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My Beautiful Laundrette

Play trailer Poster for My Beautiful Laundrette R 1986 1h 37m Comedy Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In a seedy corner of London, Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a young Pakistani, is given a run-down laundromat by his uncle (Saeed Jaffrey), who hopes to turn it into a successful business. Soon after, Omar is attacked by a group of racist punks, but defuses the situation when he realizes their leader is his former lover, Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis). The men resume their relationship and rehabilitate the laundromat together, but various social forces threaten to compromise their success.
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My Beautiful Laundrette

My Beautiful Laundrette

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Critics Consensus

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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Critics Reviews

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Globe and Mail Staff Globe and Mail Frears has orchestrated Kureishi's script with dexterity that borders on genius. Oct 13, 2025 Full Review Rita Kempley Washington Post It's a little like mixing the white and the dark loads, but somehow it all comes out in the wash and love prevails. Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Mike D'Angelo AV Club No matter how clumsy the movie gets, it’s always enjoyable just to spend time with these proud hustlers, who stubbornly refuse to lie down and be marginalized. Rated: B Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Tom Birchenough The Arts Desk Watching it again today brings home just how much broader the film’s concerns are, how writer Hanif Kureishi approached the issue of British identity, his insight coming via the perspective of the country's Pakistani immigrant community. Rated: 5/5 Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Adam Lowes CineVue It’s the committed turn from Day-Lewis and Hanif Kureishi’s socially-astute, Oscar-nominated screenplay that manages to compensate for the film’s technical shortcomings, alongside the (then) landmark casual representation of a gay relationship on screen Rated: 4/5 Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Bob Ross Tampa Bay Times Provides insight and entertainment. Rated: 3/4 Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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CodyZamboni Z Movie is a bit overrated , It's slightly amusing, A nice, off beat slice of life, No real plot, No preaching, Just accepts characters as is, And doesn't shy away from issues like characters need for money, to find acceptance in English society circa 1985. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/02/25 Full Review Stephen C Funny pride in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/04/25 Full Review Phil V Way ahead of its time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/25 Full Review Audience Member I found the movie thoroughly unconvincing and boring. Maybe I was having a bad day. Perhaps you liked it thoroughly, and I would be the last to say you nay. De gustibus non est disputandum. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/12/24 Full Review David K Interesting film but mainly for the early work of Daniel Day-Lewis. Also, the focus on the Pakistani immigrant experience in England. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/24 Full Review PridePosterStudios Spillage in the back room 💦 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
My Beautiful Laundrette

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Movie Info

Synopsis In a seedy corner of London, Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a young Pakistani, is given a run-down laundromat by his uncle (Saeed Jaffrey), who hopes to turn it into a successful business. Soon after, Omar is attacked by a group of racist punks, but defuses the situation when he realizes their leader is his former lover, Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis). The men resume their relationship and rehabilitate the laundromat together, but various social forces threaten to compromise their success.
Director
Stephen Frears
Producer
Tim Bevan, Sarah Radclyffe
Screenwriter
Hanif Kureishi
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Production Co
Channel Four Films, Working Title Films
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 7, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 17, 2017
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Mono
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