"SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD" Raw and Defiant

Set in the 1980’s Shoplifters of the World should appeal to the teens to mid-twenties of today. A very bold and audacious movie, the story takes a few interesting twists even though expected early on. The acting is terrific, production realistic and plays out with an impressive soundtrack featuring 20 songs of the British band The Smiths.

Taking one last drag on his meth pipe and listening to the platters spun by Full Metal Mickey (Joe Manganiello) DJ at Mega Metal Kiss 101, Dean (Ellar Coltrane) sits in his car outside the radio station in the late evening. “Bark at the Moon” by Ossie Osborn is playing loud on his car radio just before Dean exits his car and enters the studio brandishing a pistol. Just as The Smith’s “Bigmouth Strikes Again” starts to play in the background of his mind he enters the DJ booth.

Helena Howard as Cleo in the drama/comedy film, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, a RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of RLJE Films.

The film flashes back to early that day and just before leaving her house we find Cleo (Helena Howard) stunned by what she has just heard on the TV. The reporter announces that her favorite rock group, The Smiths have decided to end their career and call it quits. Astonished with disbelief to drives over to her favorite record store and tells Dean the bad news.

Having a crush on Cleo, Dean decides to make a big impression the new college co-ed. Director and writer Stephen Kijak does a pretty good job of setting up his audience that, although predictable at this point in the story, still delivers a good movie of coming of age, self-discovery and angst. Even though set in the late 1980’s, what Cleo and her three friends experience may just have easily been played out in today’s world.

[L-R] James Bloor as Patrick, Elena Kampouris as Sheila, Helena Howard as Cleo, and Nick Krause as Billy in the drama/comedy film, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, a RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of RLJE Films

he acting by Helena Howard, Nick Krause as her boyfriend Billy, Elena Kampouris as her best friend Sheila and James Bloor as Sheila’s love interest Patrick, are all viable characters in the world of Cleo’s summer of 1987. Each of the characters are raw, self-centered and defiant in their own way and the cast nails the roles.

BONUS FEATURES:
“Story and Inspiration”
“Look and Feel”

[L-R] Joe Manganiello as Full Metal Mickey and Ellar Coltrane as Dean in the drama/comedy film, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, a RLJE Films release. Photo courtesy of RLJE Films.

Shoplifters of the World has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains some violence, drug use, language and sex. The film is now available on Blu-ray and DVD wherever videos are sold.

Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Helena Howard, Ellar Coltrane, Elena Kampouris, Nick Krause, James Bloor , Thomas Lennon, Joe Manganiello
Directed Co-Written by: Stephen Kijak
Genre: Comedy, Drama
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, drug use, language, sexual innuendoes, smoking
Running Time: 1 hr. 30 min.
Video Release Date: June 1, 2021
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Distributed by: RLJE Films
Released on: Blu-ray, DVD

John Delia Sr.

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Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com