Movie · 2005 · Comedy, Drama, Music · 1h 47m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 2.2/10 (23K ratings)
How far would you go to save the family business?
Overview
Charles Price may have grown up with his father in the family shoe business in Northampton, central England, but he never thought that he would take his father's place. Charles has a chance encounter with the flamboyant drag queen cabaret singer Lola and everything changes.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.2/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 58%
Metacritic: 57
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Julian Jarrold
Production
Miramax, Harbour Pictures
Cast
Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sarah-Jane Potts, Nick Frost, Linda Bassett, Jemima Rooper, Robert Pugh, Ewan Hooper, Stephen Marcus, Mona Hammond, Kellie Bright, Joanna Scanlan, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Leo Bill, Gwenllian Davies, Joe Grossi, Barry McCarthy, David MacCreedy, Josh Cole, Ilario Bisi-Pedro
Where to watch
fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
Curator Review
Verdict
A warm, crowd-pleasing underdog story with a strong central performance and an easy emotional payoff, but it leans heavily on familiar feel-good beats and can feel uneven in its balance between workplace comedy and queer character study.
Best for
Viewers who like inspirational British dramedies
Fans of drag-centered stories with mainstream accessibility
Audiences looking for a sincere, uplifting ensemble film
People who enjoy transformation-through-friendship narratives
Skip if
You want sharper satire or more subversive queer storytelling
You dislike formulaic feel-good arcs
You prefer musicals with more consistent energy and polish
You are looking for a romance-forward story
Overview
Kinky Boots works best as a mainstream bridge film: it packages a queer story, a class-conscious workplace comedy, and a redemption arc into something broadly accessible. The movie’s greatest asset is Chiwetel Ejiofor, who gives Lola real charisma, pain, and authority; the film never fully deserves how good he is, but it benefits enormously from him.
Worth noting
The emotional shape is familiar, and the script sometimes over-relies on tidy contrivances and broad character turns. Still, the film has enough charm, sincerity, and social warmth to make its message land. It is especially effective when it focuses on mutual respect rather than easy punchlines.
Bottom line
As a feel-good British dramedy, it’s pleasant and often winning, even if it rarely surprises. If you’re in the mood for something accessible, affirming, and performance-driven, it’s an easy recommendation; if you want bite, edge, or deeper complexity, it may leave you wanting more.
Top Letterboxd reviews
nanci (3★) · 844 likes
Britain might be a bit a shit but no one can say that we aren’t good at making movies about closed minded English people from small towns learning to accept the lgbt community.
Kate · 500 likes
me, on my deathbed: ....but why didn't Charlie and Lola end up together
\milo (3.5★) · 390 likes
DA KINKY?
Vicky Cox (3★) · 335 likes
Charlie suddenly turning into a dick was ridiculous and lazy, other than that it was a good film.
1996 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 59m · R · Curator 7.8/10 (359.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
A mainstream queer comedy that balances farce, affection, and family acceptance.