Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Johnny (Daniel-Day Lewis) and Omar (Gordon Warnecke) portray best friends, acutally boyfriends in this delightful little independent film from 1986. Omar, a Pakinstan immigrant in England, and Johnny, a rough lower class English boy, become great friends in spite of the racial inequalities they had to face each day.

The film revolves around Omar and Johnny creating "Powders" a wonderfully, newly decorated launderette in My Beautiful Launderette. Omar gets the financing for this launderette from Salim (Derrick Branche), his cousin, and Nasser (Saeed Jafferey), his Uncle. Nasser and Salim run something close to a Pakistan mafia type of organization.

Omar feels the pressure from his family to make his business a success and to overcome the racial prejudice from the English against him for his Pakistan background. Omar and Johnny are very much in love with each other, but Omar has very conflicting feelings towards Johnny. Though Omar loves Johnny, in the back of his mind every day he battles with the feelings of prejudice that Johnny's friends feels towards all Pakistan immigrants.

This is a wonderful little film that deals with several topical issues. There is of course the gay relationship between Johnny and Omar, and on top of that a gay interracial relationship. There is the treatment of minorities in England and the inequalities and prejudices that the Pakistan residents must deal with. There is the mistress relationship between Rachel (Shirley Anne Field) and Nasser, and the way Nasser's daughter, Tania (Rita Wolf) handles that situation.

All in all this was a wonderful film. It's not the kind of film that I would normally rush to the theater to see, but I am extremely glad that I rented the video and saw it. It is an interesting look into the loves, hates, prejudices, and treatment of people in other countries. It is also a study in friendship, love, and family dynamics. I can highly recommend "My Beautiful Launderette".

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older