Perhaps it's because it's so rare to be surprised by a movie these days — at least in the positive sense of that term — that "Dirty Pretty Things" comes as such an unexpected pleasure.
Here's a film that zags almost every time you think it's going to zig. And then when you think you've got it figured out — and are sure it's going to zag — it zigs all over again.
Consequently, it's easy to forgive this dramatic thriller for its occasional heavy-handedness (on the subject of racism) and overly broad swipes at uncaring bureaucracy.
Also, it's interesting to note what it means for the career of French actress Audrey Tautou, who has followed her 2000 hit "Amelie" with a more varied cinematic palette than expected. (Rather than just appear in safe romantic comedies, she's chosen to act in thrillers like this one as well as the similarly creepy "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not . . . ").
Here she takes a back seat to Chiwetel Ejiofor, who stars as Okwe, an illegal Nigerian immigrant who is finding that London can be a bit inhospitable.
Though he has medical training, Okwe is splitting time between two jobs — one as a cab driver and another at a hotel. He's been lucky to find shelter with the kind-hearted Turkish refugee Senay (Tautou). Both would like to go to the United States, but that dream seems out of reach.
The only way for that dream to become a reality appears to be making a deal with their sleazy boss, Sneaky Juan (Sergi Lopez), who is running an illegal organ bootlegging business out of the hotel.
That's as much of the plot as can be given away without spoiling some of the surprises. As tricky as screenwriter Steve Knight's plotting is, it's made more effective by director Stephen Frears, who gets inside the heads of these characters and who is unafraid to show us a less glamorous side of London.
Add to that a controlled performance by relative newcomer Ejiofor, which makes it unclear what his character will do when his back is to the wall.
Tautou's affected accent takes a little getting used to, but it's not an insurmountable obstacle to get past. Better still is yet another skin-crawling performance by Lopez, who between this film and "With a Friend Like Harry . . ." is emerging as one of the best big-screen creeps around.
"Dirty Pretty Things" is rated R for occasional use of strong sexual profanity and sex talk, drug content (theft of pharmaceuticals, as well as some anesthetic use), simulated sex, gore, violence (and violence against women). Running time: 107 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com