An illegal Nigerian immigrant discovers the unpalatable side of London life.
Director:
Stephen FrearsWriter:
Steven Knight
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From Brick to Knives Out, we explore the unique cinematic stylings of director Rian Johnson.
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Chiwetel Ejiofor | ... | Okwe | |
| Audrey Tautou | ... | Senay Gelik | |
| Sergi López | ... | Sneaky / Juan | |
| Sophie Okonedo | ... | Juliette | |
| Benedict Wong | ... | Guo Yi | |
| Zlatko Buric | ... | Ivan | |
 |
Kriss Dosanjh | ... | Asian Businessman |
| Israel Oyelumade | ... | Mini Cab Driver (as Israel Aduramo) | |
|
|
Yemi Goodman Ajibade | ... | Mini Cab Driver (as Ade-Yemi Ajibade) |
|
|
Nizwar Karanj | ... | Mini Cab Driver |
| Deobia Oparei | ... | Mini Cab Driver | |
| Jeffery Kissoon | ... | Cab Controller | |
|
|
Kenan Hudaverdi | ... | Cafe Owner |
| Damon Younger | ... | Punter | |
| Paul Bhattacharjee | ... | Mohammed | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Okwe is an illegal Nigerian immigrant leading a hard life and struggling to survive in London's underground. He works as a hotel receptionist in the night time and as he has a doctor degree he practices some medicine, during the day, in a very odd way. Besides that he must constantly escape from Immigration officers. One day Okwe discovers by chance an illegal scheme of surgeries is being lead by Juan, his boss in the hotel. Juan quickly comes up with a tempting proposal: if Okwe accepts to perform the illegal surgeries he makes a lot of money and gets legalized situation in the U.K. Can Okwe keep his moral values intact? Written by Weslley Gonçalves
Taglines:
Every dream has its price. See more »Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated R for sexual content, disturbing images and language | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKRelease Date:
5 September 2003 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Negocios entrañables See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$10,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$100,512, 20 July 2003Gross USA:
$8,112,414Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$13,904,766Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Okwe: Do you want a car? Ten pounds, Theatreland. Car? London? You want a taxi? Buckingham Palace.
See more »
Written by Larbi Dida / Ewart Beckford / Messonnier
Published by Delabel Editions and EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Courtesy of Virgin France
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Damien O'Donnell was originally attached to direct, but he decided to pass after problems with Harvey Weinstein. He directed Heartlands (2002) instead. See more »Goofs
Guo Yi says the mythological figure who ferries the dead to Hades is Pylades; in fact the ferryman's name is Charon. Pylades is the companion of Orestes. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Okwe: Do you want a car? Ten pounds, Theatreland. Car? London? You want a taxi? Buckingham Palace.
See more »
Soundtracks
Larbi Dida & U Roy LifeWritten by Larbi Dida / Ewart Beckford / Messonnier
Published by Delabel Editions and EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Courtesy of Virgin France
See more »
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"Dirty Pretty Things," a film directed by Stephen Frears is not quite a thriller, romance or a drama, but it does manage to fit all three successfully.
An illegal immigrant in London (Chiwetel Ejiofor), working a day job as a cab driver and a hotel clerk in the Baltic Hotel at nights, discovers a human heart stuck in the bottom of a hotel room toilet one night and worries about what goes on behind the closed doors of his hotel. In the meantime, he develops a friendship with an immigrant woman from Turkey (Audrey Tatou ) who is also just trying to get by first as a maid in the hotel, then, as a seamstress in a sweatshop.
Acting by everybody, especially by two leads is wonderful. I am so glad to see Tatou in the part very different from her Amelie. The story is gripping; and we see London the way we have not seen it before and did not even know that London exists.
An engrossing human drama, stylish noir, social commentary, lives of immigrants, characters study - with the characters deep, human, and very real. No cheap pulling the strings, no manipulation. As a result -one of the best films of the last year.
And that ending.... Fans of "Lost in Translation" - watch "Dirty Pretty Things", and then we'll talk about what the good ending is.