Kinky Boots

2005 - Dir.: Jullian Jarrold
Shown at The FeckenOdeon on 30th September, 2006
Every now and then a film slips in and out of mainstream cinemas almost unoticed - “Kinky Boots” is one such “failure”. Its subject matter may have made it difficult to promote, its lack of BIG stars may have counted against it and its unglamorous setting of a boot works in Northampton may not have caught the imagination. Whatever the cause it does seem a shame that such a well acted and good hearted piece of work should have been almost ignored. It's no surprise to learn that “Kinky Boots” is from the same team who gave us “Calendar Girls” - it’s a lively bit of fun which Ealing Studios would have been proud of. In common with “Calendar Girls” the fim was inspired by a true story - a traditional English men's footwear factory in Northamptonshire did actually turn to the production of kinky boots for transvestites in order to save the ailing family business and safeguard the jobs of the local community.
Australian actor Joel Edgerton is an odd but effective choice to play the modest heir to the Prices Shoes empire - but the film really belongs to the remarkable Chiwetel Ejiofor as drag queen Lola. Mr Ejiofor is one of the busiest actors in the business and had the strange distinction of having three films, including this one, released in the same week.