Actor Harris Dickinson, celebrated for his powerful performances, steps behind the camera for his directorial debut, Urchin. This acclaimed film, which premiered to praise at Cannes, offers a heartfelt and surprising exploration of addiction and homelessness through a narrative that boldly combines dreamlike sequences with raw verité, aiming to redefine genre conventions and delve into the complexities of human existence.
As Harris Dickinson cemented his status as a formidable actor in projects like Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-winning Triangle of Sadness and Sean Durkin’s critically praised The Iron Claw, he was simultaneously nurturing a passion project. Quietly, Dickinson dedicated himself to crafting the script that would ultimately become his debut feature film, Urchin.
The film, which garnered significant acclaim upon its debut at Cannes this past May, is a poignant and unexpected drama. It centers on Mike, an addict whose tentative path to rehabilitation begins after he emerges from prison. Mike’s incarceration follows an incident where he punches and robs a man who had extended a helping hand, setting the stage for a narrative deeply rooted in personal struggle and the challenging journey toward redemption.
Beyond the Frame: Dickinson’s Unique Career and Directorial Aims
Dickinson has meticulously carved out a distinctive career as a performer, known for taking on roles that are often challenging, fascinating, and sometimes even dangerous. His work in films such as Beach Rats, Eliza Hittman’s gritty drama that marked his acting debut, and the more recent thriller Babygirl, highlights his willingness to explore complex characters and narratives. Currently, he is immersed in portraying John Lennon in Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-part Beatles biopic epic, further showcasing his versatility.
Urchin mirrors the adventurous spirit of his on-screen work. With his directorial debut, Dickinson ventures into unexpected territory, skillfully intertwining dreamlike sequences with a stark, verité depiction of a man caught in relentless cycles of self-harm. His explicit aim was to transcend and avoid familiar narratives frequently seen in films about life on the margins, particularly within British cinema. “It was really about, what have we seen, particularly in British cinema, in this genre?” Dickinson explained, adding, “That’s potentially what we try and avoid at each turn.” He emphasized that the creative freedom to infuse the film with a “slightly more surreal tone and a slightly more comedic tone” was crucial for the entire team, underscoring that Urchin defies easy categorization.
Casting Mike: Frank Dillane’s Transformative Performance
To realize his ambitious vision for Urchin, Dickinson sought out actor Frank Dillane for the pivotal role of Mike. Despite not having full financing secured at the time, Dillane, whom Dickinson had admired for his roles in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as Tom Riddle and on Fear the Walking Dead, committed to the project after an audition. This early commitment was a testament to the script’s power and Dickinson’s compelling vision.
Dillane’s portrayal of Mike is central to the film’s emotional impact. When reflecting on the script, Dillane noted its profound depth: “When I did that first audition I realized the story Harris was trying to tell was an incredibly delicate one and one that kind of encompasses so much more than homelessness.” He emphasized that the film is “a study about what it is to be human in its broadest sense,” highlighting its universal resonance beyond its specific themes of addiction and social exclusion.
Interestingly, Dickinson himself plays a small role in Urchin as Nathan, an acquaintance of Mike’s from the streets. This part was an unplanned addition, with Dickinson stepping in at the last minute after another actor withdrew. Dillane playfully recounted the effort involved: “I had to talk him into it. This was a hard fought battle.”
Crafting Authenticity: Research and Real-World Connections
The commitment to authenticity in Urchin was paramount for Dickinson. His preparation involved extensive practical research, including “a real dialogue” with individuals involved in prison reform. He also collaborated with advisors who possessed lived experience with being unhoused and struggling with addiction. Dickinson shared his personal connection to these issues, stating, “I’ve also had that close to me.” This intimate understanding allowed him to craft a narrative he felt truly captured the experiences of those who hadn’t always seen themselves accurately represented in film.
Both Dickinson and Dillane had prior engagements with UK-based charitable organizations dedicated to vulnerable communities, with Dickinson working with Under One Sky and Dillane with the Single Homeless Project. Their collective experience extended to visiting prisons, though Dickinson’s directorial focus remained steadfastly on Mike’s internal world rather than institutional critiques. To further prepare Dillane for his role, Dickinson provided him with Albert Camus’ philosophical novel The Stranger. Dillane found this material transformative, explaining that it “really blew the whole thing open for me, quite profoundly,” connecting Mike’s journey to an “existential fight with oneself” and the profound implications of a perceived “lack of God,” themes beautifully explored through the film’s dream sequences.
Dillane also dedicated time to immerse himself in the lived experience of homelessness, spending as much time as possible on the streets. He noted the sheer exhaustion of being outside all day without respite, a profound physical understanding he sought despite his “very middle class background” and “supportive family.” (Fans might recognize his father, Stephen Dillane, for his acclaimed role in Game of Thrones, as noted by Time and confirmed through various film databases.)
The filming approach further underscored this commitment to realism. Certain scenes around London were shot using a long lens, allowing “the world around Frank could carry on,” as Dickinson described. At times, Dillane, equipped with a radio, would receive instructions from Dickinson to interact with non-actors, capturing raw, unscripted moments that emphasized the isolation and often painful invisibility experienced by those on the streets. Dillane remarked on the profound impact of this experience: “Not being acknowledged is something that is very painful for people because, you know, they’re sitting there right in front of you… to feel that firsthand was interesting.”
A Nuanced Portrayal: Humor and the Deeper Meaning of Addiction
Crucially, both Dickinson and Dillane championed incorporating moments of levity into Mike’s story. Dillane asserted that “the humor is very much a part of the streets,” playfully contrasting it with “us stuffy middle class people who kind of take life a little bit too seriously.” This balance prevents the film from becoming solely a bleak depiction, allowing for a more authentic and human portrayal.
Dickinson approaches the responsibility of telling Mike’s story with seriousness, while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of the genre. He deliberately avoided pigeonholing Urchin as “just a drug story or an addiction story,” explaining, “Because ultimately it’s more about why are we addicted to stuff? Why do we fall back into substance use as a dependency, right? Or any sort of thing as a dependency?” This broader philosophical inquiry elevates the film beyond a simple cautionary tale.
The film’s “flights of fancy” and abstract elements are a direct reflection of Dickinson’s own creative process. He describes himself as “a bit of a dreamer,” acknowledging, “I don’t think I’m capable of functioning in a super realistic, pragmatic, linear way.” His fascination with “fairy tale and escapism” informs the film’s language, which aptly lends itself to something “slightly more abstract” when tracking a character with “an extremely complicated mind.”
The Filmmaking Vision: Style and Influences
Urchin has been lauded as a confident and compassionate directorial debut, often compared to Dickinson’s own acting debut in Eliza Hittman’s Beach Rats for its gritty realism. The film avoids romanticizing addiction or homelessness, nor does it offer facile resolutions. Instead, it presents a clear-eyed and spare portrait of Mike, devoid of judgment. The cinematography by Josée Deshaies, known for her work on films like The Beast and Passages, frequently employs still, long shots to cultivate a sense of observational realism. However, Dickinson occasionally injects visual flourishes, such as a fantastical, trippy sequence depicting Mike’s prison years by descending into a shower drain. While some critics note these moments can be slightly distracting, they undeniably contribute to the film’s adventurous and unique visual language, affirming Dickinson’s bold cinematic vision.
The film’s tone resonates with the realist social dramas of revered British filmmakers like Mike Leigh, Andrea Arnold, and Ken Loach. However, Urchin carves its own path, offering a nuanced study of humanity that extends beyond its central themes. Dickinson, also the scriptwriter, deliberately concludes the film with ambiguity, mirroring the ongoing, day-to-day struggle of addiction. As such, Urchin functions as a “perpetual middle,” presenting a slice of life rather than a definitive tale of salvation. Ultimately, both Dickinson and Dillane ensure that Mike is portrayed as a multifaceted individual, not merely a societal problem, inviting audiences to journey with him through his unceasing struggle, even as he faces it largely alone.
For fans eager to explore Dickinson’s diverse acting career that led him to this directorial milestone, his filmography, including his breakout role in Beach Rats, is comprehensively detailed on platforms such as IMDb.
