Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in My Heart (2006)

Director:

Marc Munden

Writer:

Marc Munden

Stars:

Sally Hawkins, Steven Mackintosh, Daniela Nardini

Cast

Credited cast:
Sally Hawkins	...	Nathalie
Steven Mackintosh	...	Jeremy
Daniela Nardini	...	Maya
Noreen Kershaw	...	Maria
Angela Murray	...	Nathalie's boss
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jayne Ashbourne	...	Nathalie's sister
Mehdi Bilal Ali	...	Watch salesman
Maxine Burth	...	School uniform shop assistant
Christine Cox	...	Magistrate
Paul Dockery	...	Solicitor
John Donnelly	...	Footballer
Margaret Henshaw	...	Addict 2
Adam James	...	Rupert
Amy Lythgoe	...	Sophie Winter
Joanne Midgley	...	Footballer's girlfriend

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

debt | eight word title | repetition in title | body part in title | shopping | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 2006 (UK)

Box Office

Budget:

£855,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

User Reviews

Convincing but unengaging

Compulsive shopping disorder is a form of obsessive, self-destructive behaviour only possible in the modern age: the cumbersomely titled 'Shiny Shiny Bright New Hole in my Heart' is a bleak, worthy drama constructed to illustrate this strange phenomenon. We're introduced to Nathalie, a lonely woman married to an uncommunicative husband (played by Stephen Mackintosh, giving his stock performance in this role). Living in a very material world, she puts high value on nice things; and gradually sinks into a deep depression from which only semi-permanent "retail therapy" can lift her. But we never really see what has led to her initial loneliness; nor do we see her really ever take pleasure in her purchases, even in the early days; nor even what she does with them (a serious point, buy a handbag a day and your cupboard is soon full). Instead, we have a drama consisting only of a sequence of miserable developments, which fails to portray the ordinary life that is eventually extinguished by Nathalie's growing addiction. In some ways, it reminded me of the work of Tony Marchant, cutting quickly between key scenes but lacking the rhythms of ordinary life; and it's hard anyway to feel that sympathetic for a rich couple who may lose some of their hard-earned gains, but who never face sleeping on the streets or going hungry. If the story had been more about Nathalie per se, and less about the particular way in which her unhappiness manifested itself, it might have been a warmer tale.