Drôles de bottes

This movie is about old-fashioned values like decency and unselfishness. Though the premise, an old style English shoe factory avoiding bankruptcy by designing boots for drag queens sounds sleazy, this movie is squeaky clean entertainment suitable for children.

The camera work is entertaining, especially, oddly the closeup scenes of shoes being manufactured, streams of colour zipping along to the upbeat music.

It is a movie without villains. The conflict comes from selfish vs unselfish motives, self direction vs worrying what others think, despair vs taking responsibility.

Of course the theme of tolerance for diversity is woven through. The movie does not have the usual silly Hollywood tolerance breakthroughs. It comes in fits and starts with back pedaling and tolerance from surprising sources.

The lead drag queen Lola sings better than anyone on American Idol, in a genre all her own. The musical numbers are far better than you will see an any real world drag show. These are not female impersonators. None of the drag queens would ever pass as female.

This is a character-based tragi-comedy about wildly different outcasts interacting. Of course the basic plot is predictable if you watch the trailers and use your intellect. But that is not how to watch this comedy. It is a bit like complaining that Lucille Ball was inevitably going to get herself covered in some sort of mess in the Long Trailer or that a Marx brothers comedy would end in a pie fight. Immerse yourself in the movie's reality. I was genuinely surprised by the ending, though in retrospect it was inevitable. Plot twists like a murder mystery is not what this movie is about. If all you care about is plot, skip this movie; it will go over your head.

All said, unless you have a heart of stone, you will come out smiling and more optimistic than when you went in.

'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.

Kinky Boots is a cheeky, fun little movie that has a simple message, but a life all its own! It is part of the new wave of irreverent British comedies and it holds its own against the rest of the pack.

Chiwetel Ejiofor shines in this film, proving once again that he's an actor to watch. After compelling turns in Inside Man and Dirty Pretty Things (among others), he defies convention in Kinky Boots--this is not an actor who can be type cast! He is riveting as Lola/Simon, convincing through and through.

There are some subplots that fall a little flat, but the story is very cute overall. The actors are uniformly good, but Ejiofor stands out. In addition, the production design is also pretty well done--the drag sequences are hysterical and a joy to behold. This film put a gigantic smile on my face that stayed put for the rest of the day!

I'm a Northamptonian and just watched the film in Northampton at the Northampton premiere. I'm slightly Northamptoned out. Excellent British comedy, I enjoyed it a lot more than Calendar Girls.

I normally find these kind of films deeply predictable, but this one surprised me. It has a bit of a deep and meaningful message, but never gets lost as to what it is along the way, and keeps the laughs going.

Somewhat bizarre depiction of Northampton however - every other shot is either of a weird northern-like back alley or of northern-like houses against countryside... and I don't think you've been able to see fields like those from Northampton railway station for at least 60 years. You don't really get the impression that Northampton is one of the UK's largest towns!

Well worth a watch. And points go to whoever spots the Northampton Saints (rugby team) mug.

Like The Full Monty, this is a very satisfying, and ultimately uplifting film. It's basically about two people who have seemingly nothing in common, but are actually at similar crossroads in their lives. The performances by Joel Edgerton and Chiwetel Ejiofor are great and the plotting is nicely handled. The supporting roles are just as richly played as the main ones and provide many moments of humor. While there is a lot to laugh about, the film is strongest when dealing with the characters' foibles and triumphs over them.

This is a small film with giant themes and is definitely worth your time.