There were many ways to portray the suffocation of the current economic system, but ‘I Love Boosters’ chose acid comedy for Eiza Gonzalez to star alongside Keke Palmer and Demi Moore in a satire that exposes the impact of “a pyramid scheme” to which society is inevitably subjected.
“It is about accepting that it is impossible to live in a world where we are not consuming, because that is the world that has been presented to us,” said the Mexican actress in an interview with EFE.
Directed by Boots Riley, the film opening Friday on the big screen sets the plot in the competitive universe of fashion, where Christie Smith (Moore), a ruthless industry mogul, wields her power while Corvette (Palmer) leads a network of cunning allies dedicated to plundering high-end boutiques.
Under the premise of organized resistance, the film works as a mirror that questions the dynamics that benefit the economic elites.
“The question the film imposes is what would happen if we all came together? We just haven’t reached that point yet because we have been taught to divide because they want us to divide. They don’t want us together because together we are stronger,” Gonzalez reflects.
Adding to this view on the system is actress Naomi Ackie, who is also part of the sisterhood of women who band together to execute heists and challenge corporations through her character Sade, Corvette’s best friend.
“We live in a kind of contradiction of being consumers, but also suffering under consumerism. It’s a strange form of exploitation and it feels like a global pyramid scheme,” Ackie told EFE.
Aesthetics with a strong social message: ‘I Love Boosters’, the satire of Eiza Gonzalez, Demi Moore and Keke Palmer
The production follows the line of Riley’s previous works, known in the seventh art for applying surrealism and political comedy to address class dynamics and labor conflicts within the capitalist system.
This structure was already present in his debut feature ‘Sorry to Bother You’ (‘Perdona que te moleste’, 2018), a visual hallmark that, on this occasion, relies on striking colors, using high-fashion clothing not only as a setting element, but also as a narrative tool to mark class differences.
The opulent setting contrasts, in fact, with the socioeconomic reality of the cast itself, a factor that the performers identify as a genuine point of connection to fit their characters’ motivations.
“I think it felt close to our lives in many ways-I don’t know everyone’s background, but I don’t think any of us came from money. But still, we’re immersed in an industry where we’re constantly looking at money, fashion and all this kind of stuff,” Palmer tells EFE.
The strong visual identity presented in the film serves as a framework to deepen the individual disconnection within society as a whole.
“That’s the most important thing because we are all victims of the world that has been built, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we want to be part of it,” insist the Mexican actress and Ackie.
The fashion plot is thus extrapolated to other contexts, especially in the United States, where basic needs such as education, housing or social welfare are subject to monetization and indebtedness.
“We can’t solve everything because we are human and there are many of us. Sometimes we focus so much on the general that it becomes overwhelming, so I always say: start with yourself,” said Ackie, reported Agencia EFE.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.
