Kevin Hart’s relationship with airplanes has been anything but ordinary. The actor’s foray into aviation-centric roles started with a disastrous flight in the 2004 comedy “Soul Plane,” which sees his character suing an airline and launching his own. This tribulation-turned-triumph theme took a sky-high turn in “Central Intelligence” (2016), where Hart’s character aids Dwayne Johnson in an audacious plane heist. By 2017, Hart found himself ejected from an aircraft in the action-packed “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” His stand-up special “Kevin Hart: Reality Check” includes a jovial recount of an encounter with airport authorities, while a 2018 appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” had Hart recounting the nail-biting moment his plane blew a tire landing in Boston.
And now, Hart ascends to new cinematic altitudes in Netflix’s “Lift.” In this high-stakes film, Hart portrays the mastermind of an unconventional crew attempting to purloin gold worth half a billion dollars from a hijacked jetliner. So what does Hart think of this soaring pattern? “(laughs) I love that. I didn’t think about that, but when you put it like that, maybe I am sick and there’s a problem here!” he admits candidly over Zoom. A frequent flyer himself, Hart revels in the chance encounters air travel brings. He aspires to leave audiences with “Lift” as their most cherished memory of him associated with an aircraft.
Venturing into this high-altitude caper means a break from the familiar for Hart’s co-stars. We see Úrsula Corberó of “Money Heist” fame exploring a lighter, more jubilant role in heist comedy—a deliberate choice for Corberó to exhibit her versatility. The script from Netflix appealed to her, offering a character radically different from her “Money Heist” persona. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, known for her more serious roles like “Misbehaviour,” enjoys her American comedy debut. She and other non-American actors, including Kim Yoon-ji, immerse themselves in different accents and high-flying action sequences, testing their skills in a linguistically and physically demanding space.
Vincent D’Onofrio’s involvement in “Lift” is curious, to say the least. His portrayal of Denton—a master of disguise replete with props and costumes—raises questions about the interplay between an actor’s skill and their character’s look in achieving authenticity. According to D’Onofrio, both elements are crucial to fully realize a character. Meanwhile, Billy Magnussen injects a spirited comedic performance and chemistry between the cast members is palpable, with each one lauding the other’s dedication and talent.
Billy’s enthusiasm for D’Onofrio is evident as he jokingly praises his performances and lightheartedly asserts that D’Onofrio deserves an Oscar. The camaraderie shines through their fond recollections of adapting to the eccentricities of their characters and embodying them truthfully even in the most outlandish situations.
In anticipation of the film’s release, one can’t help but reminisce over advice and lessons these actors have ‘stolen’ from each other along the way, shaping their careers. Vincent shares his admiration for British acting greats while Billy credits Vincent for inspiring him to be audacious in his art.
As actors like Kim Yoon-ji reflect on the liberating experience of working in an American production, it’s clear that “Lift” provided a unique platform for the cast to explore their abilities while bonding over shared creative ambitions.
Now, with the team poised for an aerial heist unlike any other, viewers eagerly await the January 12 release to witness this talent-strewn act translate from camaraderie to the screen, as they navigate the unpredictable skies in “Lift.”
