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Review

London's nighttime takes on a menacing afterglow in this atmospheric, tough-minded thriller that's as suspenseful as it is disturbing and hypnotic. Combining elements of political thriller, dark comedy and poignant romance, director Frears aims for the jugular and isn't afraid to draw blood. Okwe (Ejofor) is a Nigerian immigrant (and former doctor) living in London who has traded his stethoscope for the wheel of a cab by day and a hotel counter by night. His and the life of a friend, Senay (Tautou), a Turkish immigrant working as a maid, soon becomes endangered when Okwe learns of a ruthless organized crime syndicate working at the hotel trading kidneys for visas. Frears shows us a dirty London not in the tour books, where immigrants are routinely exploited without voice or recourse, and principle is an extravagance one can ill afford. Dirty Pretty Things is a chilling but rewarding film, remarkably told and acted to perfection by an outstanding ensemble.