57
Metascore
31 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Philadelphia InquirerSteven ReaPhiladelphia InquirerSteven ReaThis pleasant but predictable affair does one thing very well: showcasing the versatility of Chiwetel Ejiofor. The London actor can be seen as Denzel Washington's detective sidekick in "Inside Man." Watch him chomp down on a New York accent with Washington, and then watch him as Lola (a.k.a. Simon), a cabaret performer in makeup, wig and wild gowns. That's acting.
- 70Chicago ReaderJ.R. JonesChicago ReaderJ.R. JonesNeatly scripted by Tim Firth and Geoff Deane, this sticks to the "Full Monty" formula of starchy working-class types learning to loosen up about sex, but Julian Jarrold's sincere, low-key direction erases any sense of artifice.
- 70L.A. WeeklyChuck WilsonL.A. WeeklyChuck WilsonKinky Boots is diverting, but it's only worth shouting about thanks to Ejiofor' quietly subversive take on what has become a stock movie character.
- 67Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerChristian Science MonitorPeter RainerThe best reason to check the film out is Ejiofor's performance, which is packed with grace and wit and pathos.
- 63Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversDon't worry. It just sounds like another bad Sharon Stone movie. Kinky Boots trips on its contrived plot, but this blend of trash and sass is a comfy fit.
- 60VarietyDerek ElleyVarietyDerek ElleyA 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.
- 60The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenAll 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.
- 58Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumThe 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.
- 50Village VoiceVillage VoiceBoots is unforgivably tame; only foot fetishists (or possibly Imelda Marcos) could get off on such desexualized, PG-13-rated fare.
- 42The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinKinky Boots doesn't seem to realize that its time came and went long, long ago.