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A Buena Vista release. Written by Steven Knight; directed by Stephen Frears; starring Audrey Tautou and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Released to DVD on March 16, 2004.  There is nothing more disconcerting than a darkly portrayed film with a staunchly upbeat message. When the optimism concerns the fates of two abused, extorted illegal immigrants in South London, the film’s message becomes even more inconsistent. In some ways, Dirty Pretty Things could be animated for its predictable themes and two-dimensional characters. The film follows the trials and budding romance of a Turkish immigrant named Senay (Audrey Tautou) and a Nigerian, ex-government doctor named Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Their employer is a greasy Spaniard known as Señor "Sneaky" who conducts a black market organ trade using the organs of his undocumented employees in exchange for their legal escape from Britain. He is the quintessentially stereotypical villain – he is dark-haired with a heavy Mediterranean accent -- he might as well be twisting his moustache and cackling evilly. Dirty Pretty Things’ banality is redeemed by the breathtaking chemistry and performances of its stars, Tautou and Ejiofor. Despite her hackneyed and very French-sounding Turkish accent, Tautou makes her formulaic role as the pious, idealistic Middle Eastern girl who left her country looking for freedom utterly beguiling and believable -- through her wide-eyed enthusiasm and her refusal to use further stereotypes. Ejiofor (2003’s Love Actually, and Spike Lee’s 2004 She Hate Me) demonstrates his acting skill with a quiet, measured thoughtfulness and subtle performance as Okwe. He looks and acts every bit the man haunted by his nightmarish past and by his guilt over falling in love again after the tragic end to his marriage in Nigeria. In addition, talented actors fill a few of the film’s smaller parts. In particular, Juliette (Sophie Okonedo), the black prostitute who befriends Senay, is subtle but very plausible and likable. Sergi López is also surprisingly believable, admirably pushing the routine role of the despicable abuser of undocumented employees to its most human level, with a subdued and almost witty performance.  In one of the last scenes of Dirty Pretty Things, Senay, Juliette and Okwe confront a white, wealthy, British doctor in an underground parking lot. Okwe says to him, "We are the people you do not see. We drive your cabs and clean your rooms." This scene, a triumphant confrontation and assertion of strength from the films’ "victims" sums up the mood overall in Dirty Pretty Things. At times, one wonders how triumphant these undocumented immigrants could ever be in Western society. Parts of this film stretch the bounds of believability. Despite the tired context of Dirty Pretty Things, it is redeemed through the excellent acting and macabre thematic elements present at times. The film manages to evoke sympathy for the plight of its characters. The rosy, all too neat ending is offset by the darkness throughout, making the film surprisingly compelling and allowing for the characters’ Disney-like polarization as good or bad. This permits the overly simplified buoyancy of the film’s message. All in all, if for the performances alone, this film is notably watchable despite its flaws. | |||||
