This is the umpteenth version of the "plucky working class Brits do something risqué comedy, though weve now graduated to the point where gayness is the mischief of choice. Alas, the naughtiness is largely reflected onto the more staid heroes.
Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) has the unenviable task of saving the family shoe business in a market that favours cheap imports over domestic craftsmanship. Desperate to unload a cancelled order at cost, he travels to London and stumbles upon female impersonator Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is coincidentally in the market for man-strong fetish boots. One hand washes the other and suddenly Lola is raising eyebrows in conservative Northampton designing the new line that just might save the business.
The film is as manipulative and cowardly as one might expect from the genre: though it makes some feeble motions to accepting difference and being tolerant, theres no getting around the fact that Lola is permitted to be gay so long as he stays unthreatening and without a mate. The benefits are largely reaped by the "to be enlightened factory floor workers, while a subplot involving Charlies greedy fiancée does more to jack up the stimulus/response, "root for the little guy theatrics.
To be sure, its well wrought for a film of its type, and is expert rather than fumbling in its manipulations. Plus, Ejiofor makes a meal of his loud-and-proud character, and if Edgerton cant compete I cant imagine what might upstage his co-star. But theres no denying that this isnt playing ball with the subject matter beyond making people feel smug about being tolerant.
Kinky Boots is politics as dinner theatre, which doesnt do anybody any serious good. This is one more Miramax attempt to take the edge off for the less adventurous "quality audience and the results suffer accordingly. (Alliance Atlantis)
Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) has the unenviable task of saving the family shoe business in a market that favours cheap imports over domestic craftsmanship. Desperate to unload a cancelled order at cost, he travels to London and stumbles upon female impersonator Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is coincidentally in the market for man-strong fetish boots. One hand washes the other and suddenly Lola is raising eyebrows in conservative Northampton designing the new line that just might save the business.
The film is as manipulative and cowardly as one might expect from the genre: though it makes some feeble motions to accepting difference and being tolerant, theres no getting around the fact that Lola is permitted to be gay so long as he stays unthreatening and without a mate. The benefits are largely reaped by the "to be enlightened factory floor workers, while a subplot involving Charlies greedy fiancée does more to jack up the stimulus/response, "root for the little guy theatrics.
To be sure, its well wrought for a film of its type, and is expert rather than fumbling in its manipulations. Plus, Ejiofor makes a meal of his loud-and-proud character, and if Edgerton cant compete I cant imagine what might upstage his co-star. But theres no denying that this isnt playing ball with the subject matter beyond making people feel smug about being tolerant.
Kinky Boots is politics as dinner theatre, which doesnt do anybody any serious good. This is one more Miramax attempt to take the edge off for the less adventurous "quality audience and the results suffer accordingly. (Alliance Atlantis)
