Director Stephen Frears and screenwriter Steven Knight joined forces in creating Dirty Pretty Things, a powerful, realistic drama about the undersides of contemporary Britain, immigration, poverty, and suppression.

The plot is simple yet gripping. To it’s advantage it must be said that it doesn’t feel contrived at all, except for the ending (which I’m not giving away). The acting is top-notch. For once a non-Briton speaks like a real person, and not like an Etonian with a lousy dialect coach, although it must be noted that Audrie Tautou (of Amelié fame) doesn’t speak like a Greek but rather like some generic European. Still, she’s good.

There’s a certain urgency to the movie because of the themes. It would seem that British cinema – though the Britishness of this production might be argued over; after all it’s produced by Miramax – are taking issue with immigration which clearly needs to be done now, before xenophobia completely overtakes the UK; and believe me, it’s happening alright.

Ultimately, though, the viewer gets off the hook too easily. The finale has a certain poetic justice, doubly so because I felt betrayed by it. It’s not simplistic, but it does convey a sense of closure at which the earlier movie has not pointed at. The verdict: naive but moving. Go see it.

Rating: € € €