My Beautiful Launderette: Omar and Jonny’s Struggle for Freedom

After watching “My Beautiful Laundrette”, I feel disappointed with conformist ideas of Britain’s society in 1980s. The film shows a love affair between English men that are different race, class, politics and ethnicity. Johnny and Omar sincerely struggle to form their personal identity under the control of Britain’s social sigma’s and relatives. Both Boys give up their freedoms as young adults to reach a desirable utopian lifestyle in their future. Johnny and Omar are non –conformist individuals, who believe they can live the life they want, by working within a business system created by Omar’s Uncles.

They both have very different approaches to find happiness they desire during this time. Johnny’s character is a great example of a social anarchist that opposes authority to support human relations. He has found peace after his violent teenage hood to accept his friend, Omar as a kind hearted human and not as high class, Pakistani; immigrant like the rest of society views him.

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As an anarchist Johnny, is scrutinized by Omar’s family, for not adapting to a system he doesn’t believe in.

Johnny’s strong individualism teaches Omar to express his human right to build his own reality within the society they were brought into and not to run away from it like his sister did. Johnny is so humanly driven he ditched his peer’s to enter a homosexual relationship with Omar, simply because they do not accept his values. He is a true anarchist that co-operates as equals and not discriminating another person’s sexual orientation, class, race or ethnicity.

Omar character is closely linked with Johnny’s ambition towards opposing the mass conformist ideas.

Omar left his life taking care of his alcoholic father to finally experience a life of his own. He introduced Johnny to his family business as a partner and not a slave to his Pakistani family. Omar character is built on good intentions and won’t stoop to the level of society that would enslave a handy man because they possess little education. But Omar’s idea to become an entrepreneur to make endless amounts of money poisons his mind from reaching his utopian world. Omar`s father try’s to teach him to do what he wants to like Johnny dose daily.

Stubborn Omar firmly believes money will bring him closer to what he wants. But when Johnny was brutally beaten and almost killed because of his beliefs. Omar realized that no amount of money cannot replace the unconditional love Johnny has given him. Omar and Johnny are very thoughtful companions, who set a great example for conformists to see a life beyond fear, family obligations and reputation. Both boys know the risk of freedom, but continue to pursue their dream to be at peace, in a state of war.

Johnny opposes the conceptions of society to hide his true human identity, which is the reason is his so conferrable to express his personality. Omar formed his identity completely different and took a lot longer to develop than Johnny. Omar had to endure the suffering of his family’s wishes until he was an adult, which most of society can relate to. Mental suffering, is what motivated Omar to life freely common restrictions. Where Johnny’s free will as a young boy, motivated him to continue to be free without unnecessary obligations into adulthood.