DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 107 minutes, audio commentary, 4 deleted scenes with optional commentary, two featurettes

STUDIO: Miramax/ Harbour Pictures

RELEASE DATE: 9-5-2006

It amazes me that Chiwetel Ejiofor can play a bad guy in SERENITY and then be a drag queen cabaret singer in KINKY BOOTS. It is the trademark of a really great actor. KINKY BOOTS is inspired by the true story of a Northampton shoe factory (in England) called Trickers.

Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) takes over the running of the Price and Sons shoe factory to discover the company is facing bankruptcy. He decides to find a niche market to make the factory survive. His first encounter with a drag queen cabaret singer named Lola (Chiwetel Eijofor) inspires him to make boots for drag queens and soon Lola/Simon is brought on a consultant. Charlie faces opposition from some of his workers at first and yet the biggest thing in his way is his wife-to-be who wants him to sell the factory (so she can buy a fancy flat). One of his workers (Sarah-Jane Potts) has an interest in him.

KINKY BOOTS is a very entertaining and enjoyable. Chiwetel Eijofor steals every scene he is whether he is Lola or Simon. The thing I like about drag queens in movies is that they have the sense for the dramatic and want to stand out. The climax is my favorite part of it.

VIDEO: 2.40:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)

Transfer isn't bad, but I have seen better. It is good enough to enjoy the film. That is what matters. Image detail is good while colors (and black values) aren't bad.

AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, French 5.1 DDS

Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

Dialogue is clear and surround action is OK.

SPECIAL FEATURES: The film's audio commentary is with Director Julian Jarrold and Actors Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Eijofor, and Sarah-Jane Potts. It isn't a must listen audio commentary. It borders on the point of boring at times.

THE REAL KINKY BOOTS FACTORY is a featurette that focuses on the real factory (Trickers) that inspired the filmmakers to make KINKY BOOTS and the making of the film (the TRICKERS factory was closed for three weeks for the filming of the movie and some of the real workers were extras).

JOURNEY OF A BORGUE gets my vote for pointless featurette. The best extra of the disc are the four deleted scenes (with optional commentary by the director). I am glad the fourth scene was cut.

FINAL ANALYSIS: KINKY BOOTS in a very entertaining picture partly due to the scene stealing performance of Chiwetel Ejiofor.

this review is (c)9-4-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link to the review). Look for additional content at http://enterlinemedia.livejournal and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com