Lift, Netflix’s 2024 heist comedy directed by F. Gary Gray and led by Kevin Hart, aims high—literally—delivering a daring mid-air gold heist packed with glossy production values and star power, yet ultimately coasting on charm more than substance.
Kevin Hart stars as Cyrus Whitaker, a suave art thief whose refined style is a departure from his typically broad comedic persona. He masterminds a globe-spanning team—an ace pilot, a hacker, a safecracker, a master of disguise, and an engineer—to perform a heist worth half a billion dollars in gold aboard a plane cruising at 40,000 feet. Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Interpol agent Abby Gladwell, a former love interest whose reluctant alliance with Cyrus sets the film’s wheels—or rather, jets—in motion.
The setup is audacious: intercepting a gold shipment mid-flight, diverted via a secondary jet shadowing the airliner—a concept so implausible it borders on absurd, yet that improbability is part of the movie’s appeal. The action whisks through beautiful locales—Venice, London, Northern Ireland—adding cinematic flair if little narrative depth.
The film shines brightest when it embraces its slick, escapist spirit. The ensemble cast is brimming with charisma, and Hart dials down his trademark energy in favor of a cooler, more calculated performance. His attempt to play the mastermind rather than the comic relief feels refreshing, even if the script doesn’t always give him enough depth to make the transformation entirely convincing.
Director F. Gary Gray brings his seasoned touch to the action sequences, staging them with polish and momentum. The heist itself, unfolding mid-air, is well choreographed and engaging to watch, even if the logistics of it all demand a suspension of disbelief bordering on the ridiculous. Still, there is undeniable pleasure in seeing a film lean into its own stylish excess.
Where Lift stumbles is in its lack of character development and narrative weight. The team members are sketched broadly, their quirks and talents introduced with little more than shorthand. The romance between Hart and Mbatha-Raw provides a spark but never feels fully realized. The film’s pacing, while brisk, leaves little room for emotional beats to land, resulting in a story that feels disposable once the credits roll.
That said, Lift succeeds as glossy entertainment, especially for those who crave the familiar rhythms of the heist genre. It offers humor, spectacle, and enough charm to fill a Friday night, if not much more. The aerial set pieces are inventive enough to keep the film engaging, and the chemistry among the cast helps smooth over its narrative shortcomings.
In the end, Lift is a polished mid-air joyride with no pretensions beyond delivering a fun escape. It won’t redefine the heist genre, but for viewers in need of effortless, globe-trotting thrills with a dash of star wattage, it’s a serviceable in-flight snack. Enjoyable, stylish, and light on brainpower, Lift doesn’t quite take off into greatness, but it glides with enough flair to pass the time.
