Columbus
Two emotionally stranded young adults find a lucid, fragile connection amid the modernist architecture and family obligations of a small Indiana city.
Overview
A poignant exploration of connection and dreams in a small Midwestern town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- wistful
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrated the film as a tender, visually rigorous debut that pairs precise architectural compositions with naturalistic performances and emotionally restrained writing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The camera repeatedly frames Columbus's modernist buildings and domestic spaces as precise visual structures.
Jin and Casey form a close bond across Korean and American backgrounds while discussing family, place, and personal aspiration.
The central pair's connection develops through quiet exchanges and shared observation rather than overt romantic melodrama.
Columbus's architecture becomes the medium through which Jin and Casey consider attachment, escape, and unrealized futures.
Films like Columbus, and why
Before Sunrise
quietly observed romance, emotional restraint, architectural imagery, and reflective character conversations
Lost in Translation
intimate two-hander centered on connection, adulthood, and wistful conversation rather than conventional romantic payoff
Paterson
contemplative art-house drama using place, silence, and carefully composed images to explore emotional displacement
Certain Women
tender, melancholy relationship drama with restrained performances and an emphasis on ordinary spaces
Movie Details
- Director
- Kogonada
- Release Date
- 2017-08-04
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (509)
Cast
- John Cho
- Haley Lu Richardson
- Michelle Forbes
- Rory Culkin
- Parker Posey
- Erin Allegretti
- Shani Salyers Stiles
- Reen Vogel
- Rosalyn R. Ross
- Lindsey Shope
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MovieMe
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Columbus about?
- Two emotionally stranded young adults find a lucid, fragile connection amid the modernist architecture and family obligations of a small Indiana city.
- What is Columbus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Columbus as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Columbus violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Columbus.
- What did critics think of Columbus?
- Critics broadly celebrated the film as a tender, visually rigorous debut that pairs precise architectural compositions with naturalistic performances and emotionally restrained writing.
- Which films are like Columbus?
- Films with a similar feel include Before Sunrise, Lost in Translation, Paterson, and Certain Women.
- How long is Columbus?
- Columbus runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Columbus?
- In United States, Columbus is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MovieMe.
