My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

Synopsis: MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, directed by Stephen Frears, is a highly innovative and fantastical exploration of marginalized cultures in Thatcher-era London. Set in the Pakistani community of South... MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, directed by Stephen Frears, is a highly innovative and fantastical exploration of marginalized cultures in Thatcher-era London. Set in the Pakistani community of South London in the 1980s, the film focuses on two youths, friends from schooldays. Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a working-class white whose friends belong to the National Front, a fascist group whose members extol "white power" and bash immigrants. Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a homosexual Pakistani, lives with his leftist father who spends most of his time in bed drinking. Omar's wealthy uncle, Nasser (Saeed Jaffrey), is determined to give one of the family a (small) step up, and at first gives him a lowly garage job, and then hands Omar a rundown laundrette. Omar and Johnny become lovers and decide to convert the laundrette into "a Ritz among laundrettes," a gaudy, neon-lit storefront called "Powders" complete with aquarium, video games, potted plants and piped classical muzak. Johnny looks upon the laundrette as a lifeline on which to salvage his self-respect, while Omar sees it as just the beginning step on the long road toriches. A thoughtful and innovative portrait of modern contrasts in class, race, and sex, this film defined a generation of Londoners. [More]

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Gordon Warnecke

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Gordon Warnecke

Director: Stephen Frears

Director: Stephen Frears

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