City of Tiny Lights (2016)

In the teeming, multicultural metropolis of modern-day London, a seemingly straightforward missing-person case launches a down-at-heel private eye into a dangerous world of religious fanaticism and political intrigue.

Director:

Pete Travis

Writer:

Patrick Neate

Stars:

Riz Ahmed, Billie Piper, James Krishna Floyd

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Riz Ahmed	...	Tommy Akhtar
Billie Piper	...	Shelley
James Krishna Floyd	...	Lovely (as James Floyd)
Cush Jumbo	...	Melody
Roshan Seth	...	Farzad Akhtar
Hannah Rae	...	Emma
Antonio Aakeel	...	Young Lovely
Reiss Kershi	...	Young Tommy
Vincent Regan	...	Tall Man / Schaeffer
Danny Webb	...	DS Cal Donnely
Ram John Holder	...	Trinidad Pete
Damson Idris	...	Hakim
Branko Tomovic	...	Big John
George Sargeant	...	Stuart
Alexander Siddig	...	Al-Dabaran

Storyline

'City Of Tiny Lights' is a witty gumshoe in contemporary (sub)urban London. When Asian Private Eye, Tommy Akhtar, is put on the trail of missing hooker, Sexy Russian, he begins to expose a series of dark secrets that reveal uncomfortable truths about Tommy's own past and London itself.

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Plot Keywords:

father son relationship | cancer | family home | hotel room | hotel | 

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Taglines:

People call me a snoop. They call me a lot worse. Broken marriages, missing kids. Nothing major, just the sacred and profane.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Grad neupadljive svetlosti

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP3,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$54,903

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, MEDIA Programme of the European Union, UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Pete Travis, Riz Ahmed was his only choice for the lead role, and wouldn't have done the film if Ahmed had refused. Luckily, Ahmed accepted the role, and by the time the film went into production, his clout as an actor had increased dramatically.

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Soundtracks

Light Speed
Written by Ian Green (as Ian Copeland Green)
Performed by Ian Green
Published by Copyright Control
Licensed courtesy of Ian Green

User Reviews

London dick.

Private eyeing in present day Britain is a rough proposition. Guns are illegal, and then there's the whole immigration tension going on. Tommy Akhtar (wild eyed Riz Ahmed) is a typical, hard-drinking, tough talking, fistcuffing gumshoe with a heart of gold, trying to solve a missing Russian escort case whilst his very complicated past comes back to further cloud the perpetually rainy skies of London.

Ahmed is perfect in the lead, offering equal parts macho and empathetic soul; the gutsy dick able to take a beating, romance a good woman, and stand loyally by his loved ones.

"City of Tiny Lights" uses interesting political bents with religious, racial and drug tensions seething in the background, showing England for the explosive melting pot it truly is. Beautifully shot in wet, dark London, sparkling with Christmassy bokeh lights popping out of ominous shadows, this is one gorgeous looking film.

A little messy and cacophonic at times, this stab of celluloid is saved by a splashy, vibrant style that is pure eye candy.