[3] Armando Sancho (Clifton Collins Jr.) is a former Los Angeles gang member who has transitioned into law enforcement.

After being implicated in the shooting of an innocent man himself, Sancho is then pressured to testify against his loose-cannon friend and partner, Salim Adel (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who has a history of abusing citizens.

It is set and filmed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Venice Beach, California on January 4 and February 1, 2005.

DVD was released in Region 1 in the United States on April 4, 2006, and also Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2006, it was distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 21%, based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 10.

The website's consensus reads, "Dirty is an unoriginal L.A. cop drama that wears its tired influences on its sleeves.