Lift

Lift

Year: 2023

Runtime: 1 h 27 m

Language: English

Director: David Petersen

Echo Score: 53
Documentary

A group of children experiencing homelessness discover strength and self-expression through dance. Guided by Steven, a mentor with lived experience, they find solace and build confidence as artists. The film highlights their journey of resilience and celebrates their triumph over adversity, showcasing the transformative power of hope and community.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Lift yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Lift (2023) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Lift (2023), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

The film features appearances by Victor Abreu(/actor/victor-abreu), Sharia Blockwood(/actor/sharia-blockwood), Diana Byer(/actor/diana-byer), Yolanssie Cardona(/actor/yolanssie-cardona), and Steven Melendez(/actor/steven-melendez) in supporting roles as themselves, setting the stage for a high-stakes, globe-spanning caper.

Cyrus Whitaker, a renowned international thief, commands a carefully chosen crew—Denton, pilot Camila, hacker Mi-Sun, safecracker Magnus, and engineer Luke—on a pair of simultaneous robberies that kick the story into motion. In London, they lift a Van Gogh, while in Venice they stage the pretend kidnapping of the celebrated NFT artist N8. Cyrus explains the lure: stolen paintings tend to surge in value after the heist, so the crew sells the Van Gogh on the black market for $20 million to seed a plan around N8’s NFT. The ruse pays off when N8’s NFT spikes to a staggering $89 million after the “kidnapping,” and the artist’s captors are poised to collect a generous share of the profits.

Interpol agent Abby Gladwell—a former lover of Cyrus—discovers evidence linking Denton to the London theft and has him arrested. Rather than pressing charges, Abby’s superior, Commander Huxley, leverages this development to force Cyrus and his team into assisting the capture of billionaire Lars Jorgensen. Jorgensen aims to profit by collaborating with the cyber-hacking group Leviathan to trigger a massive flood in Europe, enabling him to manipulate markets for billions. Leviathan demands payment in untraceable gold bullion, and Jorgensen has scheduled a shipment of gold from London to Leviathan’s bank in Zürich via a commercial airliner.

To secure clean records, Abby joins the crew to provide cover for Interpol. The plan is audacious: steal the gold while the plane is mid-air. They obtain a private jet from wealthy art collector Molsen, with Camila flying a daring maneuver that takes the jet beneath the airliner so Mi-Sun can spoof radar readings and keep the plane on course while the team diverts it to a private airfield. In exchange for the jet, Cyrus promises Molsen that he can persuade N8 to craft a special NFT for him. Magnus then cracks the safe, and after neutralizing Jorgensen’s guards, the crew aims to transfer the gold via the diverted jet.

Timing grows tighter when Jorgensen plants a mole in his own organization and accelerates the delivery date. Nevertheless, the crew executes the plan on schedule. A tense sequence unfolds as they fend off an attempted hijack by Jorgensen’s henchmen, culminating in a fierce battle aboard the jet. Magnus, Abby, Cyrus, and Camila are captured, while Magnus escapes on the ground and Abby and the others are forced to continue toward Jorgensen’s Tuscan estate with the gold.

Desperation peaks when Huxley orders NATO to shoot down the aircraft to prevent the gold from reaching its destination. Harry, the crew’s air-traffic contact, collaborates with Camila to alert the pilots that hostages are aboard, forcing a stand-down. A renewed clash with Jorgensen’s men ends with the jet crash-landing at the villa grounds. Abby, Cyrus, and Camila are captured at gunpoint, and Jorgensen executes Leviathan’s representative after they decide to scrap the deal. The Carabinieri arrive alongside Huxley, and Cyrus uses mounted cameras on the jet to reveal Jorgensen’s murder of the representative. Jorgensen is arrested, while Abby punches Huxley in a long-awaited confrontation and resigns from Interpol, choosing to ally with Cyrus.

Weeks later, a twist emerges: Cyrus reveals that the crew actually stole the gold shipment aboard the airliner and swapped it with iron bars painted to look like gold. With the real treasure recovered in their own way, the crew celebrates their success as Cyrus and Abby’s relationship is rekindled, underscoring a partnership built on shared risk, mutual trust, and a careful balance of loyalty and deception.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:13

Ending Explained – What Happens at the End of Lift?

Still wondering what the ending of Lift (2023) really means? Here’s a spoiler-heavy breakdown of the final scene, major twists, and the deeper themes that shape the film’s conclusion.

In the end, it turns out that Cyrus and his crew had secretly secured the real gold stash during the chaos of the flight. While the authorities believed they had confiscated the gold, it was actually hidden away thanks to a clever plan. Cyrus had instructed Magnus to drop the genuine gold out of the plane with parachutes, while another crew member, Luke, used remote control to secure it. Meanwhile, a fake stash of gold was left on the plane, which was captured by Interpol. This deception was part of Cyrus’s scheme to outsmart everyone and walk away with the real wealth. As a result, the crew, including Cyrus and Abby, share a romantic moment, celebrating their victory and new relationship, with the real gold safely in their possession. The ending reveals that their audacious heist was successful, and justice was ultimately served in their own clever way.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:44

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

High-Stakes Heist Thrillers like Lift

Clever crews execute daring, high-risk plans against impossible odds.If you liked the clever planning and airborne tension of Lift, explore more movies about elaborate heists. This section features films with daring crews, intricate plots, and the thrilling cat-and-mouse games of high-stakes international crime.

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These narratives typically follow a 'plan-prep-execute' structure, where a complex scheme is devised, a team is assembled, and the plan is put into action amidst unforeseen complications and rising stakes, often culminating in a final twist.

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They are grouped by their shared focus on procedural cleverness, the thrill of a well-orchestrated plan, and the tense, fast-paced energy of a mission unfolding in real time, often with a charismatic crew at the center.

Movies about Found Family like in Lift

Professionals under pressure form unbreakable bonds of trust and loyalty.Lift showcases a crew that operates like a family. Discover similar movies where teams in intense professions—like spies, thieves, or soldiers—develop deep bonds of loyalty and trust, becoming a found family under pressure.

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The narrative follows a group of distinct personalities learning to rely on one another. Conflict arises from both external threats and internal friction, but the core journey is about building unwavering trust and solidarity, where the group's success depends on their unity.

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These films are united by the central theme of building family-like connections in unconventional, high-stress environments. The emotional core isn't just the mission's success, but the strengthening of the bonds between the characters.

Unlock the Full Story of Lift

Don't stop at just watching — explore Lift in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Lift is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Lift Timeline

Track the full timeline of Lift with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Lift Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Lift

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Lift. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Lift

Lift Ending Explained

What really happened at the end of Lift? This detailed ending explained page breaks down final scenes, hidden clues, and alternate interpretations with expert analysis and viewer theories.

Lift Ending Explained

Lift Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Lift that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Lift Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Lift

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Lift: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Lift