Rent Dirty Pretty Things on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Steven Knight
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict Wong
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Migrants Okwe and Senay work at a posh London hotel and live in constant fear of deportation. One night Okwe stumbles across evidence of a bizarre murder setting off a series of events that could lead to disaster or freedom.
Verdict
This is about survival. Immigrants are taken advantage of by the powers that be because they're easy to exploit. Okwe stumbles into something underground illegal. Faced with the decision of trying to do the right thing, keeping quiet, or using the situation to his own advantage, there's no easy way out. Do you compromise your morals or your living situation? He's struggling to survive as is. That's the point. Immigrants despite being illegal are still people.
It depends.
Review
Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) hustles two jobs, a cab driver during the day and a hotel desk clerk at night. One night he's called to unclog a toilet and finds something that shouldn't be in a toilet. It's obviously related to something shady. I don't know why Okwe tries to pursue it. Even if he feels morally obligated, he's got to know this is nothing but trouble. The best outcome is getting caught up in something devious. Okwe was a doctor and now labors at menial jobs.
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| Audrey Tautou, Chiwetel Ejiofo play Senay, Okwe |
The other side of this movie is Senay (Audrey Tautou). She works for the hotel off the books, but ends up having to leave. Desperate for work she starts at sweatshop, and that job goes bad too. She and Okwe are friendly, though their different backgrounds keep them distant.
Okwe stumbles into something dark. Illegal immigrants do these menial jobs, keeping cities running and cleaning them up, while being exploited with no recourse. Immigrants are willing to do almost anything for a passport, even if it jeopardizes their life. What makes this unappealing is that this probably happens to some degree. Unfortunate circumstances breed desperation. Okwe's impassioned and poignant speech at the end is what this movie is about. These are the people you don't see and that's why abuse can and does run rampant. They struggle to survive, living in a dangerous world. Are they illegal immigrants? Yes. Are they still human beings trying to provide themselves with the best life possible? Yes.
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