Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Slick heist tale has peril, violence, and language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Lift (2024)
What's the Story?
Abby (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is an Interpol agent who has been after a criminal gang for years in LIFT. She's hot on the trail of band leader Cyrus (Kevin Hart) at a Venice art auction when a Van Gogh masterpiece disappears in London. Frustrated, Abby is convinced it's Cyrus's group, which also includes pilot Camila (Ursula Corberó), hacker Mi-Sun (Yun Jee Kim), safecracker Magnus (Billy Magnussen), engineer Luke (Viveik Kalra), and master of disguises Denton (Vincent D'Onofrio). Abby is commanded by her boss Huxley (Sam Worthington) to bring Cyrus and his gang in as accomplices on a plot to confiscate a shipment of gold that criminal mastermind Jorgensen (Jean Reno) is using to pay off a group bent on wreaking havoc by hacking into the power and other grids of major cities. But there are a lot of complications, top among them the fact that the shipment must be confiscated during a commercial flight and that Abby and Cyrus have their own, short-lived romantic history.
Is It Any Good?
Netflix should have no trouble finding an international audience for this kinetic heist caper featuring a conspicuously global cast. But viewers might also walk away disappointed by the thin characterizations in Lift. Why bother bringing in actors from around the world only to shortchange them on any meaningful dialogues or character traits? Beyond Hart and Mbatha-Raw, who make a compelling couple, we learn little about any of the stylish gang of bandits except that they consider themselves heroic for stealing from the wealthy. Nothing in this slick actioner feels particularly new, but it's fast-paced and watchable, and the mid-air fight scenes (and nosedives) could get your heart pumping.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether the characters in Lift, including those committing crimes, are glamorized, and how so. Can you think of other films that romanticize criminal life? What do you think of this?
How would this film have changed if the majority of the action took place on the ground instead of in the air on airplanes?
In your opinion, what is the appeal of the film's international cast and settings?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 12, 2024
- Cast : Kevin Hart , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Vincent D'Onofrio
- Director : F. Gary Gray
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , African American Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and action, suggestive material and some language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate