A group of shoplifters takes aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price- what they call “fashion-forward philanthropy.”
Boots Riley does not do subtle. With “I Love Boosters,” he’s done it again, turning political fury into surrealist comedy to produce an exuberant and chaotic film that practically begs its audience to stay on its wavelength. It doesn’t all come together perfectly, particularly when its wilder urges take hold, but there is a thrilling, all-American energy to watching an artist take these swings.
His new film, a story about an all-female group of thieves known as the Velvet Gang, follows them as they work their way through a variety of luxury and brand-name boutiques they loathe. Their goals-taking from what is seen as a wealthy structure they despise while dealing with their own issues of social status, consuming it and having it consume them, and trying to survive-are clear until they soon are plunged into a narrative that cannot be outlined without its fun and shock value.
The look of the film-directed and written by Riley-is nothing less than stupendous. Through meticulous color blocking in each setting, striking colors that adorn nearly all its walls, costumes, and props create the perfectly manicured, yet vibrantly charged, art pieces one encounters in this manic fantasy and reality. Combined with extremely clever production design, imaginative set props, and wild animated bits and puppet sequences, the film has so much substance that it nearly overshadows itself.
Its politics could not be more forthright. This is a film unabashedly and directly about the evils of Capitalism, brand logos, the exploitation found in retail, and the consumer aspect of living in society today, especially its effect on the individual psyche. The meaning of this movie isn’t meant to be taken by its audience through hints or indirectness, but rather yelled. Shouted.
It is delivered with a level of force many films wouldn’t dream of, and some parts of the joke land because of their speed and delivery; many of them also rely on making light of corporate gobbledygook, even when it takes itself rather seriously.
The lead performances of Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige are sensational. Each brings a different, effective dialogue flow as they perform together, and their energy helps stabilize the viewer through most of the film, especially during the dizzying on-screen effects at various moments. Palmer stands out as the lead who is somehow both cool and chaotic, and the sheer force she brings to making it clear she might want more out of life could save an unsteady narrative. But alas, some films are destined to fail narratively yet excel in other elements of cinema, and Ackie and Paige help cement these claims with equally strong performances.
The real danger to the film’s cohesiveness comes through its own madness: the more grounded story gets lost as demons and science-fiction devices become plot points, while characters begin a near all-day lecture session with the aid of various whimsical narratives they enter. Though parts of this side of the story and its illustrations are comedic and worth watching, these same concepts dismantle the characters the film initially makes you believe you’ll root for. “I Love Boosters” ends by pushing its characters so far down the rabbit hole that they appear insignificant beside their surroundings.
The film drags in its two-plus-hour runtime, with a significant chunk of that time spent explaining political aspects instead of letting the actions drive the story. Although there are valid points to be made within the narrative arguments presented, showing them instead of telling them would surely strengthen the message in Boots Riley’s passionate movie, as the characters themselves seem, at points, insignificant besides the grander arguments made in terms of both language and imagery.
Still, control is hardly the main issue here, and the story of “I Love Boosters” does not really collapse; instead, the film as a whole remains vibrant and daring regardless.
It’s Boots Riley. It is entertaining, outrageous, and politically charged. As said before, though you may find the story starts to get lost, it never really loses its identity or its unique style and flair.
Available on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™, and DVD September 22nd
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