Sammy and Rosie Get Laid ** (1987, Shashi Kapoor, Claire Bloom, Frances Barber, Ayub Khan-Din, Roland Gift) – Classic Movie Review 11,231

Director Stephen Frears’s 1987 comedy drama Sammy and Rosie Get Laid stars Shashi Kapoor, Claire Bloom, Ayub Khan-Din, Frances Barber and Roland Gift.

Thirty years on, former Indian government minister Rafi Rahman (Kapoor), returns for a trip to a London that he cannot recognise and visits his old flame Alice (Bloom). He finds his son Sammy (Khan-Din) is enjoying a loose liaison with Rosie Hobbs (Barber).

Alas director Frears and writer Kureishi produce a drama as uncertain and unfocused as their previous film together, My Beautiful Laundrette, was spot on. There are compensations in the playing and the fascinating ideas Kureishi throws up. It is Fine Young Cannibals lead singer Gift’s acting début.

Also in the cast are Wendy Gazelle, Suzette Llewellyn, Meera Syal, Badi Uzzaman, Tessa Wojtczak, Emer Gillespie and Lesley Manville.

RIP Shashi Kapoor, who died on 4 December 2017, aged 79.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,231

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