You know- the more I watch of this movie, the more I think Omar is kind of a hapless jerk. Ambitious and blindered, he can't really see how devoted Johnny is to him. Even after Johnny's had the everlovin' tar beaten out of him, all Omar can talk about is how Johnny was always fighting (going)in school.
Open your damn ears man! When Johnny says he thinks he ought to GO, he means LEAVE. Not fight again.
Bah.
I kinda agree with you, but on the other hand- You've gotta look at Omar as a product of his environment too. I mean he grew up having his best friend and probably everyone around him shouting racial abuse and how they wished his people werent in the country. he had to watch his dad drive his mother into such a depression she killed herself. he had to listen to his dad telling him how much everyone in England hates him. its only natural he'd be angry and become sick of being the victim and have such ambition. To be honest I wasnt sure how much he loved Johny but the fight scene does show alot. When Genghis is about to throw the bin at them Omar shields Johny, his later rambling I think is just his desperation at the state he and Johny are in.
He's not a very likeable character and the only thing you feel that can redeem him and stop him turning into something similar to Salim is Johny.
I agree that Omar is kind of a jerk. That's one of the reasons I like the movie so much. They're both complex people. In real life, the people we like and love sometimes act like jerks. And like smithsfover says, Johnny can balance Omar's arrogance and ambition.
I read the script that Hanif Kureishi published, and he discusses how he came up with the story. His original intention was to write about the Asian/Brit tensions in Thatcher's England. He originally had the two main characters be a man and a woman, but he said the relationship never seemed right. When he tried it out with two men, the story worked better, and the rest is history. Kureishi wasn't a novice to non-hetero characters, his "Buddha of Suburbia" is about a young bisexual asian man growing up in the '70s.
Well, I, too, agree that Omar sometimes acts like a jerk but like smeth said before that's because they're complex people; it's not like one is black and the other is white. While Johnny is the one to keep Omar from turning into a "Salim", Omar is the one who causes or triggers Johnny's transformation into a more "decent" guy, so it's a mutual effect on each other.
You can see Johnny's love for Omar in many scenes but it's also possible to see that Omar is proud of what Johnny's turning into all thanks to him(Omar) and presumably his love.
As for the last words Omar said; I've always thought he had no idea about what to say to Johnny in that terrible situation so he's just babbling about their shared past, trying to comfort him -but maybe not in the best way.
After all, I wouldn't imagine he's so much the jerk that wouldn't see or mind his lover is in pain and would go on talking about his fighting history.
Omar functions as way more than just a character in the movie, too; he's a symbol. If Salim is pure, soulless capitalism unchecked and Omar's father is an unhealthy and feeble representitive of pure socialism, Omar and Johnny are in-betweens: an upwardly mobile businessman and a representative of the working class. Neither Salim's way nor Omar's father's will work or have worked; the only hope for England's future lies with what Omar and Johnny can provide, but both men (and their symbolic types) are in danger. Omar could become an uncaring Salim, Johnny could continue to be exploited by the rising business class (Omar), or he might have to go back to a life of squatting and petty theft.
Omar is a jerk to Johnny, partly because he is acting the part of the unfeeling employer. The question is whether Omar and Johnny (and employers/employees) have any real future together.
What infinity8 says.
Most of the characters represent different aspects of the social climate.
I agree with you on that note. I think he was just going on about their childhood so as to divert his attention although obviously not quite successfully. There are people who argue and then try to forget that the incident ever happened. Something like that I assume. Mind you, it's very annoying.
Alfred Borden : Are you watching closely?share
I was very aggravated with Omar at times, namely in Johnny's apartment after being told he needs to marry Tania. He was obviously freaked out and upset but he said some gross things. But who hasn't said regrettable things in a fight? The number one thing that I keep coming back to with Omar is the way he was when he spotted Johnny (after their seperation.) He stopped the car & was just in awe. He left Saleem and his wife. He braved skinheads. All he wanted to do was get to Johnny. Then when Johnny they go off together right then and there, Omar beamed. After their kiss in the car, he went home & drank some vodka & did the "How did I get so lucky?" dance. These things made him feel so happy that he got cocky. But he did shield Johnny during the fight (even though Johnny was the infamous pugilist.) I didn't see his "you're dirty / beautiful" comment as a bad thing. Not at all. I think he was just overcome with geeky, gushing love / attraction / lust. While Johnny seemed to be feeling like they were doomed & that he was only trouble same as always. Irregardless, they resolved it without much trouble so it wasn't too big a deal for either of them. Omar's geeky gush in that moment reminded me of what his dad had said about Omar having a bit of hero worship where Johnny's concerned. That's a telling detail when looking at their dynamic. That's why Omar felt the need to play power games because, in his heart, he felt like it was too good to be true. He knew how happy he was and he wanted to play it cool. His worst behavior came right after Johnny left the laundry. Omar didn't know why -- only that Johnny had run off with his friends. He'd just had his uncle twisting his head around about marriage & money; while Saleem was twisting Johnny's head around. Also, I
think Johnny's comment to Tania about he couldn't leave Omar -- "not now....don't even ask...you haven't touched him" is important. He's saying, "I can't leave him now. Not now that I've touched him. You can't know what it is to touch him." That
is powerful. That implies that there's something especially "touching" about intimacy with Omar. And we do see many glimpses of that sweet, caring, eager soul. With his father; on the phone w/Johnny;
his hope over the launderette. In fact, the whole story rests on Omar's initial hope. He stops that car & approaches Johnny. He pursues him. He offers to share the opportunity that he's so excited about. Johnny's hope grows out of Omar's hope
and Johnny later sustains them.
One more thing -- Omar's dad tells Johnny to steer Omar towards an education, urging him to use his influence. I think Omar's dad knows a great deal about Omar's love for Johnny.
Personally, I enjoy seeing flawed
characters who are struggling to connect & are made better via that connection. I saw "I Killed My Mother" today too (Xavier Dolan's teenage directorial debut) and it was similar in that regard. An unplanned theme for today.
Rockstardollbaby,
That was quite a contribution. Thank you!
I would love a sequel to the film. What I would have liked is for Omar to earn a business degree or even MBA. But, I would have liked Johnny to have a solid career, too. Maybe the two could have started a business partnership.