Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Riz Ahmed is pretty much everywhere these days; between Nightcrawler, The Night Of, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Girls, he’s become quite the commodity. In the midst of all of these high-profile projects, however, he did a little crime thriller called City of Tiny Lights with Dr. Who star Billie Piper, and lucky for us, it’s now streaming on Netflix.
Set in dark, dreary London, this moody neo-noir follows Tommy Akhtar (Ahmed), a private detective (and a bit of a deadbeat) who finds himself in a classic noir setup; he’s approached by a high-priced call girl named Melody who needs his help to find her missing friend, last seen meeting a client at a fancy bar. While Tommy likes to give off an air of cynicism, he secretly harbors a pretty attuned moral center, and he doesn’t like when things surprise him. His investigation begins as any other might, until he discovers the body of a Pakistani businessman in a hotel room. Now, things are different – and he soon gets in way over his head.
While in the middle of an intense investigation that only seems to drive him deeper and deeper into London’s dark underbelly, he finds himself becoming more entangled with his own past. He’s only pushed further when he encounters Shelley (Piper), a childhood friend who brings back tragic memories he’s been drinking to forget ever since. As the mystery unfolds and Tommy finds himself inexplicably linked to everything occurring around him, the truth fights to reveal itself in this intriguing, intense darkness – and in the process, changes the lives of everyone involved.
City of Tiny Lights employs a steady, deliberate pace, and the film is better for it. It truly gives Ahmed a chance to shine amongst all the darkness, and the slow-burn nature of it all ensures that suspense is built with every sequence. On top of it all, it’s total eye-candy, which makes up for the occasional sequences that include difficult to understand dialogue (this is moody, broody London, people). The film, as a whole, is incredibly atmospheric and completely chilling, making for a total indulgence for viewers who love crime flicks of any kind. Don’t sleep on City of Tiny Lights – it’s totally worth your time.
