Kinky Boots (2005)

Director:

Julian Jarrold

Writers:

Geoff Deane (written by) &
Tim Firth (written by)

Release Date:

7 October 2005 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

How Far Would You Go To Save The Family Business?

Plot:

A drag queen comes to the rescue of a man who, after inheriting his father's shoe factory, needs to diversify his product if he wants to keep the business afloat.

Plot Keywords:

Shoe | Drag Queen | Small Town | Factory | Cabaret

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Joel Edgerton	...	Charlie
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Lola
Sarah-Jane Potts	...	Lauren
Nick Frost	...	Don
Linda Bassett	...	Melanie
Jemima Rooper	...	Nicola
Robert Pugh	...	Harold Price
Ewan Hooper	...	George
Stephen Marcus	...	Big Mike
Mona Hammond	...	Pat
Kellie Bright	...	Jeannie
Joanna Scanlan	...	Trish
Geoffrey Streatfield	...	Richard Bailey (as Geoffrey Streatfeild)
Leo Bill	...	Harry Sampson
Gwenllian Davies	...	Mrs. Cobb

Also Known As:

The Kinky Boot Factory (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving sexuality, and for language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:12A | Australia:M | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:L | Malaysia:(Banned) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Clacton, Essex, England, UK

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Inspired by the true story of a traditional English men's footwear factory in Northamptonshire which turned to production of kinky boots for transvestites in order to save the ailing family business and safeguard the jobs of the local community.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When the train goes through the station labeled Northampton at the beginning of the film, it's not the real Northampton station.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lola's Dad: Come on. Come on, you stupid boy!

Movie Connections:

References The Godfather (1972)

Soundtrack:

Whatever Lola Wants

Kinky Boots Will Rock The Screen

'Kinky Boots' is a splendid colourful little film with a big heart. Those who have enjoyed heartfelt films like 'Calender Girls' and 'Billy Elliot' will love this one too. It's also one of the many things I love about little British movies. They have a very simple message, a simple story to tell about real people but they tell it with heart and soul without throwing the message 'in your face'. Director Julian Jarrold does not disappoint in that front and, as is the case with many such films, they strongly rely on performances too. Chiwetel Ejiofor remains one of the underrated talents of the generation and he totally carries the film. All the effort he's gone through for the character has certainly paid off. He looks the part and, next to acting, the guy sure can sing too. Joel Edgerton provides a brilliant contrast to Ejiofor's Lola/Simon (as demanded by the character) and, in a subtle way, he also conveys the similarities and pain that both characters share. Sarah-Jane Potts is a charming delight. The rest of the cast that includes talents like Nick Frost and Linda Bassett lend sufficient support with their strong presence and comedy. The delightful camera-work dances to the tune of the wonderful score. The slick shots of the shoes being manufactures is very notable. There are so many laugh-out-loud sequences especially the hilarious 'drag' sequences (which are funny without making a mockery out of drag queens and transvestites). Even though it's based on a short story, the inspiration clearly shows and the writers have created a great fun story. In the end, I felt a little uplifted and it left a smile.