Kinky Boots (2005)
Country: GB
Technical: col/scope 107m
Director: Julian Jarrold
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Linda Bassett, Kellie Bright
Synopsis:
A diffident Northampton lad about to move to London and get married suddenly inherits his Dad's impeccable but loss-making family shoe business. Having vowed to have nothing to do with shoes he finds himself resolving to turn the company's fortunes around by exploiting a niche market in sexy boots strong enough to take the weight of the stout male drag queen.
Review:
Feelgood comedy after the manner of Calendar Girls ('épater les bourgeois') with bits of Billy Elliot and The Full Monty. It does, however, transcend these derivative aspects in part, thanks to a cast of unknowns (mostly) who look and sound convincingly Northants and a heart which is definitely in the right place in the context of small business/craftsmanship/management with a human face versus bottom line-driven cheap quality and lack of imagination. The screenplay does not successfully negotiate a rather contrived eleventh-hour reversal designed to produce a tense and crowd-pleasing finale, which is a pity; but the numbers are fun and Edgerton, the least prepossessing leading man imaginable, wins you over by the end.
Country: GB
Technical: col/scope 107m
Director: Julian Jarrold
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Linda Bassett, Kellie Bright
Synopsis:
A diffident Northampton lad about to move to London and get married suddenly inherits his Dad's impeccable but loss-making family shoe business. Having vowed to have nothing to do with shoes he finds himself resolving to turn the company's fortunes around by exploiting a niche market in sexy boots strong enough to take the weight of the stout male drag queen.
Review:
Feelgood comedy after the manner of Calendar Girls ('épater les bourgeois') with bits of Billy Elliot and The Full Monty. It does, however, transcend these derivative aspects in part, thanks to a cast of unknowns (mostly) who look and sound convincingly Northants and a heart which is definitely in the right place in the context of small business/craftsmanship/management with a human face versus bottom line-driven cheap quality and lack of imagination. The screenplay does not successfully negotiate a rather contrived eleventh-hour reversal designed to produce a tense and crowd-pleasing finale, which is a pity; but the numbers are fun and Edgerton, the least prepossessing leading man imaginable, wins you over by the end.
Country: GB
Technical: col/scope 107m
Director: Julian Jarrold
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Linda Bassett, Kellie Bright
Synopsis:
A diffident Northampton lad about to move to London and get married suddenly inherits his Dad's impeccable but loss-making family shoe business. Having vowed to have nothing to do with shoes he finds himself resolving to turn the company's fortunes around by exploiting a niche market in sexy boots strong enough to take the weight of the stout male drag queen.
Review:
Feelgood comedy after the manner of Calendar Girls ('épater les bourgeois') with bits of Billy Elliot and The Full Monty. It does, however, transcend these derivative aspects in part, thanks to a cast of unknowns (mostly) who look and sound convincingly Northants and a heart which is definitely in the right place in the context of small business/craftsmanship/management with a human face versus bottom line-driven cheap quality and lack of imagination. The screenplay does not successfully negotiate a rather contrived eleventh-hour reversal designed to produce a tense and crowd-pleasing finale, which is a pity; but the numbers are fun and Edgerton, the least prepossessing leading man imaginable, wins you over by the end.