Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' Blends Fashion Heist with Socialist Surrealism

Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' presents a surrealist comedy with socialist themes, centering on a group of Black women shoplifters known as the Velvet Gang. They target the upscale Metro Designers, owned by Christie Smith (Demi Moore), in the Bay Area. The story revolves around Mariah (Taylour Paige), Sade (Naomi Ackie), and their ambitious leader, Corvette (Keke Palmer), who aspires to break into the fashion industry. Utilizing a white decoy to divert attention from sales staff, they face Christie's derogatory remarks, calling them 'low-class urban bitches,' which only strengthens their determination. Corvette uncovers that Christie is plagiarizing designs from Instagram. The gang receives support from Violeta (Eiza González) and Mansion (Najah Bradley). While the film critiques capitalism and racism, akin to Riley's previous work 'Sorry to Bother You,' it suffers from an overly extended plot and lingering unresolved issues.