Bolan’s Shoes Review: Childhood Escapism in the Glam Rock Era

Jasmine Howard

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This article contains spoilers for Bolan’s Shoes

Bolan’s Shoes (2023) perfectly captures the childish wonder of a young girl witnessing the extravagance of 1970s glam rock for the first time. Director Ian Puleston-Davies contrasts a sense of the incomprehensible with the horrors of adulthood and the reality of the world beyond hippie escapism.

CHILDHOOD ESCAPISM

Right off the bat, Puleston-Davies gives us something unusual — sound but no picture. What we hear emulates a radio show, giving us our first taste of the titular Marc Bolan. Once the picture does appear, however, you’re in awe of the Wes Anderson-esque colour schemes and seemingly dream-like picture quality.

This fun, psychedelic experience soon turns into a nightmare when a bus transporting children home from a T. Rex concert to a Liverpool orphanage crashes into a tree. The driver is fatally distracted by a firework being lit in the back seat by protagonist Jimmy. While several people are killed, siblings Jimmy and Sadie as well as their friend Penny all survive the crash.

Suddenly, we’re transported to Wales and back to that fantastical, childlike vibe. Here the film appears to be in soft focus, exacerbating the dreamlike feeling evoked from the start.

It’s not until the film’s ending that you realise the significance of this illusive state — it all makes sense eventually, as the ending proves rewarding.

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Fast forward to the present day and crash-survivor Penny’s (Leanne Best) obsession with T. Rex, and Marc Bolan in particular, is evident in her annual pilgrimage to London where she visits Bolan’s roadside crash memorial, even years later. Not only that, but she owns one of the shoes Bolan wore that very night in the 1970s.

During her pilgrimage, Penny is reunited with a grown-up Jimmy (Timothy Spall), who has since been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and is living in a dilapidated caravan. As the narrative progresses, the importance of the relationship between Jimmy, Penny and Sadie and their secrets is revealed.

WHAT’S WITH BOLAN’S SHOE?

The shoe that previously belonged to Bolan could represent a number of things. Its sparkly, over-the-top appearance and Penny’s desperation to keep it close to her could signify the way she clings to the hope of a better life. In a way, it’s like a security blanket for her. Nothing can go wrong, and she can maintain her ‘perfect life’, so long as she has that shoe.

Alternatively, the shoe could represent her childhood, particularly before the crash.

“The beauty of this film is that there’s so much scope for you to infer things for yourself”

Perhaps, it’s the only part of Sadie she has left. She can change everything about herself to become Penny but so long as she’s got the shoe, there’s still some part of Sadie always with her. The beauty of this film is that there’s so much scope for you to infer things for yourself.

Puleston-Davies has hit the nail on the head with the dialogue-to-music ratio. In fact, for much of the film, especially during the tense, uber-emotional parts, there’s no background music at all. The lack of background music focuses your attention on what Penny says during her confession. Somehow, the clock ticking and the birds tweeting sound disproportionately loud, making you feel unsettled. There’s no way you can predict what she’s going to say next.

‘SENSITIVE AND EMOTIONALLY RAW’

Bolan’s Shoes deals with the difficult themes of survivor guilt, living with schizophrenia, death, and childhood trauma. However, it does so in a way that is both sensitive and emotionally raw. Each character is multi-dimensional and incredibly well-written, allowing the audience to grow attached to their lives and to root for them. It’s not uncommon to find yourself waiting on every single word with bated breath.

“Be prepared to laugh, cry, and come away feeling like you’ve gained something from this eye-opening movie.”

There is one scene that will no doubt cause the tears to fall. We join Jimmy during a schizophrenic episode. He sees himself as a child, who tells him he’s evil for causing the bus crash which killed two children. This hallucination tempts Jimmy towards a cliff edge, convincing him that he’s better off dead.

It is clear that Puleston-Davies has thoroughly conducted his research on this complex mental health disorder, as well as its potential effects on loved ones. The clever camera work really makes you believe that Jimmy has gone through with an irreversible act, creating a scene that is emotionally charged from start to finish.

A HAPPY ENDING?

You’ll have to see for yourself whether this complicated protagonist manages to achieve a happy ending. Regardless, this rollercoaster ride of a movie will have you on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting its conclusion. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and come away feeling like you’ve gained something from this eye-opening movie.

Sometimes we all just need a little escapism and our own Bolan’s Shoe.

Catch the screening of Bolan’s Shoes, followed by a Q&A session with director Ian Puleston-Davies, at The Storyhouse on Wednesday 18th October at 8:30pm.

READ MORE:

• RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE: A FILM THAT WILL MAKE ‘HISTORY, HUH?’

• FILM REVIEW: THE DIVE (2023)

• ‘TWO WEEKS AGO’: MAISIE PETERS OPENS UP HER HEART

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Image courtesy of Strike Media. No changes were made to this image.