Kinky Boots
Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ewan Hooper
Volume 11, No. 40, April 6, 2006

PREDICTABLE and light-hearted, but hilarious British comedy.
Inspired by the true story of a Northhampshire shoe factory that turned from producing quality men’s footwear to stiletto boots for transvestites, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) who inherits his beleaguered century-old family business, Price and Sons, as it’s on the cusp of going broke.
In an effort to save it from bankruptcy and to protect the jobs of his employees, he decides to take drastic steps to secure a new niche market.
While on a trip to London looking for a lifeline for the factory, Charlie runs to the aid of a damsel in distress, who turns out to be Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an ex-boxer cabaret singer transvestite.
Lola takes Charlie to his back-alley cabaret nightclub where Charlie sees the crowd of man-ladies and makes the obvious observation (in terms of footwear).
Lola becomes Price and Sons’ chief designer and her impact on the small Northhampshire community and factory employees leads us, of course, on a predictable, but entertaining, journey.
Sensible beige makes way for tiger stripes and lusty red leather as the company’s transition to erotic women’s shoes for men evolves, which ends with a triumphant success on the catwalk of the Milan Shoe Fair.
You’ll see the twist at the end from a mile, but in all, it’s great entertainment.

– Cpl Damian Shovell.

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