Forceful ‘Lift’ Has Stolen Moments

Kerry Washington knows all about stealing. For her role in “Lift,” she had to learn how to shoplift. So it’s only natural that she walks away with nearly every scene in the independent film, which drew acclaim at the 2001 Sundance festival and premieres tonight at 8:30 on Showtime.

Co-written and -directed by DeMane Davis and Khari Streeter, “Lift” presents a cautionary tale about a young black woman who tries to fill the voids in her life with a flair for fashion and for crime. In her day job, the impeccably dressed Niecy (Washington) shows talent for designing displays at an upscale department store. But it’s also clear that her employee discount doesn’t compare with the five-finger discount at which she’s so skilled.

In stark contrast to the artless thugs who populate her Boston neighborhood, Niecy is a veritable Botticelli of the “boost”--a term for shoplifting used in the film, which shows her waltzing through chichi stores to the strains of “The Blue Danube” and other classical music while perpetrating credit card fraud or stuffing items under her girdle.

The stolen clothing supplements her income nicely; more important, it brings her popularity among her acquaintances and varying degrees of approval from her icy mother (Lonette McKee), Niecy’s most demanding customer. But Niecy’s striving for acceptance leads her to take on riskier heists.

Inevitably, one of those goes awry, unleashing consequences made worse by the fact that she has learned she is pregnant. Unfortunately, this is also where the film stumbles slightly from its gripping realism and where it delves a bit too melodramatically into a tale of abuse of three generations.

Despite these rough spots, “Lift” proves to be compelling viewing--if for no other reason than the efforts of a strong cast led by Washington, whom many are predicting to be on the verge of major stardom.

One note: Basic cable subscribers without Showtime needn’t resort to illegal activity to eventually watch “Lift.” BET plans to show it, possibly next year.