My Beautiful Laundrette (Stephen Frears, 1985) is a drama set in the 80’s about a multi cultural relationship between a white punk, Jonny and Pakistani Omar, who both live in London, while the narrative deals with issues such as homosexuality, race, class and the and the economic and political state of the current Thatcher Britain.
The beginning of the film is an immediate representation of the type lifestyle that is lived within the Thatcher Britain. A sense of poverty is portrayed as Johnny and his friend are thrown out of the house they appear to be squatting in. With the doors barricaded, a violent break in is the first scene we saw. A stereotypically right wing outlook is portrayed through the punk style of Johnny and his friend, implying this is the place where feels he Johnny belongs at the beginning despite being kicked out of his place of safe house, suggesting that his class implies his lower status in class, through his squatting, as well the black man’s authority to kick him out of the house. This is a contrast to when we are introduced to Omar in the following scene. Omar has taken on the role of his dead mother, a subject which is subtly referenced throughout the film. The scene begins with an establishing shot of the railway track which Omar’s mother committed suicide, this is a reminder of her death and suggests Omar is restricted through the isolation of this constant reminder.
Omar’s uncle offers Omar a job, which could be suggested as Omar’s belonging in London, as he gets to business with British people during the economic crisis, however it does not agree with Omar’s father’s traditional expectations of university. Omar’s jeans and trainers, is a contrast from Nasser and Salim’s smart business wear “at least you’ll be able to afford a clean shirt” his jeans and trainers are almost similar to that of the punk’s, this is in implication of his confusement of where he belongs.
It is suggested that Rachel is Nasser’s sense of acceptance in the british culture, as his glamorous wealthy mistress, in contrast to his Pakistani acceptance, through his traditional submissive wife. Nasser and Racehl take Omar to a bar, and suggest to Omar that he doesn’t have the money at the moment and is restricted due to his financial status. “Have you ever been to a high class place like this before?”
Homosexuality is addressed within the film, while it was the hegemonic norm to be heterosexual in the 80’s, however Omar and Johnny undergo a secret relationship in which is kept a secret from the whole of Omar’s family, as well from the British punks who are supposed to be Johnny’s friends. This implies that neither of them feels accepted in their natural belongings. “I’, not sure his penis is in full working order” suggests that Omar’s dad has some doubts about his sons sexual activities, as well as Salim’s instructional command whilst cleaning the “You know how to rub don’t you?” suggesting Omar’s isolation and the restricted feelings he has towards his family.
Tanya, Omar’s cousin also presents a sense of struggle in her belongings, as towards the beginning she longs for Omar’s attention, as she reveals herself through a window to Omar, by teasing hi, suggesting that she wants Omar, slightly conforming in a more controversial way to her family’s wishes of finding a nice Pakistani boy. While towards the end she asks Johnny to run away with her implying her attraction to the British punk, and attraction to the “bad boy” character. It is later suggested that she commits suicide by jumping in front of the train outside Omar’s house, this is reference to Omar’s mother, as her father watches, however it is left unknown as to whether she actually jumped or not, it is suggested that this is more likely than not. This drastic action suggests her struggles and restrictions trying to conform to her Pakistani heritage and the British culture she lives in.
The film overall presents the struggles of homosexuality within the Thatcher Britain, as well as the struggles from those who are not from the country but are still within the culture, and despite being a part of the culture does not always mean you are accepted within in society, or even of a higher class.
Saturday, 29 October 2011
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