Cannes 2026: Jordan Firstman’s ‘Membership Child’ Movie is a Pleasant Shock
by Alex Billington Could 16, 2026
DJ Night time Shift is taking the world by storm! One of many many surprises on the 2026 Cannes Movie Competition is that this pleasant discovery taking part in within the Un Sure Regard part. Membership Child is the function directorial debut of actor / filmmaker Jordan Firstman, and it is such a implausible story of rising up within the large metropolis. It performs a bit like Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon (a extremely underrated movie) however with far more cocaine & clubbing. I do not need that comparability to be awkward, as a result of each movies are superb and each are about these shaggy guys spending time connecting with a younger child and studying from him. Membership Child actually hit the candy spot. It is a completely cute and humorous and uplifting story of rising up. Infused with an authenticity and honesty that few movies ever seize so effortlessly. Firstman wrote and directed and stars on this and, whether or not or not it is his personal private story does not matter, it is only a rattling good movie that’s shifting in its earnestness. It left me feeling so emotionally joyful as a result of not solely is the movie itself terrific nevertheless it’s as soon as once more a potent reminder that as flawed as all of us are, we’re all able to loving & being liked. And love actually can transfer mountains.
Jordan Firstman is a New York actor and filmmaker who has made a number of brief movies earlier than this together with TV. However with Membership Child he units an entire new precedent for what he is able to. The tenderness, the openness, the cleverness, all of it comes collectively so splendidly on this story. Firstman performs Peter, a drug-addicted homosexual get together promoter who lives in a lease managed house and will get wasted all day / daily with all his get together scene buddies. A decade flies by till in the future somebody exhibits up at his door together with his son – a ten yr previous British boy named Arlo, performed by newcomer Reggie Absolom. Apparently he was so wasted he forgot he slept with this lady at a celebration however after she determined to “depart the membership” her buddy introduced him over for Peter to care for as a substitute. The title is a double entendre: Peter is a “membership child” himself who has by no means actually grown up and despite the fact that he is virtually center aged, he is barely a totally functioning grownup. Then Arlo takes a liking to the scene and tries his hand at DJing, displaying up at a number of events as DJ “Night time Shift” turn into a membership child as properly. Nevertheless, Peter can also be starting to comprehend it is time for him to develop up and turn into an actual dad. He must get clear and work by way of his (previous and current) points & laziness to turn into a greater particular person.
All of this sounds somewhat unusual typed out, nevertheless it works wonders on display. I’m so moved by this story and this child and what they undergo collectively and the way completely (a powerful feat) the movie balances all of the humor and coronary heart and seriousness so properly. Arlo is fantastic, as is Peter, and collectively they’re so endearing to look at. His buddies are hilarious, even when they’re principally druggies or get together addicts, they provide further levity. Cara Delevingne performs one buddy who he organized events with however then grows aside from over time as she is not in a position to get clear both. This complete movie is a serious directorial debut that exhibits Firstman will not be solely able to telling a very good story, however he is delicate and understanding and compassionate. And above all he is trustworthy – displaying all of the rougher, idiotic, and problematic sides of Peter on display. He is not excellent however as a substitute of pretending to be somebody who’s all of the sudden in a position to get all of it collectively, he is rising up little by little, admitting and accepting his flaws. And his relationship with Arlo is the perfect a part of this story. I loved the way it exhibits them creating an internet playlist collectively as a part of their bonding. It is a straightforward to look at movie that can be much more satisfying revisiting it. Firstman’s Membership Child will stay on my thoughts properly past the pageant.
Alex’s Cannes 2026 Ranking: 9 out of 10Comply with Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
