Dirty Pretty Things
One of the best movies about the "underground economy," Dirty Pretty Things never preaches, and does not hit you on the head with a "message." The plot centers on a group of legal and illegal aliens working in England. British-born actor Chiwetel Ejiofor carries the story as an illegal alien working 2 jobs "off the books" in present day London. One night while working as hotel porter he finds something very strange in a toilet, and the movie takes off from there. The challenge met comes from bringing humor and human decency to a very grim and uncomfortable subject. The result is a delightful and at times fun film. Without bombast or boredom the characters' day to day lives present a scathing indictment of the current "global economy." Audrey Tatou (Amelie and A Very Long Engagement) co-stars as a maid in the hotel who also leads a precarious existence. Worth the price of the DVD rental is Ejiofor's speech at the end. Very short, and straight to the point. "Who are we?" he explains, "We are the people you do not see..." Such people clean up the dirty things and make them pretty. (107 mins. MPAA rating: R; for sexual content, disturbing images and language.)
