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The Boost

Name: The Boost
Director: Harold Becker
Released: 1988
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

2.0/10

Limited

1988

Director

Harold Becker

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Boost is a character-driven drama focusing on individual addiction and financial struggles within a traditional dramatic framework. The narrative centers on a single protagonist's descent into insanity, limiting opportunities for diverse perspectives or complex social critiques. The film's representation is dominated by a homogeneous, white, heterosexual social environment. It relies on well-established 1980s clichés, especially concerning gender and mental health, which hinders a more contemporary or layered exploration of its themes. Overall, the film offers a narrow examination of personal mismanagement and chemical dependency. It falls short in disrupting social hierarchies or representing underrepresented groups effectively.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Boost have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or explore non-straight relationships. The story focuses solely on heterosexual relationships and the protagonist's psychological breakdown.

How does The Boost portray gender?

Limited

The story follows traditional gender roles and 1980s dramatic conventions. It does not challenge traditional gender hierarchies or offer a deeper look into masculinity.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Boost?

Limited

The film features a mostly white cast, reflecting a homogeneous setting. There is a lack of characters of color with significant roles or diverse backgrounds.

How does The Boost represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film portrays the protagonist's downfall through personal addiction rather than a broader critique of institutions. It does not promote secular views or empower anti-social behavior.

Does The Boost include disability representation?

Minimal

Themes of mental instability are used as plot devices to show the protagonist's decline. The portrayal leans towards common clichés of madness rather than offering a nuanced view of neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

The film provides a focused character study of a protagonist dealing with financial instability and addiction.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks racial and LGBTQ+ diversity, relying on a predominantly white and heterosexual cast.
Mental health issues are portrayed through common clichés of madness rather than nuanced neurodivergence.
The film does not challenge traditional gender hierarchies or offer a systemic critique of the institutions it depicts.

Official Synopsis

Lenny Brown moves to California to find his fortune in tax shelter investments. When the federal government changes the tax laws, poor Lenny finds himself $700,000 in hock with nowhere to turn. His friend, Joel, introduces him to cocaine to give Lenny that needed "boost". What ensues next is a descent into drug addiction and insanity as Lenny tries to regain control of his life, all the while needing that extra "boost".

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