Sammy et Rosie s'envoient en l'air

The movie is probably one of the best descriptions of conservative England in the 80's ever filmed. The accurate script, written by great novelist and play writer Hanif Kureishi is absolutely touching, and describe interracial relations is a raw way that I hardly ever seen. The characters are strong and clear, and the actors and actresses may be unknown for us -except Claire Bloom, of course- but some of them are great stars in India. What make the movie so strong is probably the simple but powerful story that tells a lot about human relations. Roland Gift shows himself a good actor as was a good singer in Fine Toung Cannibals. Many scenes are unforgettable, and the end is not only unexpected but shocking. The British cinema in the 80's appeared to pay more attention to people than their government, and "Sammy and Rosie..." is a good example of that. A great film from a team that deserved to be seen, Frears and Kureishi.

Stephen Frears intended for this film to make war on the politics of Margaret Thatcher, which he believed were responsible for a breakdown of English society. The film touches upon all of the major issues of England in the 1980s, some would say without covering any of them sufficiently. The figures of Sammy, Rosie, Anna, and Danny (or Victoria, as he calls himself) do their best to come to grips with the world around them, while Rafi and Alice, members of an older generation, can do little more than observe and mourn. Rosie's lesbian friends look at her lifestyle and pronounce: "This is liberalism gone mad", not realizing that she is merely living up to the egalitarianism they espouse. Some would have problems choosing a central character, but I choose Rosie. She is linchpin and catalyst, and at times utterly unreadable.

This art film and commentary on England's severe adjustment pains after decolonization is at least interesting. It was purposely made to be a decentralized movie, but it seems that it could easily be argued that Rafi is the central character. This makes me wonder if the author's point actually was communicated accurately.

I agree that the sex scene was a bit much and very unnecessary (although I love how it was put sarcastically to a rag-tag chorus singing "My Girl"). However, other scenes make up for that relatively miniscule part of the movie (such as Sammy listening to "Erlking" while Rafi is scared for his life--one of the funniest and most intelligent scenes I have ever seen). The attraction to this movie is the imagery, cinematography, and writing. This movie has attracted a cult following amongst sociologists; they claim that the movie is arguing that postmodern identity formation is more fulfilling that modern identity (don't worry if you're not acquainted with these terms, it's all garbage and only fulfills their egos). Rafi is the most certain about who he is, but this results in him being the most ignorant out of all of the movie's characters. Whatever. I think that they are reading too much into the movie. To me, this movie is an exaggerated attempt to reveal what it is like to be a "former colonized" individual trying to live in your colonizer's country, as well as how the decolonized country (in this case Pakistan) ended up as brutal as the colonizers were (England). It was necessarily exaggerated and therein the absurd and violent scenes created hammers this point home. Would I reccommend the movie? Only if you haven't better things to do, like wash your dishes or play parcheesi. If you want to see some nifty camera work, by all means rent the movie. If you're looking to be easily entertained, forget about it.

I was turned onto this movie having loved this directors previous film "My Beautiful Lundrette" and this became no exception to S.Fears wonderful ability to create a surreal social climate around the films primary characters.

Sammy is the two timing adulterous husband and Rosie is the cheating wife. They both know of the others affair's yet still can't seem to break off their marriage (a prime example of loving someone but not being in-love) of the two, Sammy wants most for them to "Love each other a Little more" as he state after finding out she recently slept with some guy who mysteriously shows up at his house after saving his father from the middle of a riot.

Oh, the father is also an intricate part of the story. the father(Rafi) comes into S&R life on a whim, stating that "I have some past issues that I need to get away from". Wanting only to rekindle some kind of relationship with is estranged son, Rafi couldn't have come at a worse time. Amidst, a social revolt, a descending marriage and a past that haunts him in the form of a dead worker, that through Rafi's actions had a hand in killing. He becomes vital in the end of the movie (that I won't spoil) and teaches S&R that amongst all the problems they face, it's never to late to try to change and find the true meaning of love.

A great film filled with great dialog and engaging characters

I think that for the movie to make any sense, you have to have some knowledge of what's going on politically, culturally, historically, etc. Most of the detractors I've seen appear not to know the background. It's set during Thatcher's time in England. Sammy and Rosie are a hip urban couple. Their politics are progressive, and they live in a rough, racially mixed area of London. Sammy's father, once an important politician in his home country, has come to the London of his youth to retire; he'd gone to school there. His arrival upsets the balance of earnestness and hypocrisy in their lives.

One of the reasons I love movie is that no one gets off the hook-- it's challenging. People who seem politically correct and sincere have gaping flaws when their surface is scratched.

It's got one of my favorite scenes and lines ever. Sammy's father Rafi visits his great unrequited love Alice, played by the great Claire Bloom, and consummates his love, but she ultimately lambasts him, telling him he could have had her, but instead he must "content (himself) with having introduced flogging for minor offenses, nuclear capability and partridge-shooting into your country."