The Bling Ring

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Based on true events, this movie follows a group of rich L.A. teenagers who rob the homes of several Hollywood celebrities. They amass a pile of expensive tat and become known in the news as The Bling Ring. This is a story that could probably only have happened in the last decade or so. It reflects a culture where someone can achieve world-wide fame in the space of ten minutes via Youtube and there is a whole subset of people who are famous for just being famous. The latter is the crux of this story. The teenage protagonists in this film are obsessed by a certain type of celebrity. Ones who are all image with little else. The teens themselves are an incredibly shallow group with little about them beyond their love of fame and its associated bling. Consequently, this is a film that could be accused of being an exercise of style over substance. I think it would be quite difficult to entirely refute this but in a sense it reflects the banality of the Bling Ring crimes even more successfully by being all about surfaces at the expense of very much depth. It looks great. With some beautiful cinematography, in particularly a wonderful single take shot of the robbery of Audrey Partridge's glass enclosed house. While Sofia Coppola once again shows she has an ear for a really great soundtrack. The music here is not typically 'bling', its varied and exciting and is utilised well to underscore the moments. The cast all do what's needed but its Emma Watson who really shines. She is very convincing as a vapid valley girl and this may be a new turning point for her post-Potter. All-in-all this one is definitely going to divide opinion. But for me it was a stylish and entertaining drama that is made interesting primarily by the way it's held together by Coppola. Sometimes a true life story deserves a shallow and breezy treatment. The Bling Ring themselves would surely have approved.

This had some promise and I kept thinking as the movie dragged on that I would find some sort of redeeming quality or that the plot would present itself and I would suddenly understand why people could have like the movie. That never happened. *Spoilers from here on* This was a very terrible movie. I don't recommend anyone see it. Mindless repetition of teens trying on and looking at clothes inside celebrity houses and then them partying inside the club. For over an hour. Then you get the trial and a few interviews that add nothing to the plot and it is over. The best part is when it is finally over and you can do anything else with your life. Seriously if you can think of anything else you might want to do please save yourself and chose that other thing.

The Bling Ring (2013) First, what this is: a re-creation of a series of actual robberies by spoiled rich high school girls of spoiled adult celebrities in the L.A. area. They do the crimes, they get caught. This is evident from the beginning with some interviews after the fact. Second, what this is: nothing more than the above. That's the big big problem here. This feature length movie re-creates and re-creates. We see these indifferent, superficial girls in house after house (and in Paris Hilton's house a lot), trying on clothes and jewelry and taking home whatever they want by the purse-load. And we see all the parties between, party after party. Some with drugs, some without, all with music and dancing and utter detachment from consequences and culpability. I guess that's the point, to make visible this world and make clear how really repulsive such prettified, well dressed, fashion imitation girls can be. This is the territory of Lauren Greenfield's photographic essay in the book "Fast Forward," but with a very specific focus on this group of half a dozen girls (and one boy who is sort of sucked in by his willingness to fawn and give attention). There is zero attention to really what makes these girls tick. A very slim attempt is made at showing they have no true education, and no acculturation beyond fashion magazines. But really, what are these girls about? Where are there jealousies, their aspirations, their sex lives, their doubts? The movie is as superficial as the subject, and for Sofia Coppola that's a real shame and inexcusable, as if she just got lazy. Not that making a movie like this is easy, but someone somewhere should have said, hey, look, this amounts to nothing at all. Where are there comparables beyond Greenfield (whose book has its own flaw of making glorious what she apparently means to critique)? Larry Clark's "Kids" is one place to consider (or his other films, which deal with youth more disturbingly). Or maybe the even more horrible "Murder in Greenwich" which dealt with the East Coast version of spoiled kids losing their bearings (and at least created a plot you could follow with some curiosity). Coppola has gone this direction before in "The Virgin Suicides" and there she created a semblance of depth. Not this time. And the spoiled title character in "Marie Antoinette" gave her at least a fascinating subject, which she layered up in really compelling ways. And to be sure this isn't "Lost in Translation" (her masterpiece) in any manner. These are all written and directed by Coppola. If you are the type of person who recoils at the Paris Hilton antics, skip this movie. This is a bunch of wannabe Hiltons and you don't feel sorry for anyone, perpetrator or victim. You just hope it ends fast.

"The Bling Ring" is one film to see it will entertain and you will have a feel good time watching these young sexy teenagers live out their big dreams of living like a Hollywood celebrity as it becomes a reality as the homes of the famous are robbed. Based on a true story of the wicked crime spree that occurred in the Hollywood Hills during 2008 and 2009 in the fame sickened world of Los Angeles this little group of teens would target the famous online then steal luxury goods from their homes. The star victims included Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green. And you name it the goods taken ranged from expensive clothes, jewelry, fur coats, and sexy colored bras! The gang would become known as "The Bling Ring". And the events and actions of the group are portrayed perfect by the cast as the chemistry is top notch, it all begins with ring leader Rebecca(Katie Chang)a cute Asian girl who befriends an outcast in shy boy Marc(Israel Broussard)it begins with car break ins only one by one it builds up to bigger and better things like robbing the homes of the stars! And to round out the pair of others partners in crime are best friends Laurie(the cute Taissa Farmiga) and Nicki(the hot and sexy Emma Watson). Nicki who appears like a little angel is protected by mom Laurie(Leslie Mann),but underneath this is a mean little princess who's a wicked robber and she loves the spotlight and attention all of the goods brings. Nicki and Sam are both not what they appear to be they are sexy colored bra wearing girls who love the culture of getting what they want at all cost! By the way those scenes of Nicki(Emma Watson) sporting that sexy red black multi colored bra is so sexy! Emma plays her so innocent yet sexy in a wicked way! Director Sofia Coppola does an excellent job of showing youthful culture and an obsession with today's culture wanting celebrity life and having luxury brand obsession. "The Bling Ring" is one feel good escape film that's provocative, exciting, entertaining, and sexy.

it just another movie portraying the drinking and extreme drug use culture in America (LA especially). Just about them breaking into the house of celebrities and then get arrested and went to jail. The end. If you read this, it'll only take 1 minute instead of wasting 90 minutes of your life. Poor acting from the actors too so it's just so bad. I know most people watch this just because of Emma and that's just pathetic because Emma was just whatever, well she stepped out of her "shell" of Hermione, but nothing special. I think this movie is garbage and just shouldn't have even been made into a movie really. Stupid. Last but not least, I warn everyone to not watch this. :)

A quick summary of this utter monstrosity: 0-10 minutes: OMG (insert celebrity) is away, let's go rob his/her house. Look at all this stuff! Let's go to the club. Trying on various items the next day 10-20 minutes: OMG (insert celebrity) is away, let's go rob his/her house. Look at all this stuff! Let's go to the club. Trying on various items the next day 20-30 minutes: OMG (insert celebrity) is away, let's go rob his/her house. Look at all this stuff! Let's go to the club. Trying on various items the next day 30-40 minutes: OMG (insert celebrity) is away, let's go rob his/her house. Look at all this stuff! Let's go to the club. Trying on various items the next day 40-45 minutes: "I'm starting to get worried about being caught." "Shut up, you dork." 45-55 minutes: "I'm leaving because I miss my Dad. Bye." 55-65 minutes: Search warrants and arrest. 65-70 minutes: Court case blah blah blah you've been charged blah blah blah 70-the end: Err... a lot of crying... and cameras and stuff... there isn't really any footage of them being in jail. The movie ends with a cheesy, confusing, and pointless anecdote from Emma Watson. So there you have it: this movie summed up in a few quick points. Guys, if you're here for Emma Watson, just save yourself the time and just go for an image search like everyone else. Girls, you might enjoy the various handbags and shoes that get some screen time, but I would strongly advise you to just watch something else... especially if you want to see a good movie as well as various handbags and shoes. Overall: 9/100

The Bling Ring is a stunningly shot, visually entertaining film that strives to make a statement about materialism and young teens' fame obsessions. Unfortunately, Sofia Coppola fails to translate her vision into a substantiated plot that develops a story and protagonists; neither of which, are worth caring about. Aside from Emma Watson's intimidating performance, the acting is sub-par which aids in the instantaneous transition from Coppola's attempts to create a smart, creative film to a shallow, unsatisfactory film that feels quite unfinished. The idea of The Bling Ring is fresh, however you cannot help but ignore the large lack of intellectual Bling, the film once promised or Coppola might have hoped for.