You might know Harris Dickinson from "Beach Rats," "Triangle of Sadness," "Iron Claw" and "Babygirl," and he's set to become an even bigger star playing John Lennon in Sam Mendes' hotly anticipated four-part Beatles biopic.
But this past year also saw the 30-year-old rising actor emerge as a formidable filmmaker via his feature-length directorial debut, "Urchin," a movie yours truly hasn't stopped thinking about since I first saw it this past fall, despite the fact that most moviegoers likely haven't even heard of the British indie, which only grossed a little over a million dollars at the global box office.
Dickinson himself only pops up in "Urchin" in a supporting capacity; rather, it's Frank Dillane ("Fear the Walking Dead") as the titular drifter, a desperate young man struggling with self-destructive behavior on the streets of London. It's a haunting performance and one worth experiencing. Helpfully, "Urchin" is currently streaming on Hulu, so you can catch up on the Dickinson-directed drama if you haven't already.
What is 'Urchin' about?
The "urchin" in question is Mike (Frank Dillane), a charismatic but troubled young man stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of addiction and poverty in London.
Mike ends up jailed after a case of petty theft turns shockingly violent, but in the months following his release from prison, he experiences a bit of a redemption arc as he reacclimates with society, finding temporary housing, a proper work gig as a cook at a local motel, and a lively new social group. (Megan Northam, Karyna Khymchuk, Shonagh Marie and Amr Waked also star.)
However, Mike's frustratingly foolhardy behavior soon rears its ugly head and sees him slipping back into his old ways, sending him spiraling down a rabbit hole from which he might not be able to free himself.
Why I recommend you stream 'Urchin'
Following Mike's odyssey from ruin to recovery and back again isn't an easy watch, but it is a consistently engaging one, thanks to Dickinson's spirited mix of gritty social realism and dreamy, surreal sequences, calling to mind the grungy urbanity of films by Sean Baker or the Safdie Brothers.
"Urchin is an emotionally raw debut from Harris Dickinson, whose introspective direction and clear-eyed compassion find a perfect match in Frank Dillane's unflinchingly authentic performance," praises the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, where the 2025 drama has an excellent 95% approval rating.
Speaking of, Dillane's lead performance—at turns infuriatingly selfish, undeniably magnetic and achingly vulnerable—earned the star the Un Certain Regard – Best Actor award at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where Dickinson also took home the FIPRESCI Prize, one of the most important independent awards at the festival.
Stream "Urchin" on Hulu now
