Embedded Files
Published on 5/29/2026
Written by: Braylon Mitchell
Directed by: Boots Riley
Cast: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Demi Moore, Lakeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, etc.
Plot: A group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven by stealing her clothes and reselling them at a lower price, what they call "fashion-forward philanthropy."
REVIEW
This film is an absolutely wild ride, even more so than the trailers and other reviews led me to believe. I won't spoil anything, but trust me when I say that this film captures a consistent level of pure goofiness and off the wall humor that it merits the comparison to that of feeling like the Looney Tunes. Purely cartoon logic is often followed to a hilarious degree with nearly nonstop visual gags, jokes, and borderline slapstick- all of which is comfortably at home within writer/director Boots Riley's maximalist style, the type of explosion of directorial style and unique voice that most filmmakers will go their whole life without having the courage to fully tap into. Fast paced flashy editing, wonderfully offbeat performances, agile camera movement, and at the center of the film brilliantly audacious sets and costumes that pop with enough colorful vibrancy to make a regular ol' Netflix original film look like the bottom of a barstool- this film is enormously characterized by its style and Boots Riley's willingness to go all out with his vision. Not to say the film is without substance though, as it is based strongly in a thematic pool. A pool that may be a bit shallow if you really stop to think about it, but is nonetheless effective because of how unapologetically prevalent it is. This film understands the truths of societal repression and the radical power of standing as a crowd to stand up against the weight of higher class corruption. Again, its call to arms messaging isn't anything we haven't seen done hundreds of times before, but when such a confident and stylized film adopts that spark of change and revolution as its heart, it works well. This film is the embodiment of bounciness, brave in its ability to be ridiculous and certainly in its fresh sense of originality. It's also possibly the funniest film of the year so far.
THREE BEST ELEMENTS
The costume design and production design. This film's costumes and production design were the elements that I had the highest expectations for based off what the trailers had shown off, and I'm happy to report that they surpassed my high expectations. Bursting at the seams with pure color and creativity in design, the costumes (which there are probably thousands of in this film) each emit nothing but wild imagination and boldness without ever once feeling too gaudy. The set pieces and art direction of the production design are in the same boat of wonderful creativity. Each location whether big or small stood out as memorable, and thoroughly detailed. From the outlet stores that are all each entirely designed in a bright color, to Christie Brown's apartment in a building slanted off balance like a funhouse, to the pink filled Chinese factory- they're all brilliantly designed. The costumes and production design of this film are simply wonderful.
The ensemble. Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Poppy Liu give fantastic performances as our main characters in the Velvet Gang. Demi Moore, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and especially Lakeith Stanfield (one of the funniest actors working, in my opinion) are hilarious in their smaller roles.
The score. This film's score jumps out at you, its cartoony sound and playfulness is unlike any other score I've heard recently. I mean, kazoos are used in this score. Kazoos!
WORST ELEMENT
The film's plot is all over the place, which both felt like a quality at times and at other times felt like a deterrent. Either way, the film is admittedly aware that its story is a mess.
RATING
8/10
You should watch it, buddy!
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