It seems like nearly every actor-turned-director wants to make the same sort of project in their debut: a story of young men and women who don’t have anything figured out. Harris Dickinson’s first attempt at directing, Urchin, tells a familiar story, but with a fun, fantastical twist that makes it an ultimately worthwhile watch.
What is Urchin about?
Urchin stars Frank Dillane as Mike, a youngish adult, homeless in London, who simply cannot find his way. He resorts to a life of petty crime, while his own self-destructive tendencies stop him from ever making meaningful progress.
In plenty of these films, the protagonist is so unlikable that it makes the whole experience irredeemable. Mike is at times a pretty abhorrent man. He savagely beats someone for their watch and struggles to keep his temper, even when he’s given chance after chance.
Under most other directors, I think I would find this movie far too frustrating to be worth watching. But that’s where this film succeeds. Dickinson, a phenomenal actor in his own right, brings a sense of surreal fantasy to the world Mike occupies, and it makes the otherwise mundane moments of a young adult’s shitty existence rather intriguing.
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We follow Mike through a cycle of failure and fleeting opportunity. After a stint in prison, a support worker named Nadia helps him get a temporary spot in a hostel and a trial shift as a chef. For a moment, it seems like he might find his footing.
But Mike is haunted, both by his past actions and by literal visions: a mysterious woman playing a violin on a street corner, a recurring dream-like state of a dark, cavernous space. These moments of magical realism elevate the film beyond a standard British misery drama, because Mike’s struggles are not just social but existential. He’s lost in his own fractured mind as he tries to put his life together.
Urchin hinges on its lead character being compelling, and Frank Dillane’s Cannes-winning performance is nothing short of phenomenal. He has an uncanny ability to make us sympathize with Mike, even when he’s acting heinously. Dillane doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of the character, but he also brings a notable sense of listlessness that only somebody mature could recognize. In some ways, he’s like a Cooper Raiff character who has aged out of being able to use his youth as a crutch for his bad decisions. It’s a raw, vulnerable, and deeply physical performance that absolutely deserved its acclaim.
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It also helps that the film offers plenty of moments of kindness and self-reflection. Mike forms a series of friendships and casual relationships, such as with Andrea (Megan Northam), a fellow refuse collector with whom he shares a brief yet meaningful bond. These characters, who offer grace to a man who arguably doesn’t deserve it, are a reward for the audience for sitting through some of his debauchery. They provide glimpses of the life Mike could have if he could only get out of his own way.
Is Urchin worth watching?
Technically, the film is superb. It’s shot nicely by cinematographer Josée Deshaies, who captures both the grit of London’s streets and the surreal beauty of Mike’s visions with equal skill. The score is very effective, and the world Dickinson builds feels realistic and nuanced. The ending, which will possibly confuse some viewers and leave others frustrated, is, in my opinion, a stellar way, and perhaps the only decent way, to conclude a film like this on a satisfying note.
While the archetype of the lost young man is certainly overplayed, a tired trope can always be saved by an interesting perspective. Harris Dickinson seems to view the world with a sense of optimism and curiosity that I sincerely appreciate. Urchin marks a decent start for an actor who is just beginning what seems to be a bright career in filmmaking ahead of him.
Urchin is in theaters on October 10.
