Dirty Pretty Things
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Movie Reviews of Dirty Pretty Things
Movie Review: magnificent film !!
Summary: 5 Stars
for those of us who've followed the work of stephen frears for some time now, it should be no surprise how great dirty pretty things actually is. here you have a suspenseful, if not at times disturbing drama of british immigrant workers & they risks they will encounter everyday not to be deported. in addition to being avery gripping thriller which will have you on edge at all times, dirty pretty things is also a bittersweet love story which previous reviewers have failed to mention or comment on. although the box cover shows audrey tautou as the lead actress, the protagonist whom we spend the majority of the film with is a taxi driver, hotel worker, & doctor called okwe (played flawlessly by none other than chiwetal ejifor who many of you will remember from amistad) although both tautou & ejifor give excellent & believable performances, ejifor gives the most outstanding performance of the two. the story begins with okwe working as a hotel clerk discovering a human heart in one of the hotel rooms' toilets. with the help of a hooker & a turkish immigrant maid(tautou), okwe sets out to unravel the mystery of the while moral values & ethics are tested. we discover later on that this isn't the first time he has struggled to maintain his identity while helping others in grave situations. the suspense really builds up when we learn that the black market organ collectors may be after okwe's roommate played beautifully by the ever-talented audrey tautou. definately not a film to be missed & certainly worth adding to your dvd collection. again, stephen frears fans won't be the slightest bit disappointed.Movie Review: A GEM !
Summary: 5 Stars
This drama/thriller (more drama than thriller although it does have thrilling and nerve-wracking scenes) never whacks the viewer over the head with its portrayal of the injustices of current immigration regulations. In fact, even if one thinks that immigration laws should be enforced, the film can still be appreciated. This is because it shows the realities of the immigrant life. But Frears never moralizes or lectures or tries to hit the viewer over the head with his views."Dirty Pretty Things" takes place in a London that we do not usually see, but could have been in any big city in the world. Immigrants, especially illegal ones, are drawn to places like this so they can try to be anonymous and get easy employment. They live lives of degradation which they accept matter of factly and grow accustomed to being constantly watched by the authorities......knowing that if they make one mistake, they will be forced to leave.
The moral dilemma faced by one of the main characters is an interesting one and gives the story an unexpected twist at the end.
Okwe, as played by Chiwetel Ejofor, is exceptional. Audrey Tautou is her usual charismatic self playing Senay, who is desperate and weary, seeming to accept her fate yet showing sparks of rebellion.
The movie follows what these characters do to make a living and survive while hoping, not very optimistically, for better lives, and living in constant fear of the immigration authorities. This story of people who cannot live in their native land or find a safe haven anywhere else is clearly presented with great thoughtfulness.
Highly recommended.
Movie Review: "We are the people you do not see."
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow.It's been a while since a movie has kicked me in the gut quite the way this one did. Dirty Pretty Things is a thriller, but it's a bleak one. The lead characters are illegal aliens and, as a result, they have no rights. The police are their enemies and there is no place they can turn for help. Exploited by their employers, chased by immigration officers, these are people who are constantly on the edge of losing everything. So, when you throw in a horrific murder-mystery, things quickly go over the top.
This movie succeeds on every level. As a social conscious raiser, it works. You realize that these people do exist in every city and that their situation is inhuman. The actors make these characters "real." At no point do you think, "Well, that's exaggerated," or "It's just a movie." There is a sense of authenticity to the whole thing that makes you furious as you realize that people really do live like this, and not just in some faraway country.
As a "thriller," this movie far surpasses the usual Hollywood nonsense. With no place to turn, the lead characters are helpless as the world slowly closes in around them. The villain of the piece isn't some crazed serial killer or faceless conspiracy; rather, his is the face of capitalism at it's most banal and inhumane. One of my favorite scenes is the rationalization of the horrific crimes being committed. "My job is making people happy."
Dirty Pretty Things is, without reservation, a 5-star movie.
Movie Review: The Dark Side of Things
Summary: 5 Stars
"Dirty Pretty Things" is a great Oscar-nominated mystery film release of 2003 starring Audrey Tautou. Director Stephen Frears leads the cast and crew to completing this unique film. The plot brilliantly combines drama and mystery while exploring the dark side of the characters' lives. The interesting chain of events keep audiences' eyes wide open through every scene. The moment a hotel clerk discovers a human heart in a toilet at his work, the theme's darkness becomes more intense and expresses more of the characters' lives at the moment. However, it's not what many may think. There's no serial killer on the loose, there's no demonic possessions. However, there is blackmail. The truths behind the human heart leads a friend and him to reveal secrets for the first time and to face their painful pasts. Their struggles to stay in England become harder as they face the threat of deportation and prison time. The emotional aspect of it is intensely heartfelt through the words, the environmental surroundings, and the performances. Though all the performances are great, Audrey Tautou ("Amelie") and Chiwetel Ejiofor's are the most unforgettable. Through every struggle, they express their character's pain beautifully. Tautou proves that she'll continue rising as a star in the following years. "Dirty Little Things" is a great film for those looking for something uniquely mysterious. This is sure to please many audiences.Movie Review: What a terrific cross-genre film
Summary: 5 Stars
What is this film that's so difficult to stick a label onto? Is it a thriller? A mystery, a romance, horror, social commentary...? I think I'd call it a thriller with a heart and soul, and it all begins with a hotel clerk finding a human heart stuck in an overflowing toilet.The setting is London, the characters are primarily illegal immigrants trying to stay one step ahead of deportation. Some of them are so desperate to get legal that they're willing to trade their body parts for a passport. Okwe, the hotel clerk, was a doctor in Nigeria before some secret that's not revealed till the end of the film forced him to flee. Shenay, Audrey Tatou (she of Amelie fame), is a Turkish maid at the hotel and Okwe's friend. There's a rogue of a doorman who is an opportunist with a good heart; there's a hooker with an even better heart; and there's without a doubt the best villain ever created, Juan, the manager of the hotel. He doesn't have a moustache, but he's so slick and smarmy and smiling that you can just see him in a top hat, twirling his moustache and plotting the maiden's downfall in return for her virtue.
Ordered by Juan to ignore the disembodied heart, Okwe does the opposite: he digs into the soft and smelly underbelly of blackmarket body organ trafficking. And when desperate Shenay appears to be headed down that road, things get really, really, really interesting, complete with quirky, brilliant denouement.
You'll love it.