It's involving, well-directed and well-acted.
Dirty Pretty Things (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:136
Fresh:128
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7.8/10
Consensus: An illuminating and nuanced film about the exploitation of illegal immigrants.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] sexual content, disturbing images and language
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Jul 18, 2003 Limited
Box Office: $7,953,388
Synopsis: Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a remarkably understated performance in director Stephen Frears's offbeat and gripping drama DIRTY PRETTY THINGS. Ejiofor stars as Okwe, a Nigerian who is trying to make a... Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a remarkably understated performance in director Stephen Frears's offbeat and gripping drama DIRTY PRETTY THINGS. Ejiofor stars as Okwe, a Nigerian who is trying to make a new life for himself in London, where he works days as a taxi driver and nights as a hotel desk receptionist. When he discovers a human heart in a hotel-room bathroom, he cannot go to the police because he is an illegal alien with a mysterious past that he refuses to talk about. Suddenly he is thrust into the middle of a dangerous situation that threatens to have tragic results for him and those around him. French ingenue Audrey Tautou costars as a Turkish woman who has sought asylum in England, where she is allowed to live but not work. But she must make money, so she works secretly while the government tries to catch her. Benedict Wong turns in a fine supporting performance as Guo Yi, a morgue employee who shares wise and humorous sayings with Okwe, and Sergi Lopez is absolutely chilling as the amorally opportunistic hotel manager. Frears directs the unusual proceedings with a deft hand, slowly revealing secrets that are as gruesome as they are poignant. [More]
Starring: Chjwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi Lopez, Sophie Okonedo
Starring: Chjwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi Lopez, Sophie Okonedo, Zlatko Buric, Benedict Wong
Director: Stephen Frears
Director: Stephen Frears
Screenwriter: Steven Knight
Producer: Tracey Seaward, Robert Jones
Composer: Nathan Larson
Screenwriter: Stephen Morris
Studio: Miramax Films
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Release:
Mar 23, 2004
Reviews for Dirty Pretty Things
Not only does Frears dress this London with a palpable atmosphere -- and even a kind of rank smell and rough touch -- but he also coaxes deeply affecting performances out of his stars.
Dirty Pretty Things benefits from the best script...hands down, written for a movie released in 2003
A dirty little thriller that goes deep to the heart of the melting pot of London fringe dwellers and emerges as a tale of depth and humanity.
Frears' presentation of his world is so passionate that you wish Dirty Pretty Things had the dramatic punch to match the vivid direction.
These are characters that draw you in and make you care, making it impossible to pull away.
Throughout his career, Frears has taken chances, and only on rare occasions has he missed the mark. Dirty Pretty Things is right on target.
This is the sort of film that requires your full attention -- and then amply rewards it with a wealth of nuances.
...everything the discerning moviegoer might look for in a film: engrossing story, outstanding cast, incisive directing, and the right length.
A soul-stirring movie that will rock you to your foundations if you come to it with an open heart.
If you go with the film -- and I did -- it will be because the quiet empathy of the central performances carries you over the plot holes.
Lopez has so often been cast as an affable Teddy Bear that it's a real treat to see him inhabit this amoral schemer.
Dirty Pretty Things benefits from deft direction, substantive plotting, and likable leads.
Dirty Pretty Things is a movie with Things to Say on an Important Issue...but one whose political intentions have not overpowered its quietly gripping story.
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