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Kinky Boots Review

Movies.com Critics

1.0

Dave White Profile

How drag queens never are. Ever. Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 3.0
    57

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Mixed or average reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 50

    out of 100

    USA Today Claudia Puig

    It would be nice to be able to report that Kinky Boots is a kick in the pants. But this conventional, manipulative British import feels like a re-soled pair of shoes that unquestionably have seen their day.

    Read Full Review

  • 58

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

    The fact that this formulaically winsome movie, directed by British TV helmer Julian Jarrold, is based on product-line changes at a real Northamptonshire factory does little to freshen its approach.

    Read Full Review

  • 60

    out of 100

    Variety Derek Elley

    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.

    Read Full Review

  • 60

    out of 100

    The New York Times Stephen Holden

    All it wants is to divert you for about 100 minutes and leave you with the glow of vicarious comradeship, as blue-collar blokes and drag queens pull together to save the day. Foot fetishists will drool.

    Read Full Review

  • 60

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    This English heart-warmer isn't all that kinky. It's actually quite sweet-spirited, as well as unswervingly formulaic.

  • 70

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano

    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.

    Read Full Review

  • 75

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    The movie is in the naughty-but-nice British tradition in which characters walk on the wild side but never seem to do anything else there.

    Read Full Review

  • See all Kinky Boots reviews at Metacritic.com

For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 14+

Brit comedy is more warm and quirky than kinky.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that a main character in this movie, Lola, is threatened with violence and discriminated against because she's a transvestite and drag queen. Though this film stays light and quirky, it still raises very real questions about how far tolerance and acceptance goes, especially of boys who don't act in a masculine way. Both Charlie and his fiancé Nicola cheat on each other -- though neither has sex. Also, when Lola says she's a transvestite and drag queen, some teens are bound to ask what the difference is.

  • Families can talk about gender presentation and discrimination. How are people in your life treated for acting against gender type? Do you make fun of boys for acting feminine or mock girls for being stereotypically masculine? How does Lola deal with it, and how would you deal with it if people ostracized you in a similar way? What examples have you seen in the media of this kind of discrimination?

The good stuff
  • message true0

    Messages: Despite their obvious differences, Lola and Charlie strike up a warm and close friendship. Lola puts up with a lot of discriminatory and threatening behavior because of her gender presentation, and it makes her depressed. Nicola cheats on Charlie. Charlie kisses Lauren, even though he's engaged to Nicola.

What to watch for
  • violence false3

    Violence: Men harass and seem to be threatening Lola. Lola, trying to protect herself from the toughs, accidentally hits Charlie in the face with her shoe. Don menaces Lola and writes anti-gay epithets in the factory.

  • sex false3

    Sex: Lots of talk about boots being "irresistible, tubular sex." Some light kissing between Charlie and Lauren and Charlie and Nicola. Lola, a transvestite and drag queen, flirts with Don. Don yells come-ons to Lola before he knows she's a man. Brief and innocent sexy dancing.

  • language false3

    Language: Very little cursing, aside from British slang, like "bugger," "bloddy," and "sod off." Lola says the company may go "tits up." One use of "s--t."

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Considerable drinking, mostly of vodka by Lola. There's also drinking of beer in pubs and drinking of champagne.

Fan Reviews provided by

5

by QFLW

3

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2

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