45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best low-key stories you'll ever see, June 3, 2003
I have been griping for over a year about "the powers that be" putting this incredible classic on DVD, and finally here it is -the British dramedy "My Beautiful Laundrette" is more than just a love story where the love is between two men; this film will make you laugh, make your eyes well with tears, and make you angry as it explores the working classes of England, as well as the racial tensions that exist between white and Pakistani people there. It's touching, funny, romantic, charming, and full of heart. Most of all, it's very real; many people today may freak at the sight of a young, punkish Daniel Day Lewis passionately (and I mean PASSIONATELY) kissing/making love with another man (the beautiful Gordon Warnecke), but if you can get past that, you nearly forget you are watching a movie - the characters are that real, your ability to care for them that real.
For gay or gay-friendly folks who want to see a good, simple, character-driven kind of filmmaking, with no special effects or explosions or heavy prosthetic makeup to compensate for the lack of script, "My Beautiful Laundrette" is true art not to be missed.
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55 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Coming of age..., June 1, 2001
I love MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE. I saw it ages ago in a local art house, and have never forgotten some of the scenes and the dialogue or the story line. The tale was written by a young Asian playwright of English birth and is somewhat autobiographical. It is a coming of age and love story rolled into one. Although the film is jam-packed with fine Asian actors, some of whom have very familiar faces, the most memorable character from my perspective is "Johnny" played by Daniel Day Lewis.
Johnny bears a strong resemblance to various young EAST ENDERS, to Sid Vicious as portrayed by Gary Oldman in the film SID AND NANCY (physical build and demeanor, Johnny isn't as violent), and some of the youths in various Mike Leigh films. If you see this film along with other DDL films such as MY LEFT FOOT, LAST OF THE MOHICANS, THE BOXER, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, THE CRUCIBLE, and THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING, you will realize why Daniel Day Lewis is the greatest living actor in the Enlish-speaking world. When LAUNDERETTE becomes available I plan to add it to my nearly complete collection of DDL films. DDL was very young when he made this film--near the time he made THE BOUNTY in which he plays Mr. Frye, and ROOM WITH A VIEW in which he plays Cecil. He's just incredible.
At the beginning of the tale, Johnny like many of his English friends is semi-hostile toward the Pakistani settlers in London. He feels they are somehow implicated in his predicament which is to be an unemployed school dropout with no future in Margaret Thatcher's England. Johnny offends the Asians with anti-immigrant behaviour--marching in a "parade" through the Asian sector of town to protest the presence of the Pakistanis in England.
Some time later Johnny and the young Pakistani boy who is the protagonist of LAUNDERETTE (undoubtedly the author) become reacquainted. The young man is attempting to become independent from his overbearing relatives and establish himself as a London businessman by opening a launderette. He succeds, and manages to open his launderette, and he hires Johnny as his assistant. Soon Johnny becomes more than an employee, he becomes a lover. Obviously, given that the Asian boy's family would prefer that he retain his culture and allow them to arrange a marriage Johnny is a problem. They had not imagined their son and nephew would link up with Johnny--the lower class skinhead who is white and homosexual. Many awkward and funny moments ensue.
The film is filled with humor, strife, growing up, ties of family, racism, religion, homoerotic love, and the struggle to become acculturated in a new society. The DVD is worth the price just to see Daniel Day Lewis with a peroxide blonde crewcut, his head covered with a baseball cap, his mouth filled with chewing gum, and naked. He is priceless.
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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Beautiful Memory, June 29, 2001
Hey! You!
You say you want a "can't fail" way to get into that new man's heart/pants? Invite him over for dinner and a double-bill of My Beautiful Laundrette and Maurice. If he doesn't dissolve into a mushy romantic mess from these two, check his pulse.
I love this movie (though reserve judgment on the DVD) because of all the things it is not. It is not another shitty "I'm coming out of the closet and my life is totally fucked up!" kind of movie. It's characters have problems based on something besides their queerness. It has a mostly happy ending I could honestly believe.
The best thing is that it is about people. Not just the two handsome gentlemen who are at the nexus of the film. Omar's tit-flashing cousin is as vividly drawn as is are his other relatives. Omar's uncle has a lovely mistress who is practically indelible.
Sure, you'll want to be the sweat between the protagonists. But I wanted to live in the world this film created just to meet and spend more time with the fascinating characters.
Ante up the $15 bucks, slap it in the ol' DVD player and enjoy!
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