‘Lift’ Review: Kevin Hart’s Heist Movie is a Real Crowdpleaser

“I’m enjoying every second of this.” That’s what Kevin Hart’s self-assured art thief tells Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s nervous Interpol detective just as the flight on which they’ll attempt a near-gravity defying heist is about to take off in Netflix’s new action-thriller “Lift” and, truth be told, you’ll probably be singing the same tune when you watch it.

Despite doing very little to reinvent the wheel (even with an NFT subplot), this new crowd pleaser is so fast and fun that it’s sure to give family movie nights a jolt of excitement everywhere…even if the finished product feels a bit generic for tried and true heist film diehards.

“Lift” follows art heist boss Cyrus Whitaker (Hart), who enlists his motley crew of hackers, engineers, pilots, and masters of deception to help him steal priceless art all over the globe and resell it for a major profit on the black market. After an exciting auction robbery in Venice, Cyrus pulls together his team for the heist of the century: lifting $500 million in gold bars from a passenger aircraft mid-flight at the behest of Agent Gladwell (Mbatha-Raw), an Interpol detective determined to either get his help or lock him up for good.

Hart holds his own as a leading man, but once you meet his charismatic crew he almost fades into the background in favor of them. It’s somewhat of a shame because he isn’t half bad as a somewhat dramatic actor. He’s solid, but his supporting cast is miles better across the board.

There is both an obvious presence within and connection between this group that brings a fun levity to the film, in good and bad scenarios, as the plot flies forward—one that highlights how Hart’s character is the weakest link of the bond that makes them exciting to watch. The camera gravitates towards them, whereas Hart has much less magnetism.

Vincent D’Onofrio and Billy Magnussen stand out as the comic relief, leveraging that responsibility with wacky personal touches on their archetypes within the group. Even Magnussen’s overexcited schtick doesn’t wear out its welcome and instead works to serve the misfit undertone of the group dynamic. Ursula Corbero and Kim Yun-jee shine as the operation’s pilot and hacker, respectively.

They come off as some of the coolest women in a heist film in some time because they have this wild confidence that feels real every step of the way. Mbatha-Raw joins them in that fierce presence, bringing much of the film’s comedy through her uptight, take-no-shit police persona and she serves that attitude in her dialogue.

That said, not every casting choice makes for an enticing character in the end. Jean Reno, who is known for his fabulous work as Leon in 1999’s “The Professional,” is the movie’s unfortunately boring villain, made even more boring by the fact that the film spends considerable time trying to hype him up as a ruthless, bloodthirsty monster.

Reno simply isn’t right for the role screenwriter Daniel Kunka wrote and it lessens the impact of the movie’s pivotal third act. Interestingly enough, Sam Worthington, who plays Mbatha-Raw’s Interpol boss, is on many occasions scarier than Reno is, which feels strange since he’s supposed to be an ally to the operation. With these two roles a bit out of whack next to some solid performances the movie ultimately feels a bit tonally unbalanced.

F. Gary Grey’s directorial eye is sharp, though, and he understands how to frame action sequences to force an audience to get invested in the conflict emotionally. Even with a low-stakes film like “Lift,” the most casual of casual watches, that kind of engagement takes a story from background noise to main focus.

The movie’s writing isn’t fabulous, but the script is tight enough to keep the pace moving and retain the audience’s engagement in the face of some really silly lines. Pair that with some fun, choppy editing that makes each important plot point pop, and a few explosive set pieces that are simply impossible not to be enticed by and you’ve got yourself a film that moves.

“Lift” isn’t doing anything new or better than what came before it, but it’s fun for what it is. Sometimes it’s just nice to tune in, tune out, laugh out loud, gasp, yell at the screen, and enjoy a movie without having to think too hard. This amusing and exciting heist thriller seems to fill most of those essential film needs we have every now and then. For all your mindless movie nights ahead, may “Lift” bring you to 40,000 feet with a smile.

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