Review of Dirty Pretty Things (2002) by Greg L — 16 Jul 2011

A taut, well-written script and terrific performances by Ejiofor, Tautou, and Lopez make for an excellent thriller, but what sets it above the typical Hollywood genre piece is its gritty, thought-provoking look at the dark underbelly of modern western capitalism, and particularly the role of illegal immigrants therein.

Most movies on this subject matter can't resist the temptation to polemicism, but this one does and is all the more compelling for it.