MiniReview: "My Beautiful Laundrette" (1985 film)

What is it?

A 1985 film by English director Stephen Frears.

What’s it about?

It’s a social comedy set during the Thatcher years, the story of a young Englishman of Pakistani origin who’s given a laundrette to manage by his uncle. In the spirit of the times, young Omar (played by Gordon Warnecke) is determined to make a lot of money and become upwardly mobile, and he enlists the help of his friend Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis) to help transform the run-down laundrette into a shiny new destination worthy of Thatcherite capitalism. The fact that Johnny, a white boy, is working for a member of a visible minority ignites the racists of the neighbourhood to try to make their lives a misery.

And the queer element is ...

Omar and Johnny love each other.

Is that the major theme of the film?

Not really, I’d describe it as more of an undercurrent. But it obviously colours their relationship, and whether it’s clear to the racists or not at a conscious level, it undoubtedly adds another level to their hatred of this partnership, which they see initially as a humiliating situation (a white working for a non-white).  

So it’s not first and foremost a gay film?

I wouldn’t say so. But the relationship between the two is beautifully portrayed. Warnecke and Day-Lewis are gorgeous together, it’s all super sexy! Interestingly, their affair is not put into any sort of “gay rights” context, but is rather just taken for granted—two young guys loving each other. Neither seems to explicitly define himself as “gay.” It’s all kind of refreshing. And, thank goodness, there’s a sweet ending.

Stars?

Two. These two sexy actors create a memorable, unique, iconic portrait of a rather particular same-sex relationship.