Tuesday, September 02, 2003

Dirty Pretty Things

My wife and I had the glorious occasion of a night out free of the kids (thanks grandma & papa!) and we took the opportunity to take in a movie that didn’t have any animated characters or past Nickelodeon actors. Instead we ventured out into the international world of art, to see the movie Dirty Pretty Things (DPT), written by Steve Knight and directed by Stephen Frears. For those who dare to explore ‘outside of the box’ of mainstream media…away from the formula mega-budget Hollywood movies dominated by special effects and predictable plots, this is definitely a movie to see. I enjoy the ‘zombie’ entertainment value of just being ooh’d and aahh’d and made to laugh by the antics and quips of mega stars on the screen, but I also enjoy thought provoking productions, like DPT. Movie’s that lure you in with graphic depiction of everyday life and the sometimes ‘disturbing’ images and storylines that make it harder to distinguish between art and reality.

DPT is a movie about the plight of illegal immigrants striving to earn a living in London. The main character is Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a thoughtful and intelligent Nigerian exile that’s works 2 full time jobs, driving a cab during the day and working the front desk at a seedy hotel at night. The co-star is Seyna (Audrey Tautou), a Turkish immigrant who’s a chambermaid at the same hotel, as well as Okwe’s clandestine and strictly platonic room mate. The movie’s title can mislead people to think that its another one of those liberal ‘skin flicks’ that is riding on the edge of being X-rated. Instead, DPT is a gripping thriller that sends the viewer on a grim tour of the realities of illegal immigration, sweatshops, and the predators that feed off the urgency of these poor immigrants strong desire to become ‘legalized’ citizens.

The performances by the entire acting corps are very real and engaging. The movie’s main villain Sneaky (Sergi Lopez) is definitely a man that you know is walking the streets right now and although morally despicable, his character is very rational and even understandable. Okwe’s battle of maintaining his own strong religious convictions vs. surviving, is a struggle with which all can identify and Seyna’s charming innocence is equally countered by the shamelessness of the prostitute Juliette (Sophie Okonedo).

DPT vividly displays the simple joys of life, like true friendship and love, as well as the reality of oppressive labor practices, greed and the apathetic indifference toward the poor by the ‘privileged’. For those that are not ready to swallow the ‘red pill’ of truth and reality, then I definitely wouldn’t recommend seeing this movie. But for those who crave to broaden their world of awareness and become more informed about the struggle of those that famed writer Franz Fanon describes as ‘the wretched of the earth’, then you should definitely check this movie out. DPT bridges a lot of historical places of contention, like the Muslim-Christian relationship, and gives all of us a glimpse into the seamy underbelly of society.

For those interested in seeing Dirty Pretty Things (and any other movie you might see reviewed on Servinemup), I have made an intentional decision to not spoil the surprise of what is going on at the hotel. Unlike a lot of movie reviews you might find on the internet and beyond, I personally think the viewer’s enjoyment will be reduced by the lack of surprise. DPT is rated ‘R’, 107 minutes long and all the characters speak in English, so there aren’t any subtitles. I encourage all to open their minds to new experiences, the world is a lot bigger than just what’s happening on the Southside.