Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole leads the Birmingham-filmed drama 'I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning', which has been confirmed for a cinema release on Friday, December 4. The film, based on Keiran Goddard's 2024 novel, has already earned a near-perfect 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics ahead of its public debut.
Plot and Cast
The story follows a group of childhood friends from a Birmingham estate who once dreamed of a better life. Now in their 30s, they confront the reality that those dreams have not materialised as hoped. Cole plays Rion, a character who has found financial success in London but remains tied to his roots. He is joined by Anthony Boyle (House of Guinness) as Patrick, Lola Petticrew (Bloodlands) as Shiv, Jay Lycurgo as Oli, and fellow Peaky Blinders actor Daryl McCormack as Conor. The characters navigate secrets, partying lifestyles, and ambitions like running a business or starting a family.
Critical Acclaim
Despite not yet being widely released, the film has garnered strong reviews. One critic described it as 'a work of tremendous vitality, hope and community, a beguiling and earnest reflection of the pleasure of discovering that life slows down at 30.' Another called it 'an absorbing and moving social-realist picture' with a mix of poignancy, defiance and contaminated euphoria. The Hollywood Reporter praised it as 'a hearty, quintessentially British-Irish café fry-up of gritty realism, class consciousness and masculine despair.'
Production and Release
The drama was filmed in Birmingham, bringing together talent from acclaimed series like Peaky Blinders, Gangs of London, and Bloodlands. Curzon will distribute the film, which premieres in cinemas on December 4.
