By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: DeMane Davis | Khari Streeter
Starring: Barbara Montgomery | Eugene Byrd | Kerry Washington | Lonette McKee
Country: united_states
Year: 2002
Running time: 85
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0246037
Michael says:”LIFT takes the viewer into the world of ‘boosters,’ or professional shoplifters to the rest of us. Set on the streets of Boston and Roxbury, Kerry Washington, so loved in OUR SONG, plays Niecy, floor manager of an upscale department store a la Macy’s, who is also the best ‘booster’ in the area. Using fake credit cards, Niecy shops in the most exclusive boutiques lifting and the selling the latest fashions to her eager clients. When she teams up with Christian, a dangerous criminal who runs a theft ring, to make a score that’s beyond her capabilities, her world turns upside down.
“The film is really all about a monther-daughter relationship, as Niecy works tirelessly trying to please her emotionally distant mother. While planning the job that will find her in possession of a diamond necklace that she wants to get for her mother, she must also contend with her pot-smoking boyfriend, who is also the father of her newly conceived child.
“LIFT was a mixed bag. In some areas, it surpassed my expectations, while in others, it fell flat. As directors, Davis and Streeter have a terrific eye, and have constructed a visual film with taut pacing, and absorbing sequences. The scenes of Niecy ‘boosting’ are magnificent beautiful, set to popular classical pieces, they are akin to ballet.
“As a writer, Davis needs a little work. As a plotter, there’s nothing wrong here. As I mentioned, the pacing was terrific, and the storyline absorbing. Where Davis falls short is in her dialogue. Unfortunately, this was most noticeable in the emotional scenes, where the realness of the dialogue turned into the cliches of bad b-movies. Really a shame, as the forced, cliched dialogue threatened to take away from the performances.
“And speaking of performances, that Kerry Washington, so honest and well-liked in OUR SONG, really shows her stuff in LIFT. Her Niecey is strong, tough, beautiful, emotionally vulnerable, smart… basically a three-dimensional person. This woman could easily follow the footsteps of Halle Berry, in less time since she has already proved that she can act.
“So, while LIFT isn’t flawless by any means, it was a strong film from a pair of talented and developing filmmakers. I’m really hoping that the Brattle plays LIFT for a weekend so it can be eligible for nominations. Kerry Washington deserves a nod for LIFT.” 3 1/2 cats