''Dirty Filthy Love'' is a British
single television drama starring
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen (born 5 February 1969) is a Welsh actor. After training at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he worked mainly in theatre throughout the 1990s with stage roles in ''Romeo and Juliet'' (1992), ''Don't Fool wi ...
as an architect living with
obsessive–compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts (an ''obsession'') and feels the need to perform certain routines (''Compulsive behavior, compulsions'') repeatedly to relieve the dis ...
(OCD) and
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome (TS), or simply Tourette's, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. It is characterized by multiple movement (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) tic. Common tics are blinkin ...
.
Directed by
Adrian Shergold
Adrian Shergold (born 24 March 1948 in Croydon, Surrey) is a British film and television director.
Selected filmography
*'' Pierrepoint'' (2005)
*'' Funny Cow'' (2017)
*'' Cordelia'' (2019)
*Denmark (2019)
Selected television
*'' Christabel'' ( ...
, the film was first broadcast by
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including:
**ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...
on 26 September 2004. It was written by Jeff Pope and
Ian Puleston-Davies
Ian Puleston-Davies (born 6 September 1958) is a Welsh actor. He is best known for his role as builder Owen Armstrong in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2010 to 2015. In November 2014, ITV announced that Puleston-Davies was leav ...
, who suffers from OCD himself. In addition to Michael Sheen, the cast features
Shirley Henderson
Shirley Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Her accolades include two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award, as well as BAFTA, BIFA, London Critics' Circle, Chlotrudis, Gotham, and Canadian Screen Award n ...
,
Anastasia Griffith
Anastasia Griffith (born 23 March 1978) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in '' Dirty Filthy Love'' (2004), '' Alfie'' (2004), ''Damages'' (2007–2009), '' Solitary Man'' (2009), ''Trauma'' (2009–2010), ''Royal Pains'' (2010– ...
,
Adrian Bower
Adrian Bower (born 20 August 1970) is an English actor and voice over artist. He is best known for his role as physical education and geography teacher Brian Steadman in the first three series of the British comedy series ''Teachers''. In 201 ...
and
Claudie Blakley
Claudie Blakley (born 4 January 1974) is an English actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. In 1998, she won the Ian Charleson Award for her performance in ''The Seagull'' at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. She ...
.
Sheen's performance was recognised with a Best Actor nomination at the 2005
British Academy Television Awards
The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. They have been awarded annually since 1955.
Background
The first-ever Awards, given in ...
and both he and Henderson were nominees for 2005
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...
Awards. ''Dirty Filthy Love'' won the Best Single Drama category at the RTS Awards. It was released on DVD in the United States in 2005 by Hart Sharp Video in association with
The Sundance Channel.
Plot
Mark Furness (Sheen), once a successful architect, finds it increasingly difficult to control his "bad habits", such as climbing stairs in a strange sequence, swearing involuntarily and washing himself compulsively. His wife, Stevie (Griffith) asks him to leave their home, so he seeks solace with his best friends Nathan (Bower) and Kathy (Blakley), who take him under their wing.
His life gets even worse when, at a meeting with his employers, he finds himself swearing uncontrollably and loses his job. Accepting that he is unwell, Mark visits a doctor, already convinced he is suffering from a
brain tumour
A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cancero ...
or
meningitis
Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, intense headache, vomiting and neck stiffness and occasion ...
. In the doctor's waiting room, another patient, Charlotte (Henderson), recognizes Mark's "habits" as symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome, and invites him to a local
self-help group she runs. Mark finds it comforting that others share his disorder and with Charlotte's help, hopes to face his problems and win his wife back.
Mark tries to beat his disease and begins to make some progress despite the news that his wife is petitioning him for divorce. While meeting her to discuss terms - after covering himself in chocolate powder to combat his obsessive cleanliness - Mark and Stevie have sex. Mark interprets this as a sign that they will be reunited, but Charlotte warns it is nothing but "
sympathy sex", leading to an argument between the friends. Mark storms off to see Stevie, but realizes Charlotte was right when Stevie refuses to see him and noticing she is with another man in their marital house.
This plunges Mark into
depression. His disorders deteriorate and, cutting contact with his friends completely, he moves into a rundown
bedsit
A bedsit, bedsitter, or bed-sitting room is a form of accommodation common in some parts of the United Kingdom which consists of a single room per occupant with all occupants typically sharing a bathroom. Bedsits are included in a legal categor ...
. His situation gets worse still when (now with unkempt hair, matted beard and shabby clothes) he begins to
stalk Stevie, convinced she has begun a relationship with another man. Almost unrecognizable, he even attacks his friend Nathan on the street thinking that Stevie is having an affair with him after seeing them hug. Nathan restrains Mark and tells him that she only asked to see him that very day, and that She wants Mark to stop phoning and stalking her otherwise she'll call the police on him.
Nathan contacts Charlotte and tells her of Mark's current state and she goes to see Mark and offer him comfort. Then helps clean up his new home and his appearance. She then suggests they go for a drive to the seaside and Mark has her drive to the beach where Stevie's parents live in an attempt to try and find Stevie and the man she's seeing. But Charlotte scolds Mark insisting that Stevie is nothing but an "obsession" and that he has to move on. Mark Shows Charlotte a piece of architecture he admires and she reveals her talent for playing violin. The two share a kiss but Mark runs back to Stevie's parents home, upsetting Charlotte.
Despite being turned out by Stevie's Dad, Mark sneaks into the back garden where a party is going on. Seeing Stevie with her new partner "Gareth" the man who took over Mark's office job. He demands why Stevie didn't tell him. A disgusted Stevie requests his removal, Gareth tries to lead Mark away but Mark head-butts Gareth into the pool. Stevie yells at Mark causing him to collapse in a state on the floor. Charlotte arrives to comfort Mark and tries talk sense to Stevie, who just ignores all Charlotte's explanations and rudely orders them to leave. Charlotte slaps Stevie for her cruelty to Mark, in retaliation Stevie pulls Charlotte's long hair which is really a wig worn to disguise her hair loss from
trichotillomania
Trichotillomania (TTM), also known as hair-pulling disorder or compulsive hair pulling, is a mental disorder characterized by a long-term urge that results in the pulling out of one's own hair. A brief positive feeling may occur as hair is rem ...
, she runs off in tears.
Mark, finally seeing sense, takes back the wig and asks Stevie why she came to him the afternoon they had sex. Stevie calmly tells him that she only wanted things to go back to normal and have "her Mark" back. Mark declares that he had always had OCD and always will and bids Stevie farewell. He finds a tearful Charlotte on the beach and, recognizing her true worth, they begin a romantic relationship themselves.
Cast
*
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen (born 5 February 1969) is a Welsh actor. After training at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he worked mainly in theatre throughout the 1990s with stage roles in ''Romeo and Juliet'' (1992), ''Don't Fool wi ...
as Mark
*
Shirley Henderson
Shirley Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Her accolades include two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award, as well as BAFTA, BIFA, London Critics' Circle, Chlotrudis, Gotham, and Canadian Screen Award n ...
as Charlotte
*
Adrian Bower
Adrian Bower (born 20 August 1970) is an English actor and voice over artist. He is best known for his role as physical education and geography teacher Brian Steadman in the first three series of the British comedy series ''Teachers''. In 201 ...
as Nathan
*
Claudie Blakley
Claudie Blakley (born 4 January 1974) is an English actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. In 1998, she won the Ian Charleson Award for her performance in ''The Seagull'' at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. She ...
as Kathy
*
Anastasia Griffith
Anastasia Griffith (born 23 March 1978) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in '' Dirty Filthy Love'' (2004), '' Alfie'' (2004), ''Damages'' (2007–2009), '' Solitary Man'' (2009), ''Trauma'' (2009–2010), ''Royal Pains'' (2010– ...
as Stevie
* Katie McGuinness as Alison
*
Anton Lesser
Anton Lesser (born 14 February 1952) is a British actor. He is known for his roles as Qyburn in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'', Harold Macmillan in ''The Crown'', Clement Attlee in '' A United Kingdom'', Chief Superintendent Bright in '' E ...
as Charles
* Ebe Sievwright as Tom
*
Elliot Cowan
Elliot Aidan Cowan (born 9 July 1976) is a British film and television actor, known for portraying Corporal Jem Poynton in ''Ultimate Force'', Mr Darcy in '' Lost in Austen'', and Ptolemy in the 2004 film ''Alexander''. He also starred as Lore ...
as Gareth
*
Rupert Young
Rupert Francis Young (born 16 May 1978) is an English actor who is best known for his roles as Sir Leon in the BBC drama series ''Merlin'' and as Jack, The Lord Featherington in the Netflix series ''Bridgerton''.
Early life
Young was born on ...
as Josh
* John O'Mahony as Dr. Dunphy
* Daniel Kruyer as Cabbie
*
Stewart Wright
Stewart Wright ''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 12 January 1974) is an English film, television and stage actor.
Wright started appearing on screen in 1997, after graduating from the ...
as Rhori
* Bhasker Patel as Hasim
*
Kika Markham
Erika S.L. "Kika" Markham (born 1940)''birth registered 4th quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) 1940'' is an English actress.
Early life
Markham is a daughter of actor David Markham and writer Olive Dehn (1914–2007). She has three sisters, including Pet ...
as Geraldine
* Mercedes Grower as Gemma
* Tim Stern as Kenneth
External links
*{{IMDb title, id=0411291, title=Dirty Filthy Love
2004 television films
2004 films
British drama television films
ITV television dramas
Television series by ITV Studios
Films about obsessive–compulsive disorder
Films about Tourette syndrome
Television shows produced by Granada Television
British English-language television shows
Films directed by Adrian Shergold