Review of My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) by Tino P — 26 Mar 2013

A low-budget marvel of UK cinema from 1985 that features a young Daniel Day-Lewis giving a fantastic performance and even put director Stephen Frears on the map on an international level. Its an involving story about two friends (one Pakistani, one English) who use stolen drug money to run and operate a run-down laundry house during a period of racial tension in Thatcher-era Britain.

Its both a political and social statement against racism and discrimination that realistically captures life in London during Thatcher's era from the perspective of a Pakistani man's desire to break from family traditions and find success as well as one English street punk's struggles for identity and stability in his own future.

My only real complaint is its somewhat unresolved conclusion, but all in all, through storytelling, wonderful writing, excellent acting and profound statements, its a winner.