Urchin review: An impressive debut by Harris Dickinson
Harris Dickinson has been slowly on the rise since his film acting debut in 2017’s Beach Rats and has since become one of the most in-demand actors of his generation. But instead of striking while the iron was hot after Babygirl, he took a year off from acting to make his feature directorial debut Urchin. That was totally the right call.
His drama is essentially a character study of Mike (Frank Dillane), a homeless man in London who is stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of addiction and unemployment. He is offered a fresh start after a stint in prison, but it doesn’t take long before he falls back into his old ways.
Urchin is a film that should engender empathy for homeless people and addicts. It’s virtually impossible for them to break free from that cycle and forge a new path. The film follows Mike as he tries to build a new life – new accommodation, job and friends – and shows easily it can all be taken away. It’s heartbreaking.
The film has a gritty social realism feel and builds a realistic sense of community in London. So it was quite jarring when Dickinson threw in a couple of fantastical sequences. The surreal moments don’t last very long, but they feel so at odds with the vibe of the piece. They were very unexpected and took me out of the film. It’s for this reason I don’t love the ending.
Urchin is an excellent showcase for Dillane, who is in basically every scene of the film and carries that responsibility with ease. I cared about Mike’s wellbeing even though he does bad things and makes poor choices. Dickinson himself pops up several times as Mike’s homeless friend Nathan, and makes the most of his brief appearance.
Urchin is a remarkable and powerful debut from Dickinson. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
In cinemas from Friday 3rd October