Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

Dirty Pretty Things Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 8, 2024

Stephen Frears' "Dirty Pretty Things" (2002) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with cinematographer Chris Menges; archival audio commentary by Stephen Frears; behind the scenes featurette; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

It is impossible to take Stephen Frears’ Dirty Pretty Things seriously because it manufactures a reality that does not exist. No, the horror story that emerges from this reality is not the problem. Desperate people have done many desperate things, sometimes willingly and sometimes after being forced to do them, and to assume that this practice will somehow end is, sadly, beyond naïve. The problem is that in the film’s reality everyone becomes a member of a side defined by false political narratives. How naïve does one need to be to believe that all illegal aliens are victims? And how naïve does one need to be to believe that Western societies are run by native bullies and brutes who rarely miss an opportunity to exploit them? If the division in Western societies was so dramatic and living conditions so inhumane, why are people risking their lives to reach them? They can be treated just as horribly in their home countries, can’t they?

In London, Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an illegal immigrant from Nigeria, is slowly killing himself to make ends meet. He works long shifts as a receptionist in a deceivingly good looking hotel, and then drives a taxi for as long as he can stay awake. His only friend is Senay (Audrey Tautou), an illegal immigrant from Turkey, who works in the same hotel as a maid.

Despite trying their best to keep a low profile, Okwe and Senay are eventually presented with dilemmas threatening to permanently ruin their already minuscule chances of acquiring legal status in the United Kingdom. For Okwe, it happens after he discovers a human heart someone has tried to flush down a toilet, and the hotel’s night manager, Sneaky (Sergi Lopez), learns that he was a practicing doctor in his home country. For Senay, it happens when she becomes a target for immigration officers, runs away, and after enduring ugly abuse elsewhere decides to trade an organ for a passport that will allow her to reach her ultimate destination, America.

Frears populates the film with two kinds of people, good and bad, and then moves them around in contrasting situations that are supposed to reveal how terribly inhumane his home country is. All the suspense and drama are nothing more than a façade for this ideological lesson.

Unsurprisingly, a relevant story is completely wasted. Indeed, it is hardly a secret that there is a huge black market for human organs, but it is not dominated by amateurs who have regular jobs and like to improvise. The black market for human organs is a closed system, carefully protected by international criminal groups with ties to very important people who are de facto above the law. Freelancers are not and have never been tolerated in it.

Sadly, the film does not reveal even partial awareness that it is so. Instead, as the good and bad people engage each other, it begins preparing an entirely predictable finale where the developments in the hotel become easily forgettable pieces of a disappointingly unrealistic crime melodrama.

The leads are, without exception, one-dimensional and utterly unbelievable. Tautou, in particular, never comes even remotely close to making her character appear like a desperate Turkish woman who would risk her life for a chance to reach yet another country she does not know. Lopez appears determined to prove that he can be just as funny as he is repulsive. Okwe, who is supposed to be a very good doctor, makes several basic mistakes while acting as one and giving medical advice.

Dirty Pretty Things Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Dirty Pretty Things arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older master with some rather obvious limitations. For example, virtually the entire film looks a tad softer than it should, in some areas revealing flatness that is not introduced by lensing choices as well. Wide panoramic shots are the ones that expose these limitations the most, but even some close-ups can appear dated. The best news is that there are no traces of recent attempts to repolish the master. As a result, there is still a lot of content that looks pretty decent, even good. On my system, it was usually darker content from the hotel, but a few other areas looked fine, too. Color balance is good. However, this is another area where minor adjustments can make a positive difference. Why? Because some primaries and supporting nuances can be fresher and healthier, and some ranges of supporting nuances, mostly darker ones, expanded. Image stability is good. I noticed a few small blemishes, but there are no large cuts, debris, warped, or torn frames to report. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Dirty Pretty Things Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. All dialog is clear and easy to follow. The music sounds good and there are some, but not many, decent dynamic contrasts. In some areas, it feels like there should be more dynamic variety, but it is difficult to tell whether there is room for improvement. It could very well be that this is how the soundtrack was finalized. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report.

Dirty Pretty Things Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Dirty Pretty Pictures" - in this exclusive new program, cinematographer Chris Menges recalls how he was offered the opportunity to lense Dirty Pretty Things and what it was like to work with Stephen Frears. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Behind the Scenes Featurette - an archival featurette with clips from interviews with Stephen Frears, Chiwetel Ejiofor, executive producer Paul Smith, and Sophie Okonedo, and amongts others. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Stephen Frears.

• Trailer - presented here is an archival trailer for Dirty Pretty Things. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Booklet - 60-page illustrated booklet featuring multiple essays and technical information.

Dirty Pretty Things Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Good films that dare to shed light on the disgusting illegal organ trade are very rare. Dirty Pretty Things wastes a great opportunity to be one such film because Stephen Frears uses its suspense and drama as a protective facade to deliver an ideological lesson that instantly destroys its credibility. Too bad. This recent release from Imprint Films has an exclusive new program with cinematographer Chris Menges, which fans of the film will appreciate. It is included in After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Three, a six-disc, Region-Free box set.