraphed from the first act.

It is a shame. The performances are strong enough to carry a much deeper, more nuanced exploration of these lives. In a serialized format, these characters might have had the space to evolve. Instead, they are pushed through a narrative meat grinder.

Key Takeaways

  • Ambitious but uneven: Barnard attempts a sprawling ensemble drama that struggles to balance five distinct character arcs within a standard runtime.
  • Strong performances: The cast, including Daryl McCormack and Anthony Boyle, provides genuine moments of humanity that the script often undermines.
  • Visual disconnect: While the cinematography and score are top-tier, the film’s social commentary feels detached from the personal stories of its protagonists.

What Comes Next

I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning is currently seeking international distribution following its Cannes debut. Whether it finds a home in theaters or moves to a streaming platform, the film’s ultimate success will depend on whether audiences can look past the clunky plotting to find the heart beneath. The real test arrives when the film hits the U.K. circuit later this year; that is when we will see if the domestic audience finds the depiction of Birmingham’s changing landscape authentic or merely performative.