Kinky Boots

Charlie Price is trying to rescue the floundering Northampton shoe factory after his father's death. He aims to secure the business and preserve jobs amid mounting pressure from investors. The factory's uncertain future looms large over his leadership and the town alike.

On a business trip to London to sell extra stock, Charlie intervenes when a woman is harassed by drunken hoodlums, risking his safety. The encounter leaves him dazed, and he wakes up backstage in Lola’s dressing room. There he meets Lola, the drag queen alter ego of Simon, sparking a new curiosity about his future.

Charlie realizes how drag performers rely on sturdy, well-fitting footwear when he sees high heels snap easily. He begins to dream of designing high heels that accommodate a broader range of foot sizes and body types. This incident plants the seed for a niche product that could potentially save the factory.

Back in Northampton, Charlie contemplates layoffs while Lauren suggests pursuing a niche market product to rescue the business. The idea shifts the factory's path from mass production to specialized footwear. Charlie starts to recognize the potential in drag-queen boot designs.

Charlie recruits Lauren to help design a high-heeled boot for drag performers. They start turning Lola’s insights into real designs, though Lola remains wary at first. She eventually agrees to join as a consultant to guide the project.

Lola’s bold persona initially unsettles many male employees, while Charlie’s relationship with Nicola deteriorates as she pushes him to sell to a developer. The factory atmosphere grows tense as the new direction meets resistance. Lola's presence becomes a flashpoint in the struggle to keep the business afloat.

Lola softens her approach and begins to make friends within the factory, easing some of the tension. Productivity improves as workers warm to the collaboration. The team starts to see a viable path forward for the business and the boots project.

Charlie is invited to showcase the new boots in Milan, a high-pressure moment that tests loyalties and endurance. The strain leads to a mass walkout by many workers, including Lola, threatening to derail the project. The factory's morale sinks as the trip looms.

Nicola arrives at the factory furious about a second mortgage Charlie took to save the company and urges him to sell. Their argument is broadcast over the plant's PA system, fueling further discord. Don, a chauvinistic worker, overhears and begins to plot anew.

Don undergoes a change of heart after Lola allows him to win an arm-wrestling match, turning him into a catalyst for unity. He rallies the workers to push through production so the boots can be ready for Milan. The factory begins moving toward a coordinated effort despite earlier tensions.

Charlie catches Nicola with another man, triggering a volatile outburst that he directs at Lola. Enraged by the confrontation, Lola quits the project, leaving Charlie with fewer allies at a critical moment. The leadership crisis deepens just as Milan approaches.

In Milan, Charlie has to model the boots himself because there’s no one left to wear them. He trips and falls on stage, but Lola and her drag-queen entourage arrive with a spectacular runway show that saves the presentation. The crowd erupts, and the boot line is salvaged.

Lola headlines her own show and sings a tribute to the Northampton kinky boots factory, drawing most of the key workers to attend. Charlie and Lauren, now a couple, celebrate the revival of the business and the jobs it's saved. The ending ties together romance, friendship, and a successful factory turnaround.