Laundreams (2026) Review

Written and directed by Evie Ward-Drummond and Amber Gadd

Two twenty-something women running their local laundromat set out to dazzle their former colleague, who is back in town all the way from London (15 mins).

The opening of Laundreams pulls you in with a gravelly narration that could give Michael Jackson’s Thriller narrator, Vincent Price, a run for his money. The clash of tone and dialogue points to a whimsical and offbeat comedy coming our way, and it’s an immediately intriguing introduction to this small-town story.

We’re quickly introduced to both the boredom, the grossness and the want for excitement in Minnie (Ward-Drummond) and Leah’s (Gadd) lives, which kicks into gear when the flirty Danny (Paapa Essiedu) arrives. Essiedu is effortless as the flirty ex-colleague who’s made it because he escaped their grey-washed town for the big smoke, but there’s also a clumsiness that he brings to the role that causes a glitch in the rose-coloured glasses the girls see him through.

There are some genuinely lovely moments that breathe a heavy dose of personality into this simple story of community and acceptance. It doesn’t exactly make this short film sizzle, but it certainly brings it to life.

Curious about Laundreams (2026)? You can learn more about the short film here.