Coombs (2021): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2021, Coombs is a documentary film directed by Karel Dolak, running about 57 minutes.

What it’s about. If Samuel Beckett had lived in Scotland and made a great film, it would be this: a lucid, sometimes funny, and profoundly compassionate study of extreme old age, death, grief and loneliness. These facts of life are revealed in an act of virtuoso film-making that is dedicated, laconic and ultimately - impossible as it may seem - uplifting. A unique experience, this is a very significant and totally original film that will test, and reward any audience. The challenge is to spend time with lonely old people and Dolak is unflinching. He handles words, sounds and image with extreme care. His film is composed of long takes that juxtapose a daily routine alongside the expansive and empty landscapes of the north east, and both shot in exquisitely beautiful monochrome. Everything seems settled and inevitable until the film makes a completely unexpected move into another realm and intimates a further reach of the imagination.

Who’s in it. Coombs stars Tom Coombs as Himself and Gertrude Coombs as Herself.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Coombs page.

If you liked it. Fans of Coombs tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.