A tale of love, loss, mother-daughter tensions and designer labels, “Lift” (7:30 p.m., Showtime) sounds just like a Judith Krantz melodrama. But this often unpredictable cable movie takes place in a black subculture of professional shoplifters and gangster wannabes.

Niecy (Kerry Washington) is a bright, stylish woman who appears to be on the way up at Boston’s most fashionable department store. But her day job is merely a front for her life as the city’s most successful professional shoplifter, or “booster.” Niecy uses her sharp clothes, fast hands, executive demeanor and stolen credit cards to fleece some of the city’s most exclusive boutiques. She then sells her stolen designer wear and jewelry to a vast network of family and friends. Set to classical music and photographed with a fluid grace, Niecy’s stealing sprees are shown as elegant, artful acts of deception and escape. It’s burglary as ballet.

Only Niecy can’t steal enough fancy sweaters or necklaces to satisfy her cold, materialistic mother Elaine (Lonette McKee). McKee is outstanding as Elaine, a woman clearly damaged from being beaten by her own father and abandoned by her husband. As Niecy’s brother-in-law flippantly observes, “Black people need therapy, too.”

The need to procure ever more expensive gifts for the imperious Elaine leads Niecy to cooperate with Christian (Todd Williams), a violent burglar who used to be the boss of her now-reformed boyfriend, Angelo (Eugene Byrd). Angelo may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he knows enough to try to convince Niecy to stop stealing merely to satisfy her mother.

“Lift” is saddled with too many emotional complications for one movie and the film’s conclusion is too obvious to be satisfying, but it is still well worth watching just for Kerry Washington’s powerful performance and her subtle and believable scenes with McKee.

A promising artist finds himself caught up in the violent struggle between East and West Coast gangs in the television drama “Play’d: A Hip Hop Story” (8 p.m., VH1), starring singer Toni Braxton. l “Minute by Minute” (9 p.m., A&E) looks at the day a deranged gunman shot President Ronald Reagan and the ensuing confusion at the White House and among the reporters covering the story.

Faye Dunaway, Star Jones and Ludacris guest star in the third season opener of “Soul Food” (9 p.m., Showtime). This episode was directed by Robert Townsend.

Tonight’s other highlights

Scheduled on “60 Minutes II” (7 p.m., CBS): A man falsely accused of being a terrorist; a father raises money to save his son’s life.

On two repeat episodes of “The Bernie Mac Show” (Fox), Bernie becomes obsessed by crime and security (7 p.m.), Bernie tries too hard to create a G-rated world for the kids (8 p.m.).

A no-nonsense Communist (Greta Garbo) is softened by laughter and love in director Ernst Lubitsch’s 1939 comedy “Ninotchka” (7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies).

A wife (Mary Stuart Masterson) moves to Florida to escape her abusive policeman husband (Anthony LaPaglia), in the 1999 television drama “Black and Blue” (8 p.m., CBS).

Auditions continue on “American Idol” (8:30 p.m., Fox).

The three-part series “In Search of Ancient Ireland” (8 p.m., PBS, check local listings) concludes with “Warlords,” which examines the impact of the Viking invasions, the reign and murder of king Brian Boru and the arrival of England’s King Henry II.

A rap star (Cyrus Farmer) and his celebrity girlfriend (the aforementioned Kerry Washington) are implicated in a nightclub shooting on a repeat of “Law & Order” (9 p.m., NBC).

A young man stands trial for the vehicular death of his cousin and best friend on “State v.” (9 p.m., ABC).

Louis Gossett Jr. joins the cast of “Resurrection Blvd.” (9:45 p.m., Showtime) as the cable drama enters its third season.