"I Love Boosters" Will Steal Your Heart

Despite being a particularly star-studded year, no ticket was harder to get at South by Southwest 2026 than Boots Riley's I Love Boosters. The film only showed twice, leaving most of the festival devastated about missing it and the rest feeling like they were part of an exclusive club; the first in the world to see what would surely be one of 2026's most talked-about movies. Luckily for the former, the wait is over, with the film finally being released in late May. Despite being unanimously loved by audiences and critics alike, I Love Boosters hasn't been succeeding at the box office like expected. Which is a shame because those who make it to theaters will be treated to one of the most creative movies of the year, bursting at the seams with color, personality, and whimsy.

To understand I Love Boosters you first need to know what a booster actually is. A booster is someone who will steal from high-end clothing stores and resell them at a discounted price. In the film, young women Corvette, Sade, and Mariah (or The Velvet Gang) work as some of the Bay Area's most successful boosters, particularly fond of designer Christie Smith. After Corvette learns that Smith has not only stolen one of her designs but subjects her Chinese factory workers to abysmal conditions, the Velvet Gang swears to make things right, one boost at a time. The film features an all-star cast consisting of Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Lakeith Stanfield, Demi Moore, Will Poulter, Eiza González and Don Cheadle.

I Love Boosters is the second feature film from American director, Boots Riley after his debut Sorry to Bother You back in 2018. Not only is Sorry to Bother You a modern cult classic, it also happens to be one of my favorite movies of the past decade. Needless to say, expectations were through the roof for I Love Boosters. The moment I heard Lakeith Stanfield talk about it at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, it instantly became one of my most highly anticipated upcoming movies. While I don't think it is on the same level as Sorry to Bother You, it still blew me away.

Every cast member's performance is oozing with charisma, the heart and soul coming from Keke Palmer's Corvette who represents every dreamer out there hustling every day so they can live the life they've always wanted. Easily the most viral thing to come from I Love Boosters is the viral gif of Taylour Paige becoming lightskin to look less suspicious that has taken over Twitter. If that's your sense of humor, you should buy your tickets now.

I Love Boosters is a prime example of what happens when you give creative people the means to bring their vision to life. Everything about this film is so stylistic, vibrant, and an overall feast for the senses, both visually and auditory. From the art direction to the costume design to the cinematography to the VFX to the score makes I Love Boosters impossible to take your eyes off of. If I were to sum up the film in two words it would be: "delightfully maximalist."

Everything that made Sorry to Bother You is fortunately still present in I Love Boosters. The intense socially conscious message, strong-willed characters, absurdist humor, unique music, and a surprise supernatural element that's nothing short of ridiculous. Boots Riley and company are doing the absolute most. Special kudos are in order for costume designer Shirley Kurata, known for her Oscar-nominated work on Everything Everywhere All at Once, it's clear that she's paving her way as one of Hollywood's most original designers. In addition, the film's production designer, art director, and set decorators created something so stunning and original, I promise you have never seen anything like it. I would be genuinely shocked if this film didn't walk away with some serious prizes this upcoming awards season. In the words of SNL's Stefon "this movie has everything," practical effects, stop-motion, sci-fi gadgets, Eric André, there's something for everyone.

Without spoiling anything, I guarantee you have no idea where this film is going, it is about so much more than just shoplifting. Boots Riley's ideas are definitely unorthodox and what some might consider "out there." His tendency to introduce extreme twists can make or break his projects for some viewers, but if you are a fan of pure, unbridled creativity, he might just be your new favorite filmmaker. Make sure to catch I Love Boosters while it's still in theaters, it might just steal your heart.