Columbus

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2:05

Columbus

2017

1h 44m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

134 Reviews

80%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin finds himself stranded in Columbus, Ind., a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey, a young architecture enthusiast who works at the local library. As their intimacy develops, Jin and Casey explore both the town and their own conflicted emotions.

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Critics Consensus

Wonderfully acted and artfully composed, Columbus balances the clean lines of architecture against the messiness of love, with tenderly moving results.

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Hannah Strong

Little White Lies

Oct 8, 2018

3/5

Imperfect, but more than enough to put Kogonada on the map.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Oct 7, 2018

4/5

In its precision - the framing of each shot is as eloquent as the dialogue - and measured pacing, Columbus is a balm, a deep tissue massage for the soul.

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Ben Nicholson

Sight & Sound

Oct 5, 2018

From all the formal elegance there emerges something subtly but profoundly affecting about family and friendship.

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Brendan Cassidy

InSession Film

Jul 2, 2024

A

Modernity itself is what architecture is meant to reflect, only to been seen as the film's biggest irony with two characters who refuse to let themselves progress forward...it's a complete and wonderful arc, made by a wonderful architect.

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Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

Jan 12, 2023

Columbus mostly seems like a movie that doesn’t want to disturb anyone, which is counterproductive when you’ve got characters wrestling with increasingly obvious, quite serious emotional problems related to damage done by their parents.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

4.5/5

But the most potent ingredients are the two lead performances. Cho is a natural at subtlety – somber, reserved and authentic at every turn. But it’s Richardson who steps out as a true revelation.

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JK37 K

@dwight37 Oct 10, 2026

An unusual, very beautiful film from an "architectural" perspective, shot almost entirely with a static camera, with the exception of a few shots.

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Meri S

@mschroeder Sep 19, 2026

This is not an edge of your seat movie. Slow, thoughtful with amazing acting. There were some subtle nuances that you really have to pay attention to, to make the connections. Also learned about Columbus, IN and being a Mecca for unique architecture. Haley Lu Richardson is a wonderful, natural actress. I hope she’s in a lot more to come.

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Ben W

@Username618 Aug 8, 2026

Quite liked ??? Didn't finish, sadly.

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Cathy M.

@LakesCathy Dec 29, 2025

Tender and gently flowing. The esthetic of the architecture and city is lovely. The characters are interesting.

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Thomas S

@RT53929595 Jan 4, 2025

That movie really reminded me of "Patterson" with its contemplative shots and slow-burn rhythm. I love the fact it changed a bit the way I approach architecture.

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Olivia D

@RT18873111 Dec 25, 2024

Sometimes I watch bad movies because I find them funny for being so terrible. This movie was soooo slow and boring that it didn't even fill that criteria. There is no deep meaning to this movie. All of the characters are unbearable. I felt like I was being dragged through broken glass while watching this. I normally would not give such a poor rating, but a 96% is truly not representative of what this movie deserves. More like negative 96. its insane they used the backdrop of such an amazing place, which i never knew of and would LOVE to visit, but the script is just AWFUL. Like, AWFUL. everything is great except for the movie. its not like the 'deeper' meaning even went over my head. just how everyone talks is ust how some movie nerd loser thinks people talk. AND THEY DONT. cuz they never leave the house. and whats with the cigarettes? like why is this guy trying to make it a french film by being boring and deep and cigaretted but to like an extreme level. it feels like a parody. is this review a social experiment? because honestly who the hell gave in 96. like even if they wrote it WELL and performed it WELL (i feel like the actors were struggling, im sure theyre very talented, despite these limiting constraints) it still isnt even a 96 percent level concept. like? yall r losers. get a life. amen. merry christmas.

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Kogonada

Director

John Cho

Jin

Haley Lu Richardson

Casey

Rory Culkin

Gabriel

Michelle Forbes

Maria

Parker Posey

Eleanor

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Columbus: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin finds himself stranded in Columbus, Ind., a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey, a young architecture enthusiast who works at the local library. As their intimacy develops, Jin and Casey explore both the town and their own conflicted emotions.

Director: Kogonada
Producer: Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Aaron Boyd, Giulia Caruso, Ki Jin Kim, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz
Screenwriter: Kogonada
Distributor: DOF, Superlative Films
Production Co: Depth of Field, Superlative Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 4, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Runtime: 1h 44m

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