Let's be realistic.

Excellent, a Must See

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

KINKY BOOTS has become a Broadway sensation in 2013 with music and lyrics from Cyndi Lauper, while this original film is equally brilliant with a broad message of self-affirmation. Directed by Julian Jarrold (BECOMING JANE 2007, 7/10), it is another old-fashioned uplifting adult fairytale from UK, such as CALENDAR GIRLS (2003, 7/10), and THE FULL MONTY (1997), both exploit on the prudish nudity, but this film, based on a true event, is about a shoe factory owner Charlie (Edgerton) saves his family business by finding a niche market to design kinky boots for drag queens, with the help of a black transvestite Lola (Ejiofor), the story itself sounds outlandish, but the film is a thorough bliss to watch. Chiwetel Ejiofor is my current BEST ACTOR winner in 2013 for 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013, 9/10), and this is another spectacular performance in his résumé, his boxer physique and deep voice do not deter his transformation into Lola, a flamboyant cabaret singer, covered with heavy make-up and kitschy costume, but Ejiofor siphons Lola's vulnerability and sensitivity perfectly on the screen out of her ostentatious stage flair, which gives enormous warmth to keep the film afloat, in spite of many standard clichés about provincial prejudice towards the trans-gender minority and a bitch-faced girlfriend who will ultimately cheat on our protagonist. Edgerton's Charlie, is a traditional guy, craves for a normal family life and worries about that he could not live up to his father's expectation, his self-affirmation remedy is inspired by Lola but the film doesn't shy away from his own bias as well although the over-heightened drama between him and Lola does merely serve as a plot device rather than a sincere catharsis. Nick Frost and Linda Bassett play two among several working-class laborers in the factory, the former is basically for comic relief and the latter is devised to express her feistiness occasionally. Potts' Lauren is the good gal always standing behind the man's back and Rooper's Nicola is the unsupportive girlfriend with a uncomely bob hairdo.Narrative aside, the musical rendition from Lola steals the limelight every time, Ejiofor's voice is a bit too blunt and in lack of variety, but his diva aura is second to none. Cleverly and intentionally, Jarrold blurs the line of Lola's sexuality, we are in the era of non- discrimination of one's sexuality, so it doesn't matter in any rate, the film is a fairly accomplished musical, balanced with both drama and comedy elements, it is also a small picture with a big heart, terrifically accessible to audience, neither cringing-worthy nor patronizing, this alone, is worth the good words-of-mouth and a two-thumbs-up.

This quirky little film would be entirely enjoyable on its own. The story of the man who was not adept at his family business inheriting and saving the day with the assistance of the transvestite/drag queen, and winning the girl would be enough to satisfy the most ardent movie goer.But Kinky Boots was so much more. Joel Edgerton (Smokin' Aces) as Charlie Price was super as the son who inherited the family business. Expected to sell by his partner Nicola, played ably by Jemima Rooper (The Black Dahlia), Charlie came to realize that the fate of many people was in his hands. A solution fell into his lap and with grit and determination he risked everything to save the day.As Kipling said, "If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!"Charlie risked it all. He didn't lose, but he could have. I think Kipling would have rated him a man. What's more, since he risked it all for his workers, not himself, he is a great man.Chiwetel Ejiofor (Love Actually, Four Brothers, Children of Men) was Lola, who really made this film. He/she was brilliant as the creative genius behind the Kinky Boots factory. Lola was also a multi-faceted character that changed minds and hearts. Besides that, she could sing!Sarah-Jane Potts (National Lampoons Barely Legal, Felicity) was Lauren, the real prize for Charlie.It was also interesting to see show manufacturing in the film. I doubt if there are any more in the US, so we would have to go overseas or to a movie to see it. This film was based on a true story.

Kinky Boots is actually a very benign, tame film. The lead character, who is a cross dresser who performs at a nightclub, seems very aloof in the film even when on stage strutting his stuff. But as a man, he is not confident by his own admission and seems even more withdrawn.The problem I have with the film is just that-his remoteness. This is one of those films when a straight person is in the middle of a crisis of some sort and he accidentally stumbles across a drag queen who is going to blow into his life, glitter and sequins, and enlighten him, change his life and save the day! Something that has been done in better films like Too Wong Foo, which had much more punch. Why is it drag queens in films seem to sweep into a heterosexual's life and become the hero? Isn't this sort of tired? Haven't we seen this before? OK, this story is a bit different because the lead straight man works in a shoe factory that was owned by his family and they are in a funk because they keep making the same shoe year after year after year. Our drag queen is going to inspire a whole new series of shoes and guess what those shoes are? One thing I did not buy about this film was just that issue. The issue of the shoes. I've known several drag queens and if we are to believe that this drag queen has been at this business as long as they portray, I can tell you he would have already had the shoe issue down. This would not have been an issue at this point in his career. But, we need the shoe maker to make the new shoes and we need the drag queen to inspire a new line so we have Kinky Boots. Kinky Boots is not a bad film. But it is rather flat. Nothing too deep or new here. And oddly enough, nothing all that glitzy either which is what we all expect isn't it? When we have a drag queen in a movie? I think so. I think Frank N Furter would have been disappointed in this.

This movie takes place primarily in two sets, a drag night club and a shoe factory. The problem is, neither of these places is a very universally exciting place to be. I you absolutely loved your last visit to a drag night club, and Victor-Victoria is on your top movies of all time list, by all means this film is a must-see, especially for the fine work of Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays "Lola". The theme that appears repeatedly is lovely too, acceptance. Nevertheless, I have to say that the movie plods along sadly between the characters and unattractive sets, and never really catches fire, despite the drag dance numbers. The other main character Charlie, is played just a bit too drab and dumb for me, maybe its the non-britness of me, or the aussieness of the actor - I don't know. It's obvious that the movie needed a strong counter-character to Lola ("the best of both sexes"), and didn't get it in Joel Edgerton. I want to improve my rating, but the boring aspect of this movie pandering to our best instincts prevents me from doing so, and the movie really bombed with my family, not just with me.Another reviewer mentioned a connection with "The Full Monty" - if you liked that film, there is a relationship there, but in The Full Monty, the characters are actually trying to put an enterprise together, while the characters in this show are spending too much time working at cross-purposes and going in different directions. Perhaps that is meant to be symbolic of what the conflict between transvestites vs. non-transvestites is. In the end, it is only acceptance that allows the two sides to come together.