My Beautiful Laundrette is a comedy drama, from 1985, in which two estranged lovers rekindle their relationship as they take on the management of a run-down London laundrette. The film is directed by Stephen Frears from a script by writer Hanif Kureishi. Set during the Thatcher years, the film explores many social issues of the time, including race, class and poverty. It was acclaimed for its groundbreaking representation of gay and Asian characters, and was nominated for an Oscar for its screenplay.
Classification Issues
- Violence
- A man is attacked by a gang; the violence is accompanied by racist language.
- Language
- There are uses of strong language ('f*k'). Milder terms include 'prick', 'bugger', 'bastard' and 'shit'. There is use of racist terms, e.g. 'wog', 'paki'.
- Sex
- There is a strong sex scene.
- Other issues include drug references and brief breast nudity.
Advice viewing
The film was first seen by the BBFC in September 1984.
Examiners at the time noted there was sufficient strong language (‘f**k’) to require a 15 certificate and that all other issues could likewise be accommodated at that category. The sex scene was felt to be “strong for ‘15’” but in line with recent precedent. One Examiner commented in their report that viewers aged 15 and up would “certainly benefit from seeing a film about young people that never patronises or lectures and shows an ambiguous and compromised world that they will recognise”.
Audience feedback
The BBFC did not receive any public feedback about the film’s classification at 15 until nearly two years later. The complainant felt that the film should have been classified 18, writing that they’d “found the film very unpleasant indeed, containing scenes of violence to persons and property, explicit heterosexual and homosexual relations, drug-dealing, adultery and continual obscene language”.
The BBFC’s Deputy Director responded explaining the decision to classify the film 15, noting that “it was felt that this well made British film could be of great interest to older teenagers”.
