London is viewed by many as a city of historical greatness, cultural significance or perhaps even an amorous getaway. But underneath the romantic façade, is a much darker scene where another side of the city lives and operates.
Dirty Pretty Thingswas originally released in 2002. Portland State’s own 5th Avenue Cinema brings this dramatic film to their screen this weekend. And as always, it is free for PSU students.
Directed by Stephen Frears (High Fidelity, Dangerous Liaisons) and staring Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity, American Gangster) and Audrey Tautou (Amelie) in her very first English speaking role, Dirty Pretty Things is a thriller that takes audiences on a dark ride with “the people you do not see” in London.
Dirty Pretty Thingsshows the underworld of London through a hotel where everything from drug dealing to selling human organs on the black market occurs. Tautou’s character, Senay, is an illegal immigrant from Turkey working as a maid at this hotel. She finds a friend in Okwe, another immigrant from Nigeria. Together they help each other, especially when it comes to navigating around the U.K.’s immigration police.
Make no mistake in carrying over the heartfelt fondness from Tautou’s or Ejiofor’s other more well-known films. This movie is dark and deals with a number of sinister aspects including the evil humans can do to one another. Set in a hotel where many people come and go, it gives many opportunities to see different people engage in sinister behavior—organ harvesting plays a significant role.
This is the world where Senay finds herself, working as a hotel maid, and eventually in a sweatshop as well. It is a world she desires and attempts to leave, but it is not so easy when living as an illegal immigrant amongst callous and crooked individuals. Okwe comes to Senay’s aid, but he too is caught up in a sensitive and tense dilemma at the hotel where they both work.
The film does a magnificent job presenting a well-written story that includes the difficulty of modern-day immigrants while also tackling nail biting and downright sad situations under which the characters come. It is a difficult story to watch at times, but also a suspenseful and gripping one, and ultimately well worth the viewing.
Dirty Pretty Things
July 8–10
5th Avenue Cinema
Free for PSU students, $2 for other students, $3 general admission