DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
UK, 2002, 98 minutes, Colour.
Chiwitel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi Lopez, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict Wong.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
A strongly acclaimed film. It was written by Steven Knight (whose credits cover a wide range from Frankie Howerd comedy to Who Wants To Be a Millionaire to the screenplay for the story of William Wilberforce, Amazing Grace). It was directed by veteran British director Stephen Frears who has had a career over four decades ranging from big-budget films like Dangerous Liaisons to small-budget films like My Beautiful Laundrette and The Queen. He also directed many films for television.
This is a picture of the seamy side of London, the illegal migrants. The central character, played by Chiwitel Eijofer (Melinda and Melinda, Four Brothers, Children of Men) is a Nigerian who was a pathologist in Nigeria but is forced to drive taxis and be a doorman at a very seedy London hotel. Sophie Okinedo (Hotel Rwanda) is an Indian prostitute at the hotel. There is also a Turkish maid, played by Audrey Tautou (best known for Amelie). The villain of the piece is the Russian doorman, Senor Juan or ‘Sneaky’. He is played by Serge Lopez, the star of fine films like Harry He Is Here To Help You or Pan’s Labyrinth. This is a very interesting international cast for a British film.
Things seem to go on as normal until the Nigerian finds a human heart in one of the toilets – and a whole industry of the merchandising of human organs.
The darkness of the film highlights the sinister world, the twilight world of the illegal immigrants – who are at the mercy of rich people who live affluently and in the light. Interesting social comment as well as strong drama.
1. The title and its ambiguity about the characters and their behaviour?
2. The London hotel, the morgue, the flats, the streets, markets, an authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. Issues of migration, legality and illegality, documentation, government inspectors, the rules about working, the exploitation of illegal migrants? The range of countries that migrants came from? London as a melting-pot?
4. The moral and ethical issues: work, being on the take, bribery, jobs, the organ transplant industry?
5. Okwe in himself, seeing him at the airport, getting customers, driving the taxi, his changing at the hotel, the night desk, his unfailing courtesy? The background as a doctor, with his boss and the disease, getting the pills from his friend? His interactions with Sneaky? With the doorman? With Juliet and her work with the hotel clients? His sharing the room with Senaya, passing the key, asking for a key, Senaya giving him one? Chewing the plants to keep awake? The pressures on him for survival in London?
6. His political background in Nigeria, his wife and child, his refusal to cover up the death, the house on fire, the death of his wife, the accusation of murder, his fleeing the country, leaving his child? His going to the church to remember his wife?
7. The discovery of the heart in the toilet, the consequences? His discussions with Gwo Yi, his continuing the investigations, seeing Juliet with the brutal client? Finding the Somali man who had had the operation, assisting him, getting the tablets from the hospital, talking with the young boy? Sneaky and the arrangements for the transplants, showing the photo of the girl from Saudi Arabia? Trying to Bribe Okwe to do the operations? The promise of a passport? Okwe refusing, telling the African girl to go home, rescuing Senaya, the plan to substitute Sneaky, with Gwo Yi and the preparations for the operation, taking the material from the hospital, setting up the hotel room? The plan for Senaya, the drink and Sneaky passing out, his substitution? Their selling the kidney, the taking of the passports?
8. Okwe and Senaya, sharing the flat, the cooking? Her devotion to him? The immigration inspectors, his having to move, staying at the morgue?
9. Senaya, her Turkish background, Islam, virgin? The visit by the inspectors, the doorman getting her away from the hotel? Going to the sweatshop, the work, the boss, the sexual favours, biting him? Moving into the morgue and her fear of the dead? Going with Sneaky to get the passport? His tearing up the document? Her agreeing to the operation? Okwe saving her, the dream of going to New York, the farewell at the airport, her love for him? Waking up that the dream would not come true?
10. Gwo Yi and his work at the morgue, his helping Okwe, playing chess, assisting them get away from the operation, their discussion about chess players and knowledge of life?
11. Juliet, her work in the hotel, the mess in the room, the brutal customers, her getting the pill for Senaya, helping with the operation?
12. The details of hotel life, the details of the cab driver's life and the pressures in London, the world of the restaurants and markets?
13. The human issues of migration, mixed cultures, survival, work permits?
