Critics Have Seen Netflix’s Lift, And They’re All Saying The Same Thing About Kevin Hart’s Heist Comedy
Will you be streaming this this weekend?
Kevin Hart has stayed busy in front of the camera, with 2023 providing fans of the comedian with the action-comedy Die Hart, more conversations with fellow celebs on his Peacock show Hart to Heart and the popular documentary Headliners Only with Chris Rock. Don’t think he’s slowing down in the new year, either, because his newest offering Lift is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Critics had the chance to screen the movie ahead of its release, so let’s see if this is one you’ll want to fire up this weekend.
Teaming up with The Fate of the Furious director F. Gary Gray, Kevin Hart stars in Lift as Cyrus, a criminal mastermind whose crew is trying to pull off a $500 million heist during an international flight. Let’s get to the reviews, with Molly Edwards of GamesRadar saying that Hart gives a surprisingly low-key performance in a funny but by-the-book action flick. Edwards rates the film 3 stars out of 5, writing:
Erick Massoto of Collider gives the movie a 2 out of 10, questioning the decision to make Kevin Hart’s character the only serious one. The supporting cast isn’t up to carrying the comedy, Massoto says, and while Hart is still entertaining to watch, the heist itself is “okay at best.” The critic continues:
Samantha Bergeson of IndieWire says it’s difficult to think of Lift as anything but a paycheck for Kevin Hart, as F. Gary Gray’s movie plays out like a color-by-numbers parody. The critic grades the movie a D+, writing:
Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com rates Lift 2 stars out of 4, admitting that the movie’s premise is interesting enough, but the lack of any character development makes it difficult to care whether or not the heist is successful. Lemire says:
Kenneth Seward Jr. of IGN gives the film a “Mediocre” 5 out 10, also saying there’s nothing here to make home audiences remember the movie once they’ve returned to the Netflix home screen. Lower your expectations for this one, Seward says, because the potential of the talented cast and fun premise remains unfulfilled. The critic continues:
These critics all seem to agree that Lift doesn’t deliver as wholeheartedly as they would have liked. However, an under-two-hours streaming option starring Kevin Hart will still be worth checking out for many. If you would like to give it a go, Lift is available to stream now, and be sure to check out what else is new and coming soon to Netflix. You can also start planning your next trip to the theater by checking out our 2024 movie calendar.
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Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.