Although I enjoyed watching this film, I am at a loss to explain why, and feel as if I have missed the point somewhat.
Spoiler Alert! Here is the plot, minus the last scene: I have to leave you some reason to watch it!
Sammy (Ayub Khan Din), and Rosie (Frances Barber), are a couple with a particularly "open" marriage, both being free to see a string of lovers, yet spending mealtimes and weekends together.
The film begins when Sammy's father, Rafi (Shashi Kapoor) is returning to England, to see the son he abandoned as an infant. Sammy is seeing his lover, an American photographer with a "W" tattooed on each buttock, (Yes, he asks her to explain it!), while Rosie visits a client (to do with her job) who turns out to have killed himself. At the same time, a police raid on a house in the street ends up with the death of a woman. This sparks a riot. Rafi arrives by taxi, driven by a one-eyed driver, to find the street cordoned off, and Rosie on the pavement. Rafi and Rosie go into the flat, which is filled with a Bohemian collection of Rosie's friends, including two lesbians Rani and Vivia, who seem to be journalists, who know something about Rafi. Sammy arrives, and the three exchange pleasantries until Rosie leaves to see one of her lovers. Sammy asks her not to go, as by this time there is a full scale riot outside. She leaves, and the camera follows her, as she walks through scenes of looting, burning cars, beatings and mayhem, untouched by it all. Rafi and Sammy venture out, and meet Sammy's lover, who is getting rioters to pose mid stoning for her camera, and again are untouched. The next day, Rafi ventures out, to see the woman he stayed with years ago. He is set upon by rioters, and Victoria (Roland Gift) comes to his rescue, and takes him to Anna's house. He invites Victoria back to Sammy and Rosie's flat, and everyone meets there. Rafi reveals that he has received death threats, and wants to give Sammy his money, provided Sammy and Rosie will buy a house "That is not in a war zone". If they can produce grandchildren, there is money for them too. Rosie has learned through Rani and Vivia that Rafi's past includes an amount of extortion, oppression and human rights abuses. She and Rafi argue this out in a restaurant, whilst the violinists try to play louder than the argument. Rosie wants nothing to do with Rafi's blood money, but Sammy is happy to accept it. Following a party at the flat, Sammy ends up with his lover, who announces she is leaving for America, and demands love from Sammy, Rafi sleeps with Anna, who has been waiting for him for 20 years, and Rosie goes to Victoria's caravan. Victoria live with a group of people like the "Circus Archaos". There are flames, people dressed as ballerinas, metal sculptures, intricate chess sets, and a group to serenade Rosie and Victoria. In the light of morning, Rafi leaves Anna and arrives at the flat to find Rani and Vivia in bed together. After a scene he escapes, and returns to Anna's, pursued by a ghostly image of the one eyed taxi driver. Anna now rejects him, after showing him how she has waited for him all this time, and he goes to Victoria's. However, property developers are throwing the travellers off the site, and symbolically bulldoze all the sculptures. Rafi confronts his demon, who represents the hundreds he had killed and tortured. Everybody turns up, and takes Rafi back to the flat, where whilst everyone is sitting round the table, Rafi plays out his last scene in his room.
I can't see the point of the film. We have Sammy and Rosie, who are integrated into their environment, and seem happy, until Rafi's arrival splits them, and we have Rafi, who cannot live like them, but neither could I, or I suspect, a good many other people! Maybe someone else can enlighten us.
Spoiler Alert! Here is the plot, minus the last scene: I have to leave you some reason to watch it!
Sammy (Ayub Khan Din), and Rosie (Frances Barber), are a couple with a particularly "open" marriage, both being free to see a string of lovers, yet spending mealtimes and weekends together.
The film begins when Sammy's father, Rafi (Shashi Kapoor) is returning to England, to see the son he abandoned as an infant. Sammy is seeing his lover, an American photographer with a "W" tattooed on each buttock, (Yes, he asks her to explain it!), while Rosie visits a client (to do with her job) who turns out to have killed himself. At the same time, a police raid on a house in the street ends up with the death of a woman. This sparks a riot. Rafi arrives by taxi, driven by a one-eyed driver, to find the street cordoned off, and Rosie on the pavement. Rafi and Rosie go into the flat, which is filled with a Bohemian collection of Rosie's friends, including two lesbians Rani and Vivia, who seem to be journalists, who know something about Rafi. Sammy arrives, and the three exchange pleasantries until Rosie leaves to see one of her lovers. Sammy asks her not to go, as by this time there is a full scale riot outside. She leaves, and the camera follows her, as she walks through scenes of looting, burning cars, beatings and mayhem, untouched by it all. Rafi and Sammy venture out, and meet Sammy's lover, who is getting rioters to pose mid stoning for her camera, and again are untouched. The next day, Rafi ventures out, to see the woman he stayed with years ago. He is set upon by rioters, and Victoria (Roland Gift) comes to his rescue, and takes him to Anna's house. He invites Victoria back to Sammy and Rosie's flat, and everyone meets there. Rafi reveals that he has received death threats, and wants to give Sammy his money, provided Sammy and Rosie will buy a house "That is not in a war zone". If they can produce grandchildren, there is money for them too. Rosie has learned through Rani and Vivia that Rafi's past includes an amount of extortion, oppression and human rights abuses. She and Rafi argue this out in a restaurant, whilst the violinists try to play louder than the argument. Rosie wants nothing to do with Rafi's blood money, but Sammy is happy to accept it. Following a party at the flat, Sammy ends up with his lover, who announces she is leaving for America, and demands love from Sammy, Rafi sleeps with Anna, who has been waiting for him for 20 years, and Rosie goes to Victoria's caravan. Victoria live with a group of people like the "Circus Archaos". There are flames, people dressed as ballerinas, metal sculptures, intricate chess sets, and a group to serenade Rosie and Victoria. In the light of morning, Rafi leaves Anna and arrives at the flat to find Rani and Vivia in bed together. After a scene he escapes, and returns to Anna's, pursued by a ghostly image of the one eyed taxi driver. Anna now rejects him, after showing him how she has waited for him all this time, and he goes to Victoria's. However, property developers are throwing the travellers off the site, and symbolically bulldoze all the sculptures. Rafi confronts his demon, who represents the hundreds he had killed and tortured. Everybody turns up, and takes Rafi back to the flat, where whilst everyone is sitting round the table, Rafi plays out his last scene in his room.
I can't see the point of the film. We have Sammy and Rosie, who are integrated into their environment, and seem happy, until Rafi's arrival splits them, and we have Rafi, who cannot live like them, but neither could I, or I suspect, a good many other people! Maybe someone else can enlighten us.