Bolan's Shoes

A really strong debut for director Ian Puleston-Davies, it's a really emotional film that contains a lot of heavy subject matter. Deals with guilt, violence, mental illness and other serious topics, hitting it spot on with most. Performances by Timothy Spall and Leanne Best shine in particular as the two siblings, and the film works in the T Rex soundtrack really nicely. It has some really funny moments mainly from Timothy Spall, and Leanne Best manages to paint a picture of extreme guilt and regret in a heartrending performance.

Ultimately, Bolan's Shoes is a touching and stylish debut that deserves high praise!

Such an original and charming film, and of course the music is fantastic. Both my husband and I loved it. Within the first ten minutes, I laughed out loud many times and also shed a few tears. It was hard to stop grinning, despite the serious interludes. The casting is brilliant. Timothy Spall's performance is riveting and Leanne Best is wonderful as well as fluid in her character. Mark Lewis Jones is always great and you can't take your eyes off him in this role. The directing is terrific - even the whole look of the movie changes as you go back and forth in time. While the humor, kindness and relationships are captivating, of course the music was king. Coming on the heels of seeing "A Complete Unknown" I felt spoiled to be seeing another great film with so much great music. And especially one that shows the power of music to heal, to bring joy, to move you, to define you. And the end was nothing short of breathtaking. Absolutely terrific. Although we initially rented it, we went back and purchased it because we can't wait to watch it again!

Many years after a fatal road accident affected her own family, Marc Bolan super-fans "Penny" (Leanne Best) and her pal "Steffan" (Dylan Dwyfor) head to the site of Bolan's own fatality where there is to be a quietly reflective memorial on the 75th anniversary of his death by a few other stalwarts. It turns out that this site is maintained by an odd looking gent, "Jimmy" (Timothy Spall) - who wouldn't look out of place playing guitar in "Slade, and who upon seeing "Penny" promptly has some sort of fit. It turns out that they have a great deal more in common than you might expect and as the story unfolds we learn a little more about their own trauma and just how it affected the relationship and their lives. Now, aside from them all having attended a T-Rex concert back in the day, meeting the band and acquiring a pair of his glamorous shoes, this film really has very little to do with the legendary musician. It's a melodrama about a family that has faced and struggled to come to terms with tragedy, mental illness and denial - and though it's not bad, it's not especially unique nor interesting either. The ending is quite touching, though - and it will look fine as a gently engaging vehicle for Spall on the television at Christmas.

In slow Brit-drama "Bolan's Shoes" T-Rex fan Leanne Best holds a big secret (even from loving vicar husband Mark Lewis (best performance here - no surprise - top actor)) that catches her up & overwhelms her when she runs into fellow T-Rex nut Timothy Spall. With his second movie as writer (after 2004's "Dirty Filthy Love") and first as director, Ian Puleston-Davis draws out the drama in simplistic melodramatic style, and as the awesome music of T-Rex is really only incidental in the background it doesn't save the film from mediocrity (nor do the good but brief supports from the likes of Mathew Horne & Louis Emerick). Ultimately, it's disappointingly flat.

If you go to this expecting it to be a tribute to Marc Bolan, you'll be very disappointed. There are probably around 4 tracks that you hear a bit off, as the story is loosely woven around a 1976 T Rex concert and its aftermath.

The story is superbly written, superbly told, superbly acted. Timothy Spall is sublime in his portrayal of Jimmy. Leanne Best is equally superb in her portrayal of the lead character, her acting is equally as good as Spall. Support actors are very good, with Mark Lewis-Jones (I last saw him in Lindon's Burning) as the vicar is great having the best line of the film "it comes with the job."

Thoroughly enjoyable film, recommended for all (even if like my wife of 40 years, you don't like Bolan's music) and the twist towards the end caused a collective intake of breath in the cinema.