Directed by:
Sofia CoppolaScreenplay:
Sofia CoppolaCast:
Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Leslie Mann, Gavin Rossdale, Georgia Rock, Erin Daniels, Carlos Miranda (more)Plots(1)
From Oscar award winning writer and director Sofia Coppola, THE BLING RING tells the story, based on actual events, of a group of teenagers obsessed with fashion and celebrity that burglarize celebrities' homes in Los Angeles. Tracking their targets' whereabouts online, they break-in and steal their designer clothes and possessions. Reflecting on the naiveté of youth and the mistakes we all make when young, amplified by today's culture of celebrity and luxury brand obsession, we see through the members of the 'Bling Ring' temptations that almost any teenager would feel. What starts out as teenage fun spins out of control and leaves us with a sobering view of our culture today. (A24)
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Reviews (5)
If Sofia Coppola hadn't fallen into the trap with just the magazine article premise, her journey through glamour could have glided even more smoothly. But no matter how meticulously the robberies are depicted, sometimes up close, sometimes from a distance, once in slow motion and then in shorthand, it's simply a loop of events. Indeed, it wasn't until the end that I realized that, in terms of plot, The Bling Ring is actually quite boring. Coppola intoxicates us audiovisually, thanks to the energetic soundtrack and the superb actors, where an unknown Israel Broussard surprisingly matches the triumphant Emma Watson. I actually regret the enthusiastic 70% rating. It's an art to provoke the viewer with the stupidity of the main characters, the naivety of their idols, or the stupidity of their family's "motivational" speeches, and still come across so likably.
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If it didn’t have "Directed by Sofia Coppola" in its credits, no one would have given this insipid docu-drama a second thought. The most bizarre aspect of The Bling Ring is its indecisiveness and lack of concept. The film obviously wants to be a major cautionary tale about the twisted values of the young, but it paradoxically gives the objects of its criticism exactly what they want – what could jaded, celebrity-idolising kids want more than a movie in which celebrities actually appear and, what’s more, they get played by Emma Watson?
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A film based on an article, directed and written by Sofia Coppola. I was a little afraid because the famous daughter of a famous director legend has been losing a bit lately, but personally, this movie made an impression on me. The camera is interesting, sometimes even too innovative, telling us a story about how cool it is to be in a celebrity's house and steal a little. The film excellently shows how we are all scoundrels, at any age. Friendship? What the hell is that?! Emma Watson is well on her way to an interesting career.
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Sofia Coppola made her own Clip. But while the Serbian youth are dealing with their hormones through over-sexualized entertainment, Serbian pop, Facebook, and leaving the path to interpersonal relationships pretty much upside down, the American youth are "only" consumed by celebrity. They also party and share photos on Facebook, but their love is mostly platonic and the excitement is without self-abasement and the drugs are somehow less of an issue. What they are enjoying like a trip are fashion brands and breaking into the homes of celebrities who have such brands to spare. So why not make it a little easier for them, right? It all maps quite nicely the inverted values and humiliation of stars into rebellious celebrities who brainwash the youth. And as a bonus, there's a cameo by Sophie's muse Kirsten Dunst.
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You can't deny Sofia Coppola's polished style, because all the dynamic "party" cuts are simply awesome. The whole narrative also works great as a one-sided account of America's golden youth, who are irrationally fascinated by the lives of Hollywood stars and are not reluctant to cross virtually any boundaries. The first "party hour" is well-paced and quite suspenseful at some points. The problem I had was with the last act, when I didn't really care much about how the individual characters would end up. It was too short for any deeper character exploration, on the other hand I'm not entirely sure I would have enjoyed it anyway at two hours or more. It's fine for one viewing, though.
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