Urchin Film Review
Summary: “Urchin” is a very promising film about an addict that revels in the kind of social realism that Ken Loach would be proud of.
3.5
Struggled
“Urchin” is a very promising debut from an actor turned first-time director. This drama offers a slice of social realism we typically associate with Ken Loach films. The result is a quiet and empathetic story about an addict who struggles while negotiating life along the road to recovery.
Harris Dickinson writes and directs this film. He previously acted opposite Nicole Kidman in “Babygirl.” He’s also due to play John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ forthcoming four Beatles films. Dickinson brings some inspiration from his actual life to the piece, having previously worked at homeless charities and taken on one of the menial roles our protagonist depicts. He also has a brief cameo as a fellow addict.
Frank Dillane from “Fear the Walking Dead” is simply captivating in this film, which takes an observational approach to the proceedings. Dillane plays Mike, a rough sleeper who has been begging, borrowing, and stealing on the streets of old Londontown for the past five years. We don’t learn an awful lot about the character’s backstory, which is a shame, as he is quite a complicated and human one.
The film is a layered character study. It shows the aftermath of Mike performing a violent assault as he struggles to reintegrate back into society after imprisonment, including getting clean and holding down a job. At times this looks like the film will be a happy and triumphant sort of recovery, except that the film then unnerves you by serving a heady dose of harsh reality.
One positive is when Mike meets a free spirit named Andrea (the nicely cast Megan Northam). They bond together over their boring job picking up garbage. They become boyfriend and girlfriend, and this is something the resourceful Mike seems to really need at this point in time.
This is not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. It can be a tad uneven at times, and people may be left wanting to know more about Mike. But there are also some interesting moments, including some surreal, dreamlike sequences that add to this colorful mosaic of different elements.
“Urchin” puts a spotlight on one man who is desperate to pull himself out of a life on the margins. It highlights the gap in empathy that exists in this modern, uncaring world. It has a rather inconclusive ending and offers no easy answers to the many issues it covers. But it is ultimately a compelling portrait of a life on Struggle Street, as one man attempts to navigate sobriety.
About the Author
Natalie Salvo Natalie is a Sydney-based writer and lover of all things music, food, photography comedy, art, theatre. You can find her digging in crates at good record stores.
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