Kinky Boots
Studio: Buena Vista International, Miramax Films
Rated: PG-13
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts, Jemima Rooper, Ewan Hooper
Director: Julian Jarrold
WorkNameSort: Kinky Boots
Our Rating: 2.50
Those drag queens, they sure do show us stuffy straight folks how to think outside the wig box. That’s what happens in Kinky Boots, a marginal Britcom in which the sage advice of a London trannie (Chiwetel Ejifior) helps save a failing Northampton shoe factory. The setup scenes, in which inexperienced new owner Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) has to terminate a whole mess of people who are only technically his subordinates, represent the film at its most affecting: Talk about an omnipresent aspect of modern-day life that’s hardly ever shown on-screen. When it comes to identity politics, though, Kinky Boots (which opened this year’s Florida Film Festival) is about as deep as Mrs. Doubtfire, including a leading man/lady who tosses the word ‘sexâ?� around like it’s his/her last name but shows zero interest in actually having any of the stuff with anybody. (PG-13; opens Friday, May 26, at Regal Winter Park Village Stadium 20, 407-628-0035) ‘ SS
This article appears in May 24-30, 2006.