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Kinky Boots closes out the Drag Queens triple. It tells of a business owner and a drag queen coming together to revive a business on the rocks. Will these Kinky Boots be the savior or the nail in the coffin.
Kinky Boots:
Charlie (Joel Edgerton) has been brought up to take over the Price & Son’s shoe factory. But he is not sure about it. He and his fiancee Nicola (Jemima Rooper) are set to live their lives in London. But Charlie’s dad passes. He cannot let the family legacy end. So they move back to Northampton and he begins to muddle his way through leading the factory. He discovers that the huge order they are working on is cancelled. He goes to London to try and sell the shoes but finds no luck. The distributers are buying shoes made overseas that are cheap and wear out quickly. Price’s quality long lasting shoes can’t compete.
Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor) has been struggling her whole life against her father’s expectations of his son. She has become a drag queen and has a club where she entertains. But she is still harassed. On the street some guys harass her and Charlie tried to come to her rescue. But he gets knocked down and out but not before seeing her shoes. He awakes in her dressing room. She is lamenting how the boots and shoes she has always break and are uncomfortable. Charlie sees her show and then leaves.
Back in Northampton, he tells Nicola they have to scale back the wedding. He has to let 15 people go because business is so bad. One Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts) tells him they should switch to make a niche product. He has an idea and he gets Lauren and they go see Lola’s show. Charlie wants to design women’s shoes that can stand up to and are made for men’s feet and weight.
He goes back and with Lauren’s help makes the first pair. Lola is not content to wait and comes to the factory. He sneaks her in she goes ballistic over the color and style and the whole factory can hear. She wants heals and red. The factory workers are taken aback at Lola, particularly Don (Nick Frost). When he finds out Lola’s a man he is over the edge. Lola designs a boot and Charlie and the crew find a way to make it. Lola starts designing for them.
Lola and Charlie bond over their dad’s expectations for them and more. Meanwhile Nicola is working with a developer to buy the building and turn it into living space. When she reveals it to Charlie he is upset. He decides to stop all other production and just produce the kinky boots in time for the international shoe show in Milan. He even puts a second mortgage on the house to pay for the runway time. Nicola is finds out and is furious and walks out on him. But Lola makes sure Don hears the conversation and how Charlie is standing up for the workers.
Lauren talks with Charlie and they get back to the factory. They find the people hard at work. Don has seen what Lola struggles through. He also sees how Charlie cares. He rounded up the workers to make the kinky boots before the show. Charlie and Lola are to meet for a business supper to discuss Milan. The developer and Nicola are there on a date and run out when Charlie arrives. He confronts Lola out of fear and insecurity caused by the loss of Nicola.
Lauren, George and Charlie head to Milan. Charlie finally tells them the truth about Lola and the confrontation. He is prepared to put on the show since he messed up. He comes out on the catwalk and fails, but Lola and the Angel Boys show up (thanks to his apology voice mail to her) and save the day. Charlie and Lauren realize their love in the midst of all this. The show was a success. Lola is leaving the Angel Club to design shoes full time with the Price factory now rechristened the Kinky Boot factory.
Summary:
This triple was challenging to me. But I think I appreciated this movie the most. Kinky Boots does deal with drag queens, but it mostly deals with expectations and standing up for who you are. It is about people. The quote from Lauren “Maybe you judge what you leave behind by what you inspire in other people.” Some things to think about!
Add It To Your Library:
Get the movie on iTunes
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Music:
The movie soundtrack contains songs from the movie and famous ones. Here is Nancy Sinatra with “These Boots Are Made For Walking.”
Buy the soundtrack here (from Amazon) or on iTunes.
Name That Movie:
The clue this week was: Jumping from last time and Billy Crystal in Monsters, Inc. this time we’re moving to Billy Crystal and Robin Wright in this 1987 fairy tale of a story shared by a Grandfather and Grandson.
Which lead us to the following movie: The movie is “The Princess Bride.”
The next triple: “The Princess Bride.” introduces our next Triple, Most Quotable Films, Volume 1! We will be getting into “The Princess Bride,” “Casablanca,” and “Animal House.” Get your feedback and favorite quotables into us right away!
Support:
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Feedback:
Send in your Triplecast ideas, thoughts, memories and feedback by calling 304-837-2278 or by visiting www.goldenspiralmedia.com/feedback
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