Dirty Pretty Things Identity

Nneka Tengco
998976540
Prof. C. Hoffmann
ENGC82
The Context of Identity Towards Undocumented Migrant in Dirty Pretty Things Studying films that focus on the migration in the 21st century, we get a sense of the geographical space that reveals this sense of mobility and discusses the problems dealing with identities that define these migrants in the streets of London depicted in Dirty Pretty Things (2002). Dirty Pretty Things (2002) by Stepher Frears describes the lives of the migrants living in London whom are known specifically as “aliens”. This invisibility is portrayed by the amount of illegal migrants depicted in the film. The film reveals the contemporary migrant problems in which are based upon race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality

Both characters move to London but do not plan on staying there, describing them as nomads since they do not wish to stay. Rather they use London as a transition space to prepare to move to their destination, which Okwe is planning to move back to Nigeria and Senay to New Jersey. On the other hand, Guo Yi does not want to stay in London but cannot leave because he needs the money to support his family and does not want to be deported. It shows how “London can be turned into a home, but also reveals how some migrants become trapped there and that they would rather escape than be granted permanent residency in this so called “purgatory.” (Graham 18) This is evident within the characters of Okwe and Senay where they are trapped in London where it shows how these characters are faced into living hell, but eventually finds a way to escape since London was not their home it was a space to escape reality, on the other hand, Guo Yi is trapped in this purgatory space. Even in terms of employment, this film shows how “migrants often seek employment that bestows mobility.” (Amine 9) An example is when Senay chose to work at a sweatshop because she is unable to run away if she wishes to, since her identity is unrecognized, but she must work in order to survive. Another example is Okwe’s job as a taxi driver; the car symbolizes his mobility since you can drive away without people recognizing your identity, as the company is not legitimate either. It is also seen that “migrancy assume the purgatorial character.” (Graham 13) Frears reveal this purgatorial character being Guo Ying simply because he is the transition that helps Okwe and Senay to get out of London by providing them with refuge from the immigration officers, by letting them stay at the mortuary and then his relatives in Chinatown, where it is depicted that although London as a transient space “without hope, the main