A darkly funny, quirky and poignant story of a man with obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome negotiating his way through divorce, his best friend’s matchmaking efforts, and a woman who introduces him to therapy, filth, and unconditional love.

Mark’s life is not his own.  He is a prisoner of his obsessive-compulsive tendencies, which rule his day-to-day existence with an iron fist.  He’s got Tourette syndrome to boot, which makes his condition all the more embarrassing for himself, his friends, and his ex-wife.  He blurts out all the wrong phrases, he barks, and his OCD ticks make his life increasingly unlivable.  To watch Michael Sheen in the role, one might be lead to believe that he actually has these conditions; Sheen is that convincing.  His performance transcends acting and enters another realm altogether.

Shirley Henderson (24 Hour Party People, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) is Charlotte, a numbers-obsessed woman who befriends Mark.  Charlotte is an interesting character.  She is aware of her problem without being able to do anything about it.  She knows the physical reasons (“fucked up neuro-transmitters”), and she is aware of the social problems, and yet she cannot stop her obsession from dictating how she lives her life.  In group therapy, she sits through each session as if she is merely going through the motions; she has gone about as far as she can with that kind of help.  In this way, she is both the best and the worst person for Mark.  She opens his eyes to certain things, but can only take him so far.  Henderson gives a charming performance here.

The film is shot in such a way that we actually feel a little of what Mark is going through; the makes external what would normally be internal.  The direction here is bold, confident, and for the most part it works.  We get an interesting portrait of a disease that is more often the subject of ridicule than understanding.  When Mark hits bottom, when we see him for the first time, it is wrenching to see how he is living.

Dirty Filthy Love is presented in the original 1.85:1 shooting ratio.  The transfer is sharp preserving the washed out look of the film.  The color levels are well represented, and the black and white levels are solid.

This DVD is presented in Stereo Surround sound.  The presentation is solid, and it is free of any defects.  As good as it is, there is a sense that a layer is missing, that more could have been done.

Trailer: The original theatrical trailer.

Production Notes, Including Biographies and Interviews with the Cast and Crew: A DVD-Rom feature that reads like a digital press packet.

Interesting, but something more would have been nice.  A commentary track would have been great here.

Dirty Filthy Love is one of the more unique love stories to come out in recent years.  The performances are excellent, and the film is stylistically interesting.  This is not the kind of film most people will want to watch over and over; once is really enough, and the bonus material is lacking.  The film remains worth seeing, though, if only for the charm of the two leads.