REVIEW: ‘Lift’ Soars with Heart

Kevin Hart continues to surprise audiences with each new film release. In his recent Netflix projects, he has showcased versatility by moving beyond slapstick comedy into family comedy, romantic comedies, and even emotionally impactful roles that have left audiences teary-eyed within the first 10 minutes. Now, Hart ventures into the world of heist films, bringing his signature charm to the screen with Lift (2024). Directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Daniel Kunka, a skilled group of criminals led by Cyrus Whitaker (played by Kevin Hart) is enlisted for a daring mission—to steal $500 million in gold from a passenger plane. The catch? They must execute the heist mid-flight at 40,000 feet.

To be upfront, if I hadn’t been watching Lift (2024) for this review, I might have considered turning it off within the first 10 minutes or relegating it to a background movie. The film kicks off with Cyrus’s team pulling off a heist involving an NFT, or more precisely, the artist who has created the NFT within a virtual reality setting. While this initially elicited an eye roll, my main issue was the lack of a real connection to the characters, featuring both familiar and unfamiliar actors as it tried to play off that these characters were not part of Cyrus’s team.

The prolonged introduction focuses more on showcasing sophisticated thief technology than developing any personality for the characters. The 11-minute opening scene, marked by more coy smiling than actual acting, initially put me off. However, as the cast begins to interact, genuine connections emerge, making every character likable, which is a feat given the size of the ensemble.

In a heist film with a premise as absurd as Lift (2024), the success hinges on the cast, and in this case, it works. Kevin Hart leads a vibrant cast, including Vincent D’Onofrio as Denton, the master of disguise; Úrsula Corberó as Camila, the pilot; Yun Jee Kim as Mi-Sun, the hacker; Billy Magnussen as Magnus, the safecracker; and Viveik Kalra as Luke, the Engineer. Although these characters don’t get as much screen time as one would hope, the actors clearly enjoy their roles, and the dialogue flows smoothly. It’s evident that this team has a history together and isn’t just a newly formed group assembled by Cyrus. On their trail is Abby, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, an Interpol agent dedicated to stopping art thieves.

Abby faces the risk of losing her case while pursuing Cyrus for Interpol. However, the situation takes a twist when Interpol makes it known the man they are after is planning a global terrorist attack and needs her assistance to steal gold. To keep it discreet, she must turn to her ex-fling, Cyrus, to carry out the heist off the books. In exchange, all of Cyrus’s team’s past crimes will be expunged, following Abby catching them in the opening heist after apprehending a crew member. The film hints at a brief and possibly complicated romantic history between Cyrus and Abby, influenced by their work. Despite this, it becomes evident early on that the film aims to foster a love connection between the two.

Cyrus attempts to encourage Abby to overcome her rigidity. In response, Abby shares a heartfelt story from her past, shedding light on why she is so passionate about being a cop dedicated to finding and busting stolen art. While Cyrus is initially willing to accept the situation, Abby accuses him of occasional manipulation by identifying her weaknesses and exploiting them. However, Cyrus seems genuinely sincere and expresses admiration for Abby. This marks the first step in making Cyrus a quite likable main character, making it easy for the audience to root for him, especially given the nearly impossible nature of the upcoming heist.

To achieve their goal, the team needs to hijack a plane, but not just any private plane – it’s one carrying 260 people. This leads them to a pre-heist montage where each team member demonstrates their potential in a somewhat improbable scenario. The most significant takeaway from this preparation work is that Cyrus is not only knowledgeable in all the fields covered by his team but also actively supports and helps them problem-solve, instilling confidence in each member. It further emphasizes the tight-knit nature of the team, with comedic moments arising from years of camaraderie. This stands in stark contrast to the real villains, who make a chilling on-screen appearance by feeding someone to a dog for talking to Interpol.

In the actual heist, the film embraces all the typical tropes found in heist movies. Despite having a solid plan, something inevitably goes wrong, leading to numerous twists and turns. The editing follows a traditional shot pattern, panning between different members as the heist unfolds and adjustments are made. Given Director F. Gary Gray’s work on the Italian Job, it’s not surprising how well these scenes work for not being on the big screen.

However, if there’s a weak point, it’s undoubtedly the fight scenes, which have more cuts than ideal for a modern action sequence. With that said, it’s evident that the budget was allocated to the most significant spectacle pieces of Lift. The sequence in the opening of the film introduces tech and physics-defying stunts that set the tone for the heist. The film does enough exposition that while impossible to do in reality, make enough sense in the context of the film that asked you to ignore physics early on.

By the end of Lift, the expected happy ending is delivered, but more importantly, it feels worthwhile. The film successfully portrays the heroes as ones to root for, blending charm and endearing moments of comedy. What becomes more surprising is Kevin Hart’s portrayal of Cyrus. Known for his eccentric comedy, in Lift, he trades that in for a role as less of the funny guy and more of a suave talker with a heart of gold. This showcases a different side of Kevin Hart as an actor and gives promise for his future roles on Netflix outside of comedy.

If Lift (2024) had been in theaters, I probably wouldn’t have chosen to watch it. However, from the comfort of my home and with the lighthearted nature of the ensemble, the film is endearing enough that I found myself bobbing my head by the time the credit rolled. At the end of the day, I am sure that is the feeling Kevin Hart is hoping for. If Netflix decides to make this ensemble a recurring thing, I would definitely hit play on a sequel just to see this charming crew carry a film across a right hour and a half runtime.

Lift (2024) is streaming exclusively on Netflix on Friday, January 12, 2024.