My Beautiful Laundrette (Stephen Frears, 1985) is a comedy-drama about the relationship between Johnny (Daniel Day Lewis), a white punk, and Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a second generation Pakistani living in London in the ‘80s. The narrative deals with the issues of race, class, homosexuality and the economic and political state of Thatcher Britain.
The opening of the film presents the idea of isolation straight away through the way in which Johnny is violently thrown out of the house he is squatting in, which also reflects the fact that he is living in poverty. Additionally his and his friends’ punk style acts as a symbolic signifier of the ‘80s and connotes the theme of racism immediately, through punks’ stereotypically right-wing political outlook. This could be interpreted as suggesting that Johnny has a place where he belongs, due to the fact that he fits in with a group of friends, but him being evicted could imply that actually, despite his white privilege, he doesn’t belong here either. Then the audience are introduced to Omar, who has taken on his death mother’s role in the house as shown by him washing and hanging out clothes. The small dingy flat gives the film a claustrophobic feeling, and the constant trains passing in the background act as a morbid reminder of his mother’s suicide, making it seem as though Omar is restricted by his life.
However his father then finds him a job with his uncle, which could be his path to belonging in London and was also very valuable at a time of economic despair. It is clear from the contrast between Nasser and Salim’s suits and Omar’s jeans and trainers that they are in different classes. This is enforced when Salim at first mistakes Omar for a thief and then later says, “at least you’ll be able to afford a clean shirt, Mrs Thatcher will be happy with me.” Nasser has obviously acquired a sense of belonging in Britain, as reflected in his wealth and glamorous white mistress, Rachel, who acts as his route to acceptance in the white community, whilst Omar’s socialist father, Hussein, resents Britain and its politics, preferring to drink himself into oblivion. This leaves Omar in no-man’s land between staying true to his Pakistani roots and settling down in Britain. The class divide is highlighted further when Nasser and Rachel take Omar to a bar and Nasser says, “Have you ever been to a high class place like this before? I suppose you spend most of your time in your black hole flat,” implying the restrictions placed on Omar due to his financial status.
Another way in which Omar is restricted and looked down upon is because of his sexuality. Throughout the film other characters make innuendos about it, such as Hussein saying, “Fix him up with a nice girl, I’m not sure his penis is in full working order” and Salim instructing him on how to polish a car: “You know how to rub don’t you?” At the time, and even now, it was the hegemonic norm to be straight and Omar’s relatives did not know about his true sexuality, although Johnny hinted at it: “In my experience it’s always worth waiting for Omar.”
Overall the film presents Omar and Johnny’s struggle to belong in a world where they are both isolated because of their sexuality and social class, and Omar for his race. By opening the laundrette, they are attempting to break free from their restrictions and finally be accepted into society.
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