:
Audrey Tautou,
Audrey Tautou,
Chiwetel Ejiofor,
more...
:
Stephen Frears,
Stephen Frears
see all cast/crew...
: 
: Miramax
: Foreign, UK
: 97 min.
: English, French
: English
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Director Stephen Frears returns to the grittier themes of his earlier films for the urban thriller Dirty Pretty Things. Residing in London, the medically trained Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a Nigerian immigrant working as a taxi driver and a hotel concierge, but he still lives on the edge of poverty. He shares a room with Senay (Amélie's Audrey Tautou making her English-language debut), a Turkish refugee who works as a maid at the hotel. As illegal immigrants, Okwe and Senay live in fear of being deported. One night, working at the front desk, Okwe receives a call from prostitute Juliette (Sophie Okonedo) to check a broken toilet, where he makes a horrifying discovery. He reports it to the manager Sneaky (Sergi Lopez), who blackmails Okwe into staying quiet about it. Okwe soon discovers the presence of a shady business operation that sends him into the seedy London underworld. Senay becomes lured in with hopes of being able to fund her escape to America. Dirty Pretty Things marks the screenwriting debut of Steve Knight, co-creator of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Special Features:
- Commentary with Director Stephen Frears
- Behind-the-scenes featurette
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| Good-ish, was hoping for more
by elenainsf
November 22, 2006 - 10:34 AM PST
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| Not a bad movie, but the script is flat and not very surprising. The ideas are good, but it's not clever enough to entice. You can tell what the director was trying to portray but the actors are too innocent to be realistic. Only watch this if you have nothing else to watch :) |
| Good start with a mediocre ending
by thingstodo
January 26, 2006 - 7:20 PM PST
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1 out of 4 members found this review helpful
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So Amelie (Sorry, Audrey--you must have known this would happen when you took that role) is now in a somber role where she smiles less.
The story has a pretty good start. It builds up a bit of an intrigue. But this is not a mystery; its mood changes relatively quickly to one of desperation and hopelessness.
The film's supposedly an expose of a darker side of London. Not having been there and, after feeling around myself, I wouldn't know if it's accurate or an exaggeration.
The French accent from Audrey also distracts a bit, leading to a curiosity in the casting choice.
Anyway. After the midpoint of the movie when things seem to just can't get any worse for the good guys, each of them needs to make a decision. Hers was understandable, his was not. Without saying too much, let's just say that, if he really wanted to help people, he had better choices than what he initially chose to do. A
And maybe I've watched too many movies, or maybe the story could've been more original. I have to admit that I had a suspicion he would end up doing what he did.
So it's a 7/10 from me. It started out pretty good. Made me feel for the characters. But just went downhill toward the end.
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| "the people you don't usually see"
by maritoni
July 5, 2004 - 1:10 PM PDT
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15 out of 16 members found this review helpful
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| this film felt very real for the most part because of the subtle directing of frears. though the acting felt a little uneven in parts, all the actors/characters are fairly engaging and complex. i love that this is a story about immigrants - not mobsters or superheroes or society types. the story that unfolds is compelling and even stressful but in an understated, intense way that reveals a side of london that you don't often see. there is even a love story embedded, but thankfully no saccharine hollywood, neatly tied up conclusion. overall a fresh look at the daily challenge of living as an immigrant. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.17)
342 Votes
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