When we bought our first Laundromat 3 years ago – a few people asked us whether we had seen the movie ‘My Beautiful Launderette’ – we hadn’t – so we made sure that we did.
Image courtesy of: www.bfi.org.uk The movie takes place in London during the 1980s. The story - in a nutshell - is about a young Pakistani man called Omar, played by actor Gordon Warnecke and his romance with an old friend called Johnny played by none other than Daniel Day-Lewis.
Along the way the pair inherit a laundromat originally owned by Omar's uncle Nasser and transform it from a grotty and neglected space into a modern laundromat with new machines, giant wave decals, flashing neon signs, button-back plush seating, lush ferns and even an aquarium.
Along the way the pair inherit a laundromat originally owned by Omar's uncle Nasser and transform it from a grotty and neglected space into a modern laundromat with new machines, giant wave decals, flashing neon signs, button-back plush seating, lush ferns and even an aquarium.
Image courtesy of: www.queerty.com
Released in 1985, My Beautiful Laundrette is a comedy-drama directed by Stephen Frears that focuses on issues of race, sexuality and politics.
We found it to be quick, bold, harsh – full of urban decay and social realism,
it sometimes felt like we were watching a documentary because
of the way it so authentically portrays life in Britain in the Thatcher years....and we should know because were were living in Britain during that time.
it sometimes felt like we were watching a documentary because
of the way it so authentically portrays life in Britain in the Thatcher years....and we should know because were were living in Britain during that time.
Shot in six months on a $600k budget and entirely on location, this low budget movie – originally shot in 16mm for Channel 4 (television) was met with such critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Film Festival that it was distributed to cinemas and eventually became an international success.
 Image: Credit BBC2 | The British Film Institute has ranked My Beautiful Laundrette the 50th greatest British film of the 20th century as a “movie, which captures so much of the spirit of 80s Britain.” |
In 1986, Daniel Day-Lewis as Johnny Burfoot the award for Best Supporting Actor from the U.S. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, and the film was nominated for Best Film too.
Today the original location of such a beautiful launderette - is - sadly - a launderette no more. The movie was shot on location at 11 Wilcox Road, Vauxhall in London and that space is now occupied by a Mediterranean Cafe.
Today the original location of such a beautiful launderette - is - sadly - a launderette no more. The movie was shot on location at 11 Wilcox Road, Vauxhall in London and that space is now occupied by a Mediterranean Cafe.
Image credit: Google Maps screenshot dated March 2018
My Beautiful Laundrette continues to receive positive reviews and currently holds a 97% "fresh" rating on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus on this movie is “My Beautiful Laundrette is fast and all over the place because it has so much to say and show, including a highly watchable fresh-faced Daniel Day-Lewis.”
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