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March 13, 2006
Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots has had a lot of promotion over the past three weeks that is something that always sets off alarm bells. However, while it is not Good Bye and Good Luck or Capote, Kinky Boots is fairly good escapist entertainment.
Kinky Boots is something of a mixture of the excellent little Australian film Spotswood and its well-known cousin Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Like Spotswood it is set in a small shoe-making factory that time forgot. The old owner is living in a previous age, but keeping the factory going for the sake of the livelihood of his employees. When he dies (Kinky Boots) or is forced to look at his finances (Spotswood) a new direction is required. Both films rely on the quirkiness of the employees, but where Spotswood has Anthony Perkins as a hard nosed accountant who is softened by the ways of the factory, Kinky Boots has Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton, Will - Secret Life of Us) going through a similar scenario as that of the less than likable son of Monarch of the Glen (BBC TV) - called back to run a failing business, leaves high pressure fiancée for a girl from the other side of the tracks, Lauren - beautifully played by Sarah-Jane Potts. Edgerton plays the character in a rather surly manner that makes the character quite unlikable. (Not that his character in Secret Life of Us was that pleasant either.) and the final scene where he is forced onto the runway at a Milan shoe fair, are cringe worthy.
Although promoted as a Joel Edgerton film, this is a really a vehicle for Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lola, a Transvestite who Charlie "saves" from thugs. Lola is a dreamer, but has a successful career as a performer in a small, off Soho, night club and Charlie is made to see the potential of moving from well made, but poor selling, men’s shoes into specialist shoes for heavy men who easily break the heals of stiletto shoes made for women. There is the usual conflict between the Lola and Charlie and a factory worker - who gives his respect when Lola gives away winning an arm wrestling contest.
It is really Chiwetel's performance and his singing in particular that are the stand out in this film. It is not camp in the way the Pricilla is and it avoids the miming of disco songs used in so many films since Muriel’s Wedding. Chiwetel, if he indeed does do the singing, sings magnificently and I would recommend the soundtrack.
This is not an altogether bad film, it is a just a little bland and flat in its direction and performances - Chiwetel excepted. As you can see it seemed to draw in so many other films for its story and was therefore for me not terribly original. This is not Four Wedding and a Funeral, but likable, feel-good film, that will make a great winters evening video night in.
6 stars.
Posted by andrewrenaut at March 13, 2006 10:23 AM
Comments
Can't say I cringed at seeing Joel Edgerton in thigh-high boots but then I did have to piece him together. :-) I want to check out Dirty Pretty Things now - Chiwetel Ejiofor took my attention so much so that I thought Lola / Simon might turn out to be Lauren's love interest. That would have made an unconventional twist. I thought of Spotswood as I watched too. I'm glad I chose to see it because I wanted a lift and I got it.
Posted by: Dee at March 20, 2006 12:50 AM