#NewsBytesRecommends: 'The Lift Boy' on Netflix—tale of hope, happiness, optimism
Jonathan Augustin's The Lift Boy, streaming on Netflix, is a lot of things wrapped into one. It's a story about ambition, the desire to climb the social ladder, the fight for the light at the end of the tunnel, and pouring your heart into work, no matter how chipped of "repute" it may seem. Here's why the drama is worth investing your time in.
Here's what feel-good drama is centered around
In less than two hours, the emotionally-uplifting drama births optimism in a way that the film stays with you after the end credits roll. A simple film that teems with relatable characters, it tells the story of Raju (Moin Khan), an aspiring engineer who finds himself in a Kafkaesque job when he replaces his father as the eponymous lift boy in a high-value apartment.
Story of two worlds divided by financial constrictions
The 2019 film tells the story of two worlds—the ever-increasing widening gap between the haves and the have-nots: the rich who have too much and the poor who struggle silently even to survive. In his ignorance, Raju wants to abandon his real "identity" and scale high; he converses in Hindi/Marathi at home and in English outside of it. Languages demarcate both worlds in bold.
Raju initially detests, but eventually sees value in work
Raju's "lowly" job comes with extreme embarrassment for him—it fails the society check. Plastering a perfunctory fake smile to greet the building's residents and pushing buttons all day is a nightmarish reality, but he keeps trudging on. However, as the drama progresses, he begins seeing value in his work, even prioritizing it over a cup of tea. It is a solid coming-of-age moment.
Raju's friendships change his perspective, actions
The friendships Raju weaves at his job are the beating heart of the entire narrative. It effectively goes on to say that people can be friends despite class, religious, or social differences—these are man-made constrictions and will always, always lose strength under humanity. Sans the lift, Raju's life may have taken a different course, but he would have lost life lessons along the way.
Watch heartfelt, happiness-inducing film on Netflix today
When Raju first starts the demoralizing job, he crushes under the impression that this is the end, but ultimately, it becomes the means to an end. Despite the bleak circumstances surrounding his life, he learns to value everything that life has to offer: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Eventually, the lift, literally and metaphorically, takes him higher, a step closer to happiness.
