Kinky Boots (2006)

"...quite enjoyable, effortlessly well-done on every level, even moving at times...  Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
"The best reason to check the film out is Ejiofor's performance...  Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
"...in the naughty-but-nice British tradition...  Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
""...quite enjoyable, effortlessly well-done on every level, even moving at times..."  "Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune"
"The best reason to check the film out is Ejiofor's performance...  "Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor"
"...in the naughty-but-nice British tradition...  "Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times"

Editor's Note Following in the tradition of such charming British fare as THE FULL MONTY, WAKING NED DEVINE, and CALENDAR GIRLS, Julian Jarrold's very funny KINKY BOOTS tells the story of a small-town shoe factory fighting for its life. Inspired by a true story, KINKY BOOTS is set in Northamptonshire, England, where Harold Price (Robert Pugh)--just as his father and grandfather did--runs Price & Sons, a which makes traditional men's shoes. Although the proud Harold tries to interest his son in the family business, Charlie (Joel Edgerton) has decided to move to the big city, London, with his fiancée, Nicola (Jemima Rooper), to get as far away from shoemaking as he can. But his father dies of a sudden heart attack, forcing Charlie to at least temporarily take over the shop. Faced with mounting debts, he starts laying off the longtime staff until he meets Lola (Chiwetel Ojiofor), a hulking black drag queen with a major footwear issue. Along with Joel's just-canned employee Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts), the trio comes up with a radical idea--making strong, sexy boots specifically for transvestites, with outlandish designs, bold colors, and unusual materials that would probably have the previous generations of Prices rolling in their graves. When Lola comes to Northamptonshire to help out, KINKY BOOTS becomes a fish-out-of-water tale as the straitlaced workers have to come to grips with some of their own issues. Both Edgerton and Potts are endearing in their roles, with good support from Nick Frost and Kellie Bright, but KINKY BOOTS belongs to Ojiofor (AMISTAD, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, INSIDE MAN), who is simply fabulous as Lola, strutting his stuff both in the factory and in a London club where he performs such songs as "Whatever Lola Wants" and "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'."

	Chiwetel Ejiofor
	Jemima Rooper
	Joel Edgerton
	Sarah-Jane Potts
	Adrian Johnston - Original Music By
	Eigil Bryld - Cinematographer
	Emma E. Hickox - Editor
	Geoff Deane, et. al. - Writer
	Julian Jarrold - Director
	Nick Barton, et. al. - Producer
	"Geoff Deane, et. al." - Writer
	"Nick Barton, et. al." - Producer

New York Times
"The versatile Mr. Ejiofor, seizing his opportunity, gnaws on this meaty role like a ravenous dog." 04/14/2006 p.E8

Los Angeles Times
"A humanist parable about how to be a good person, live a good life and make gallons of lemonade when life suddenly hands you lemons, it's predictably delightful and delightfully predictable." 04/14/2006 p.E9

Box Office
3 stars out of 5 -- "Ejiofor is deeply charismatic yet elegantly subtle....[With a] quirky wit and a genuine warmth..." 06/01/2006 p.61

Variety 9 of 10
"A London drag queen and a bunch of Midlands working stiffs find common ground and, uh, mutual respect in ""Kinky Boots,"" a slick, cross-tracks Britcom whose stride is hampered by its desire not to offend...Production values are high throughout, with working-class life in Northampton never looking so good, given the Miramax sheen. Widescreen photography by Eigil Bryld is rich-toned and well composed, and Adrian Johnston's score smoothly decorates the whole cake." - Derek Elley

Philadelphia Inquirer 8 of 10
"This pleasant but predictable affair does one thing very well: showcasing the versatility of Chiwetel Ejiofor. The London actor can be seen as Denzel Washington's detective sidekick in ""Inside Man."" Watch him chomp down on a New York accent with Washington, and then watch him as Lola (a.k.a. Simon), a cabaret performer in makeup, wig and wild gowns. That's acting. " - Steven Rea