Fans know the feelings of loss and devastation that accompany a band breaking up. As someone with experience, it can feel like the end of the world when this happens. It feels like an actual breakup with a group of people you dedicated so much of your time and energy to and whose music gave you comfort. The 2021 film “Shoplifters of the World” details the breakup of one of the most iconic bands of the 20th century as told from the fans’ perspective which seems like a refreshing take on an emotional event.

Set in 1987 in Denver, Colorado, “Shoplifters of the World” tells the story of one night between four friends as they cope with the sudden breakup of the British rock band The Smiths while agonizing over what the future holds for them as individuals and as friends. The group is composed of the unofficial leader and edgy Smiths superfan Cleo (Helena Howard), army-bound Billy (Nick Krause) and couple Sheila (Elena Kampouris) and Patrick (James Bloor). As the friend group embarks on their last night together, another Smiths superfan named Dean (Ellar Coltrane) sets the soundtrack for the night by holding a local popular radio station and its deejay Full Metal Mickey (Joe Manganiello) hostage at gunpoint, demanding he plays The Smiths’ entire discography to impress Cleo and bring attention to “the greatest band in the world.”

Chock full of references to The Smiths, including the title of the film itself, “Shoplifters of the World” is undoubtedly a love letter to the band from director and co-writer Stephen Kijak. Over 20 songs by the band are played throughout the film. The story is separated into four acts, alternatively titled “sides” like those of a record, each given the name of a song by The Smiths. Even the cinematography is centered around the band, most specifically in long shots of each of the protagonists’ messy bedrooms cluttered with The Smiths paraphernalia and clips of performances and interviews with The Smiths spliced haphazardly throughout the film. 

The inordinate amount of references in “Shoplifters of the World” was a little overwhelming and on-the-nose at times, but it strangely worked. Director Kijak’s unabashed love for The Smiths is on full display for viewers throughout every aspect of the film, which complements the film’s depiction of fan culture. Even those who are not familiar with The Smiths can enjoy the film. Fan culture is a universal experience, and anyone who has dedicated their time and energy to a band or musical artist will feel and understand the dedication that permeates every scene.

That being said, “Shoplifters of the World” relies so heavily on being a love letter to The Smiths that it places plot, characters and overall quality second. Previous films have successfully built a story around a musical artist and have smartly incorporated that artist’s discography into the plot without sacrificing its quality. This is not the case with “Shoplifters of the World,” which is more of a greatest hits collection of The Smiths than a film with a tangible plot.

Despite the film being based on fact, specifically the 1988 incident in which 18-year-old James Kiss planned to take over the local Top 40 Denver radio station KRXY and force them to play The Smiths, the script lacks the substance to make that story worth telling. The characters are also a point of criticism, specifically the fact that their personalities only revolve around being fans of The Smiths.

There are instances where the characters could have been developed more, such as Sheila lamenting her lack of direction, Patrick questioning his sexuality and Cleo pretending to be interesting to disguise her feelings of stuckness, but co-writers Kijak and Lorianne Hall decide to bow in the direction of more references to The Smiths. It is not uncommon for fans to make their interests their entire personalities, but it would have been nice if these characters could have been fans of The Smiths as well as teenagers with important, complex problems and feelings that are exacerbated by the breakup of their favorite band. The two well-developed characters are are Dean and Full Metal Mickey, who could not be more different from one another music-wise yet somehow find common ground in The Smiths, which was one of the more successful choices on behalf of the writers.

“Shoplifters of the World” depicts the breakup of The Smiths and its effect on the fans but fails to convey the emotionality of such an event. The plot and characters were sacrificed to incorporate as many references to The Smiths the writers could fit into a 90-minute film. “Shoplifters of the World” is more of a love letter to The Smiths, which is one of its most likable qualities. However, incorporating more thought and emotionality into the plot, as well as developing the characters into more than just fans of The Smiths, would have upped the film’s quality as a whole. I must say, though, if “Shoplifters of the World” demonstrates anything, it is the power a band and its music can hold in the minds of its fans.