Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 37 mins
Director. Stephen Frears
Cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sergi Lopez, Sophie Okonedo, Audrey Tautou, Benedict Wong.
Rating. 63%
17 years after the triumphant release of his breakthrough work, My Beautiful Launderette, Stephen Frears returns to the nation's capital with Dirty Pretty Things. Far from a tale of the disenchanted and disengaged of Thatcher's Britain, Dirty Pretty Things shines a spotlight on the sordid underbelly of London's largely invisible underclass.
The ever-watchable Chiwetel Ejiofor garnered critical acclaim in an early role as Okwe, an illegal immigrant from Nigeria. The one-time physician drives a mini-cab during the day and works as a front desk clerk at a seedy hotel through the night. Called to unblock a toilet in one of the rooms Okwe discovers a human heart in the hotel toilet. Detached and dispassionate throughout, there is a sad, soulful melancholic quality to Ejiofor's portrayal of Okwe.
The trafficking of human organs subplot elevates Dirty Pretty Things from the realms of social commentary, and an earnest examination of the UK's immigration policy to an intriguing neo-noir account of the flagrant abuse of rights of desperate individuals. A wonderful script written by Steven Knight was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Not quite a romance. Not quite a thriller. Not quite a drama. Nonetheless, an interesting proposition and an enjoyable watch.
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