This gritty and empathetic portrait of addiction and the self-destruction that comes along with it is filled with pitch black humour. Frank Dillane puts on a masterclass as he takes his character to rock bottom.
A terrifically impressive debut… engaging, sympathetically acted and layered with genuinely funny moments, mysterious and hallucinatory set-pieces.
Urchin 2025
This raw, engaging directorial debut feature from rising star, Harris Dickinson (Babygirl, Triangle of Sadness), offers a sympathetic portrait of a homeless drug addict. Mike (Frank Dillane) has hit rock bottom and is trying to put his life back together after a stint in prison. Through a freewheeling narrative, Urchin effectively captures the rollercoaster of emotions and setbacks that come with addiction, a declining mental state and dealing with a world that at times can lack empathy for the mentally ill.
Frank Dillane's performance is the highlight as he carries the character through repeated incidents of self-destruction followed by attempts to claw his way back into the rat race. At times hilarious and other times terrifying, Mike is someone you've seen before, someone that you see on the street causing drama, the prospective employee coming to job interviews with big gaps in their CV, your friend that is sweet and outgoing but also an expert on self-sabotage.
While the film doesn't offer any answers, it paints a realistic portrait that wants to help others understand the trap of poverty and addiction. — Jordan Salomen