“I Love Boosters,” Reviewed: A Socialist-Surrealist Shoplifting Fantasy
Boots Riley's film "I Love Boosters" presents a comedic take on the redistribution of luxury goods through the lens of a heist. Set in the Bay Area, it follows a trio of women known as the Velvet Gang who engage in shoplifting to achieve their personal goals. The film explores themes of race, class, and the fashion industry while delivering a vibrant visual experience.
- ▪The film features a trio of women shoplifters known as the Velvet Gang.
- ▪Each member of the gang has her own motive for participating in the heists.
- ▪The movie critiques the fashion industry and addresses issues of race and class.
- ▪Corvette, one of the main characters, aspires to be a designer and idolizes a celebrity designer.
- ▪The film is noted for its colorful visuals and inventive comedic elements.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Current Cinema“I Love Boosters,” Reviewed: A Socialist-Surrealist Shoplifting FantasyBoots Riley’s new film is an exuberantly inventive but overstretched comedy about the redistribution of luxury goods.By Richard BrodyMay 22, 2026In Riley’s caper, set in the Bay Area, a trio of women avenge fashion crimes.Illustration by Cynthia KittlerSave this storySave this storySave this storySave this storyOne of the most famous scenes in “The Devil Wears Prada” has always rung false to me—the one in which the editor Miranda Priestly lectures Andy, her unfashionable new assistant, on how trends trickle down from big-name designers’ exotic creations to Andy’s bargain-basement casuals.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The New Yorker.
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