I Love Boosters review: Keke Palmer shines in bonkers caper
If you’ve seen Boots Riley‘s previous film, Sorry to Bother You, you’ll know not to expect a straightforward, realistic movie. Just like Sorry to Bother You, I Love Boosters is bonkers and absurd and totally loses the plot in the final act.
The film follows the Velvet Gang, a group of shoplifters consisting of Corvette (Keke Palmer), Mariah (Taylour Paige) and Sade (Naomi Ackie). They run a criminal enterprise in which they boost clothes and sell them at discounted prices. They specifically target Metro Designers stores because Corvette has a personal vendetta against fashion designer Christie Smith (Demi Moore).
I really liked the initial story and what Riley had to say about capitalism, the inequality between the rich and poor and how the working class are routinely subjected to poor pay and conditions. It is also a visual feast thanks to the production design inside the colour-blocked stores and the group’s costumes, make-up and wigs. I really dug its visual quirks, vibrant colours, jaunty repeating score and the creative use of miniatures and stop-motion animation.
However, the wheels fall off in the third act and it becomes a mess that’s hard to follow. I knew there would be a sharp, weird turn because Sorry to Bother You had the same, so I wasn’t surprised. But still, it lost me after it descended into chaos and turned into a cartoonish caper. It becomes too absurd and weakens its powerful anti-capitalist message. I instantly felt less engaged, which is a shame because I had been really enjoying it.
In addition, it’s not as laugh-out-loud hilarious as I expected (it’s still frequently funny though) and the characters are just thinly drawn caricatures with amazing looks. I hoped for more depth, at least with Corvette, who gives us a glimpse into her loneliness and despondency. Palmer (who also sings on the soundtrack) is fantastic in this and I’m thrilled to see her leading more movies. Moore is also game as the villain, while Will Poulter is hilarious as the effeminate store manager in colour-blocked looks. Eiza Gonzalez, Poppy Liu and Lakeith Stanfield are solid additions to the cast, and see if you can spot Don Cheadle in heavy prosthetics.
I Love Boosters is a visual triumph that tells an absolutely bonkers anti-capitalism story. What a shame about that messy final act. Make sure you stay until the very end of the credits.
In cinemas from Friday 30th October