Movie Reviews

Dirty Pretty Things
Directed by Stephen Frears

About the Film
Starring: Chjwetel Ejiofor, Sergi López, Sophie Okonedo, Audrey Tautou, Benedict Wong

The story is set among London's invisible underclass of immigrant workers. After stumbling across evidence of a bizarre murder, a Nigerian night porter at a posh hotel joins up with a Turkish chambermaid (Tautou), a Chinese busker and a prostitute to solve the crime.

Sheila's Review
Directed by the talented and non PC speaking Stephen Frears who fabulous. I wish more people had the balls to ‘tell it like it is’ the way this guy did during the Q&A period after the movie. He had the guts to say something along the lines of, “If we keep out the immigrants, who is going to clean our hotel rooms?” Many people think that, but not many have the guts to say it. The movie was centered around a hotel where illegal immigrants worked and where operated on. He also admitted that any faults in the movie where purely his own such as a scene with a book which he wanted to cut out but didn’t get around to doing that.

This UK production told a story of illegal immigrants in London doing what they can to stay in the country, even if it means selling a kidney for a passport. We take a look into the underground world of people looking for a better life for themselves and their families at nearly any cost.

The cast where incredible in their roles. I especially liked the hooker who had the funniest lines. This film was entertaining from start to finish full of comical lines, messages of morality and D&M messages. There was originality in this story of the immigrant experience which is possibly going on right now around the world.

A must see movie.

Trixie's Review
Dirty Pretty Things may have seemed a fairly simple story on the surface, but was really quite complex. On the one hand you have the story of illegal immigrants and what they must do in order to survive. On the other you have the story of Okwe, who discovers a sick and bizarre business of selling organs that is occuring in the hotel where he is employed.

The casting was brilliant. Stephen Frears admitted to a couple of errors in the film that were completely his own - but they were hard to pick out. I have been a fan of his films since The Grifters, and High Fidelity remains one of my all-time favorites. After his Q and A I am a huge fan of him and his views as well.

~September 2002

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