Actor Harris Dickinson makes both his writing and directing debut with this drama about a young addict, Mike (Frank Dillane), living on the streets of London. When he is jailed for assault, he sobers up, and when released looks to straighten out his life.
Anyone who has known an addict will recognise Mike. When sober, his intelligence is revealed, and he can be nervily charming. On drugs and/or booze, he is unpleasant, selfish, and often lashes out at people who try to help him. Dillane superbly captures both side’s of Mike’s character, especially when he has a meltdown in an extraordinary scene in a shop. There is another brilliant scene early on when Mike is begging for money. The reaction of passers by, practically looking through him felt painfully realistic.
Megan Northam is also excellent as Andrea, a co-worker, with whom Mike starts a tentative but doomed relationship. Dickinson demonstrates a sure hand when directing and a keen ear for dialogue. However, his insertion of hallucinatory sequences do not really work.
Rating: 8 out of 10