Dirty Pretty Things (2002)

Medically-trained Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a polite hotel clerk and cab driver who lives quietly due to his status as an illegal immigrant in London, getting what little sleep he has time for on the couch of Turkish immigrant Senay (Audrey Tatou), whose status as a refugee is up for review, and during which time she is not allowed to work. Because she's employed as a maid at the hotel, she, like Okwe, lives in constant fear of being found out by British authorities. When Okwe discovers a human heart lodged in one of the hotel guest's toilets, he stumbles onto a widespread underground illegal organ trade, and eventually he and Senay become inextricably involved. As the immigration authorities draw ever closer to both of them, the two seek a way out of England without exposing themselves to the police.

I guess I had no idea what Dirty Pretty Things was about. Going into it, I thought it was all about solving a murder or something, but really it's a tensely plotted drama about the difficult situations in which immigrants may find themselves. The story is gritty and realistic, with a very well-written and interesting script. Though a lot of the film serves as a character study for the mysterious Okwe and troubled Senay, it also works as an emotional thriller mixed with political commentary. I became wholly invested in these characters, and truly cared about what happened to them.

Tatou and Ejiofor are spectacular as the leads, both giving believable and honest performances. I really enjoyed the supporting cast as well, which included Benedict Wong as Okwe's wisecracking doctor friend and Sophie Okonedo as a smooth-talking prostitute who frequents the hotel. Though not a straight-up thriller, it is incredibly tense in its timing and structure, making it very engaging. The sharp writing and great cast ground the film as a bittersweet and memorable drama.

4.5/5