Directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Kevin Hart and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Lift” spins a heist tale where a seasoned thief and his ex-Interpol Agent girlfriend join forces to snatch $500 million in gold bullion from an A380 passenger flight.

Despite featuring entertaining characters and enjoyable heist sequences, the film’s plot remains fairly elementary, concluding with a somewhat foreseeable twist. Kevin Hart impressively straddles comedic and action genres in the lead role, while Vincent D’Onofrio’s character, though compelling, feels underutilized in his limited screen time.

Running at a concise 90 minutes, “Lift” offers a breezy mix of humor and modest action. Nevertheless, the swift resolution in the third act leaves some loose ends, and the celebratory ending seems slightly unearned. The presence of a compelling character ensemble, somewhat overshadowed in the narrative, introduces an element of unrealism.

Despite these drawbacks, “Lift” provides an overall enjoyable experience. While not groundbreaking, it stands as a competently crafted, straightforward heist film. My viewing was pleasant, although it doesn’t incite an immediate desire for a revisit. I’d give it a rating of 3 movie tickets—a satisfactory cinematic outing, if not a memorable one.