Bolan's Shoes

This story takes us on a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool to the present-day poignancy of what would have been Marc Bolan's 75th birthday. It captures the heady exhilaration of glam rock mania through the experiences of a group of over-excited kids from a local children's home before a devastating road accident changes their lives for ever. Years later, and still clinging to the adoration of her childhood idol, survivor Penny takes best friend and fellow Marc Bolan fan to visit his shrine in London but a chance encounter there catapults her back to the horror she had tried so hard to forget. Bolan's Shoes is a joyful celebration of Seventies culture and brims with the energy of that vibrant era but, like Marc Bolan's legacy, it's retro glitter is dimmed by the tragic repercussions of that deadly road accident. Light-hearted comedy and supernatural chills abound in this inspirational story that explores the enduring legacy of childhood trauma and the life-affirming power of music.

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CinemaSerf

Many years after a fatal road accident affected her own family, Marc Bolan super-fans "Penny" (Leanne Best) and her pal "Steffan" (Dylan Dwyfor) head to the site of Bolan's own fatality where there is to be a quietly reflective memorial on the 75th anniversary of his death by a few other stalwarts. It turns out that this site is maintained by an odd looking gent, "Jimmy" (Timothy Spall) - who wouldn't look out of place playing guitar in "Slade, and who upon seeing "Penny" promptly has some sort of fit. It turns out that they have a great deal more in common than you might expect and as the story unfolds we learn a little more about their own trauma and just how it affected the relationship and their lives. Now, aside from them all having attended a T-Rex concert back in the day, meeting the band and acquiring a pair of his glamorous shoes, this film really has very little to do with the legendary musician. It's a melodrama about a family that has faced and struggled to come to terms with tragedy, mental illness and denial - and though it's not bad, it's not especially unique nor interesting either. The ending is quite touching, though - and it will look fine as a gently engaging vehicle for Spall on the television at Christmas.

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