Frank Dillane Is Uncomfortably Brilliant in ‘Urchin’, a Film About Bad Choices and Worse Systems

Genre– Drama
Director – Harris Dickinson
Writer – Harris Dickinson
Cast – Frank Dillane, Megan Northam, Karyna Khymchuk, Harris Dickinson, Shonagh Marie and Amr Waked
Runtime – 99 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆☆

Urchin is a brutal, heartbreaking ride that makes you wish you could reach through the screen and shake the guy awake.

Man, Urchin is one of those films that certainly doesn’t coddle you, as it just sits on your shoulder, poking at you the whole time.

Plot Summary of Urchin (Spoiler-Free)

Urchin follows Mike, a young man in his early twenties who’s homeless and addicted, where life for him is a constant grind of finding money, dealing with friends in the same boat, and just trying not to completely fall apart.

When he impulsively assaults a stranger, his world collides with the law, and he ends up in prison, and after serving his time, Mike faces the daunting challenge of reintegrating into society, all while fighting the same demons that got him there in the first place.

The film moves through his experiences almost like you’re watching someone navigate a storm that won’t calm down, whether it’s dealing with parole officers, old friends, or just himself.

Urchin Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Urchin is a film that will leave you tired and a little angry at yourself for feeling empathy for someone making such terrible choices.

First off, Frank Dillane as Mike is really good in his role, I mean, I knew he could act, but watching him carry almost the entire film on his shoulders, dragging those of us watching through every low, reckless, and borderline infuriating moment is exhausting in the best way.

Mike isn’t a guy you’re supposed to like all the time, as h does awful things, and yet you can’t stop watching because Dillane makes every moment feel human, frail, and somehow understandable.

Then there’s Harris Dickinson, yes, the same guy you might know from acting, but here he’s behind the camera too, and he does a lot right for a first-time director, where he keeps you at a distance for much of the film, and there’s this voyeuristic tension to the way the film is shot, thatt pulls you into Mike’s world in a really sticky, inescapable way.

But there are moments where Dickinson’s stylistic choices feel slightly awkward, where we get dream sequences, usually involving a woman playing a violin and a cave that seems to represent Mike’s inner turmoil.

I get what he’s going for, but at times it clashes with the gritty realism of the rest of the film, and while they’re short and infrequent, they do pull you out of the moment just a little, but I respect the attempt, as sometimes first films are for experimenting, and I always like to see someone try something ambitious.

Dickinson himself also has a role in the film, where he plays Nathan, Mike’s friend and fellow addict, and their chemistry is messy and uncomfortable, as i’s not a buddy story – it’s two people whose friendship exists in a world of poor choices.

Their interactions are uncomfortable to watch at times, but the film never makes you forget that addiction isn’t glamorous, and friendships in that space are often complicated and self-serving.

What’s really impressive is how Urchin doesn’t just focus on the obvious struggles of addiction, as it also examines the systems that are supposed to help people like Mike, and there’s a lot of interaction with government officials, parole officers, employers, and family.

And while these people aren’t portrayed as villains, the film makes it clear that the system is full of red tape, fake gestures, and empty reassurances, where Mike’s journey is uphill not just because of himself, but because the support around him is often inadequate or performative.

The pacing is also slow in the way life itself is slow for someone like Mike, where every small victory or setback carries weight, and watching him struggle to get a job, deal with old acquaintances, or simply survive is exhausting to watch at time.

You don’t get neat arcs or big payoffs here – the story moves as his life does – as sometimes grinding, sometimes chaotic, and sometimes heartbreakingly still.

Urchin hit me quite hard emotionally, where I found myself frustrated, angry, and sad, sometimes all within the same scene, as there’s a mix of pity and irritation when watching Mike make the same mistakes, but Dillane’s performance keeps it from feeling manipulative, and you never feel like the film is trying to tell you exactly how to feel, but feel I did.

Urchin is definitely a film worth watching, because it’s honest, human, messy, and deeply affecting, and it’s the kind of film that makes you remember what it’s like to feel powerless in someone else’s life, and it doesn’t offer easy answers or fake hope.

Dickinson’s debut as a director is bold and confident, while Dillane’s performance is excellent, and together they make a film that will stick with you for a while.

What I liked (And What I Didn’t Like)

Pros

Frank Dillane’s performance

Every scene he’s in, he commands your attention – heartbreaking and human.

Raw depiction of addiction

Doesn’t sugarcoat anything, doesn’t glamorize the struggle.

Cinematic voyeurism

The camera makes you feel involved but helpless, which works brilliantly.

Emotional honesty

No manipulation, just real stakes.

Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut

Bold choices, creative risks, ambitious for a first feature.

Depiction of systemic failures

Shows how the official support systems often fail people trying to rebuild their lives.

Gritty cinematography

The streets, and the corners – the way they are shot just blends into the film beautifully.

Cons

Dream sequences feel out of place

The violin and cave scenes don’t always match the rest of the film’s tone.

Slow pacing in parts

Some sequences drag a bit.

Occasional tonal inconsistencies

Moments of surrealism clash with the grounded realism.

Minimal closure for some arcs

Not every subplot gets a payoff when they need it.

Dialogue can feel overly blunt

Sometimes it reads like exposition rather than natural conversation.

Who Might Like Urchin

• Fans of character-driven dramas
• People interested in stories about addiction and recovery
• Anyone who likes morally complex protagonists
• People who enjoy social commentary on systemic failures
• Fans of first-time directors taking risks
• Those who like films that provoke thought and emotion
• People looking for heavy, emotionally impactful cinema

Who Might Dislike Urchin

• Anyone looking for a happy or uplifting story
• Those uncomfortable with messy, morally gray characters
• Anyone who dislikes gritty or realistic portrayals of addiction
• If you dislike films with slow moments or heavy emotional weight
• Viewers sensitive to scenes of violence or self-harm
• If you’re looking for a light or casual watch

Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching Urchin?

Well, ‘Enjoy’ is the right word to use, as Urchin is a tough watch, but it made me feel things.

It’s not comfortable, nor easy, but it was completely worth it.

Urchin Trailer

Simon Leasher

A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More

And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.