Boots Riley’s latest film, *I Love Boosters*, is a frenetic and unconventional take on the fashion industry, blending elements of fantasy, satire, and social commentary. Released in the UK on October 30 and scheduled for Australian cinemas on November 12, the movie centers on a group of young female shoplifters known as “boosters” who target the designs of a billionaire couture figure.

Demi Moore stars as Christie Smith, a wealthy fashion designer whose office occupies an architecturally distinctive city block. Despite her prominent role, Moore’s character appears more as a potent cameo within the film’s rapidly shifting narrative. Smith’s arrogance makes her the object of disdain for the boosters—Corvette (Keke Palmer), Sade (Naomi Ackie), and Mariah (Taylour Paige). Mariah possesses a surreal ability to transform herself into a white woman by holding her breath, a metaphor that touches on themes of racial identity and societal perception.

The boosters’ actions are driven by a Robin Hood-like ethos, as they shoplift clothing from upscale retailers and sell the items at drastically reduced prices. Their vigilante lifestyle becomes increasingly complicated through interactions with various figures in their community. Don Cheadle plays Dr. Jack, a charismatic self-help leader whose organization, they discover, is actually a pyramid scheme. Meanwhile, Corvette is drawn to a mysterious character, portrayed by LaKeith Stanfield, who reveals himself to be a demonic succubus, adding a supernatural twist to the storyline.

Conflict intensifies with the arrival of Jianhu (Poppy Liu), a rival thief from China wielding a magical portal ring that transports stolen goods directly back to underpaid factory workers producing the garments in poor conditions. Jianhu’s protest against Christie Smith’s exploitative labor practices forces an uneasy alliance between the Chinese thief and the boosters, propelling the group toward a complex moral reckoning.

The film’s kinetic pace and layered plot create a sensory-rich, sometimes overwhelming experience, moving quickly through surreal and often humorous sequences. While packed with ideas and social critique, the confined runtime leads to a compressed and chaotic storytelling style more akin to the high-energy structure of a limited series than a feature film.

*I Love Boosters* offers an audacious, if demanding, cinematic adventure that challenges viewers with its mix of comedy, fantasy, and sharp observations on fashion and capitalism.