My Beautiful Laundrette
1985 · Movie · R · 98 min · ★ 6.7 · 87% critics
In 1980s London, a young British Pakistani takes charge of a run-down laundrette and tries to turn it into a success. As he rebuilds the business with a close companion, he faces pressure from family expectations, community tensions, and escalating racist hostility in the neighborhood.
Also known as Powders
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Details
- Years
- 1985
- Release date
- 1985-11-16
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Critic score
- 87/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (311 votes)
- Box office
- $2,460,977
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a grounded, sometimes funny drama about love, ambition, and prejudice in 1980s Britain; Not for you if you prefer simple, upbeat stories or need very clear plotting like High Fidelity.
Pros: bold social themes; tender love story; memorable performances | Cons: uneven pacing; hard-to-like characters; can feel confusing
Themes
- london, england
- skinhead
- society
- fascism
- immigration
- family business
- laundromat
- working class
- racism
- car dealership
- racial tension
- laundry
- +12 more
Awards & recognition
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 1987 · nominated
Cast & crew
Gordon Warnecke
as Omar Ali
Daniel Day-Lewis
as Johnny Burfoot
Roshan Seth
as Hussein "Papa" Ali
Saeed Jaffrey
as Nasser Ali
Derrick Branche
as Salim N. Ali
Rita Wolf
as Tania N. Ali
Souad Faress
as Cherry N. Ali
Shirley Anne Field
as Rachel
Richard Graham
as Genghis
Garry Cooper
as Squatter
Directed by Stephen Frears