Audrey Tatou shines in this sad film.

Immigrants struggle to start new life
Dirty Pretty Things

Stars Audrey Tatou, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong
Rating: 3 stars

Reviewer: Lt Simone Heyer

Stepping away from the mainstream, Dirty Pretty Things is a British production, set in London. Okwe (Ejiofor), a Nigerian immigrant, holds a day job driving cabs and giving medical advice to his thuggish boss. He has a night job at the front desk of the Baltic Hotel under an equally thuggish boss.

Memories from his past life keep him from sleeping, and the money he earns will establish his new life.

He rents a couch from Shania (Tatou), a Turkish asylum seeker, who works as a maid at the Baltic.

The fine looking establishment has a seedy underbelly, perhaps reflecting everyday London society. Okwe is called to check out a room with a blocked toilet and what he finds unravels a mystery that he’s firmly encouraged to stay away from by threat of deportation.

When thuggish boss 2 realises Okwe is a doctor by profession, he puts plans into place to have Okwe help out in an illegal trade thriving in the hotel.

Dirty Pretty Things is about the dirty things in life which must be made pretty, and how people must adapt when they can – even just to survive.

Frenchwoman Audrey Tatou, who captivated us in Amelie, shines as an English speaker with a heavy Turkish accent; brave yet naïve in a dark world. The unassuming Chiwetel Ejiofor is perfect in his role of having two lives completely independent of his former life in Nigeria. This is a sad film, giving a good look at what must go on in the lives of immigrants behind the scenes.

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