Shoplifters of the World teems with hallmarks of the era. It’s like time traveling to a halcyon moment before tech took over.
At the time, as in Kijak’s film, sexual and gender fluidity reigned, and arguments about whether one could be cool for loving Madonna and the Cure at the same time felt like life-altering discussions.The film is, as expected, a love letter to the Smiths and the band’s fans — the soundtrack is packed with classics like “How Soon Is Now,” “The Queen Is Dead,” and, of course, “Shoplifters of the World Unite.” But it’s also a gift to the unsung ’80s kids who explored gender and sexuality, often without the words or labels to define what it was they were doing.