Boots Riley hopes to shoplift your mind with the subversive comedy ‘I Love Boosters’

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Boots Riley is constantly on the go. We spoke while he was driving from his home in Oakland to San Francisco to promote his new film, “I Love Boosters.” Despite a late night premiere at the Grand Lake Theater, he sounded full of energy and ideas.

Riley, a self-proclaimed communist for over three decades, brings a strong political perspective to his filmmaking. His latest film, “Boosters,” is a quirky and funny comedy with a touch of the absurd, but it also thoughtfully explores themes of worker’s rights and power dynamics. Riley’s previous film, 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You,” focused on a telemarketer who discovers a hidden corporate plot.

Honestly, what really drives Riley with this film goes way beyond just box office numbers. Sure, he’s aiming for that $20 million to be recouped – it’s a huge investment for Neon, the distributor – but he’s also really passionate about getting a powerful message across to viewers, even if they aren’t necessarily expecting it. It makes you wonder, though, can a widely released movie, backed by an Oscar-winning studio, actually deliver truly groundbreaking ideas?

Riley envisions a world where people collectively and democratically control the wealth they generate through their work. He explains this desire stems from a genuine appreciation for people and a belief that we can build a system to prevent those in power from acting solely in their own self-interest. He conveys this with a calm and inspiring energy.

Even when Riley explores complex and potentially preachy ideas, he remains engaging and approachable, much like a relaxed professor casually sharing thoughts outside of the classroom.

From what I’ve experienced, people are motivated to act when they feel optimistic – but not in a naive way. It’s about believing we can achieve something, and that success will lead to other good things. For me, that kind of optimism isn’t about dwelling on the past; it’s about embracing the simple joys of life, like laughter and appreciating the people around us.

Movies

You’ll find all the big, exciting movies from top directors like Spielberg, Nolan, and Ridley Scott, plus some interesting independent films.

Riley grew up mainly in Oakland and started working as a local activist when he was young. Before becoming a filmmaker, he spent years as a musician, which helped him learn how to connect with audiences and create engaging performances.

“I Love Boosters” is a vibrant and unpredictable movie that constantly changes its story. It follows Corvette (Keke Palmer), who leads a team of thieves targeting clothing stores and selling the items at lower prices. However, Corvette dreams of becoming a successful fashion designer like Christie Smith (Demi Moore), who runs a major fashion business. As Corvette learns more about Christie’s empire, she discovers the hidden costs – the low wages paid to the workers who make the clothes.

Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige play Corvette’s partners in crime, while Eiza González portrays a fellow activist. Poppy Liu plays a factory worker who helps Corvette understand the truth, and LaKeith Stanfield appears as a mysterious man who could change her life.

The film is far more unusual than this description suggests. It includes wildly creative elements like a teleporter fueled by Marxist theory, villains brought to life with stop-motion animation, and an exciting car chase featuring miniature cars and Don Cheadle transformed by incredible makeup.

The phrase “I Love Boosters” is also the title of a song by the Coup, Riley’s rap group, on their 2006 album “Pick a Bigger Weapon.” The song includes lyrics like, “Most of it was made by children in Asia / The stores make money off of very low wages.” Riley explains that while the movie isn’t based directly on the song, both share similar underlying themes and inspirations.

Ever since the film’s lively debut at South by Southwest in early March, Riley estimates he’s watched it more than 25 times with different audiences. This is partly because he’s been traveling to colleges to promote it.

Riley describes the atmosphere as energetic and lively, like a rock concert. He explains that he’s been drawing inspiration from the early days of indie music, really putting everything he has into his performances.

Wherever Riley has screened his film, viewers have reacted similarly – often with booming laughter that makes it hard to hear the movie. For Riley, this shows his stories connect with people from all walks of life, finding shared experiences within his unique perspective.

He feels disappointed by movies that try to be universally relatable but end up feeling generic and lacking a distinct setting. He believes strong stories are rooted in specific cultures – the language, food, and music of a particular place – and that filmmakers need a genuine passion for a particular subject, even if it’s not a groundbreaking one. What matters most is that they truly care about what they’re portraying.

Riley’s work, including his 2023 series “I’m a Virgo,” is visually dynamic and imaginative. For his film “Boosters,” he collaborated with talented creatives – cinematographer Natasha Braier, costume designer Shirley Kurata, and production designer Christopher Glass – to build a truly inventive and striking world.

Riley explains that his film deliberately uses contrasting elements, much like his approach to music. He believes that while technical perfection is often discussed, the most important thing is creating an emotional impact on the audience.

Riley carefully balances the film’s more unusual scenes, making sure they don’t overshadow the core emotions he wants to express, and that the movie remains enjoyable.

He explains that while music videos can be visually appealing, they often lack emotional depth. To overcome this in his own work, he focuses on creating a strong human connection through well-developed characters, compelling stories, and authentic performances. By combining these elements, he aims to evoke genuine emotion in the audience, even if they don’t fully understand why they feel it – creating a powerful, visceral experience that resonates throughout the piece.

I remember Lakeith Stanfield – you might know him from “Sorry to Bother You” – telling me he first met Barry Jenkins at a party during the Sundance Film Festival. It’s funny how those events can be the start of amazing creative partnerships!

Honestly, one of the first things that grabbed me about the character was his look. I mean, he had this amazing, huge afro and these cool mutton-chop sideburns. I was immediately thinking, ‘I dig this guy’s style!’ It just felt so authentic, like he was completely comfortable being himself, and that really resonated with me.

Stanfield’s quiet, intense acting style beautifully complements Riley’s energetic and surprising performances. Stanfield remembers Riley describing his character for the movie “I Love Boosters” long before the script was finalized.

According to Stanfield, the director told him he’d be playing a truly unique character – someone searching for connection with others. This character, he learned, has existed since the beginning of time, which immediately intrigued him. Ultimately, the role lived up to that initial description.

Entertainment & Arts

Riley is very engaged on social media, frequently interacting with both his supporters and critics. He recently had a lengthy exchange on X (formerly Twitter) where he was criticized for collaborating with Megan Ellison, the daughter of tech billionaire Larry Ellison and sister of David Ellison, who is a chairman at Paramount Skydance.

He explains it’s simply how he interacts with everything around him. But whether or not it’s a good use of his time is a separate question.

Riley points out that truly ‘clean’ money is hard to find, meaning funding for a project like a movie will probably come from sources that aren’t entirely without ethical concerns.

He states plainly that he’s committed to his path, explaining it’s never been about personal gain. Instead, his aim is to encourage worker organization and build a powerful, active labor movement focused on challenging existing power structures.

Riley had already gotten out of his car and was heading to the place where he’d finish preparing for his interviews, as evidenced by his polite back-and-forth with people. But even all that didn’t interrupt his train of thought.

Riley adds that there are many reasons to criticize Larry Ellison’s actions, describing them as reminiscent of ruthless, outdated business practices. However, Riley’s main point is that real change requires the working class to have the ability to disrupt the flow of capital when necessary, giving them the power to influence things.

It’s already rare for a director to focus so deeply on class and the lives of workers. But director Riley has also become known for his striking fashion choice: oversized hats. He’s been wearing them to most public appearances for his new film, and while they’re memorable, they’ve also become a source of jokes. He owns around six hats in different colors, all from a London store called Uptown Yardie, which designs them as a celebration of Jamaican culture.

Like much of Boots Riley’s style, his hats are both imaginative and useful. He began wearing them around 2022, but considered stopping last year because they were difficult to carry while traveling.

And yet he discovered they had another purpose.

I was reading an interview with Jean-Luc Godard, and he mentioned basically creating a persona to help promote his films. It really struck me – you don’t usually think of someone like Godard worrying about marketing! It made me think, ‘Okay, if I want people to see my movie, I need to do something to get their attention.’ That’s why I decided to bring back the hat – it’s a way to help sell it, you know?

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2026-05-20 20:02