Okay, I am going to be completely honest with you right up front, I saw this movie more than twenty four hours ago, and I still don't get it. I mean I "get it", I just don't get it, you know what I mean? I would call myself a casual fan of Sofia Coppola's after seeing her films Lost In Translation and Marie Antoinette. I thought those films were impressive so I figured I would take in a viewing of her latest film, The Bling Ring. I had no idea, I mean, I never thought this particular thought would cross my mind in one of her films, but about halfway through this, I'm thinking this movie is a complete waste of time. Not just my time, but everyone else's time that was involved in making it. To be fair, I mulled this movie around in my brain for more than 24 hours, you know, to get my thoughts on it right. I came up with two theories. Either this is Sofia's social commentary on the (rich) youth of today and their vapid existence and addiction to celebrity OR she had nothing better to do. I am really praying it was the latter.
The Bling Ring stars Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Claire Julien, Taissa Farmiga, and Georgia Rock and they comprise the thieves that rip off celebrity's homes when those famous people are out of town. They know when the stars are out of town because everything those stars do is splashed all over the internet (have to keep that machine of celebrity grinding along). The only main adults in this film are Leslie Mann who plays a clueless parent, and Gavin Rossdale, the owner of a night club the kids frequent. The story, written by Sofia Coppola was based on the Vanity Fair article entitled The Suspect Wore Louboutins. The very least I can say is that article must have had a lasting and profound impact on Sofia. How else could this movie, with not ONE redeeming character, have gotten greenlit? It was made by her fathers studio, American Zeotrope so that may have something to do with it, but I doubt this film will break even, unless this is a story about lives that while I may know nothing about, may be familiar to many others.
The funny thing about this movie is that these kids were destined to be caught. It was almost like they were asking for it. They bragged to all their friends about whose house they broke into, who they robbed, what they stole, and then posted pics of them holding the stolen goods on facebook. They even had a lemonade stand like sale of some of the stolen goods right on the front lawn. I remember thinking (I know, I was doing more thinking than being entertained), these kids can't be THIS stupid, can they? Answer, YES! All the kids involved all do jail time for 1st degree home invasion and burglary, and they had to pay some pretty steep fines on top of that. Inspite of the jail time and the fines, the kids seemed unrepentant and even worried about if the people they robbed ever spoke their names. HUH?
The Bling Ring is about white privilege and excess, absentee parenting, and helicopter parenting to the maximum extent. It's a laughable, annoying, and sad film. It is definitely not one of Sofia's best films and she uses the same old tired trick she used on Marie Antoinette, there was practically no score. Ninety five percent of the music in the movie was brought to you courtesy of hip hop and pop tunes. The one saving grace of the film is the cinematography, the movie was shot brilliantly. Christopher Blauvelt and Harris Savides make this film tolerable to watch, which is saying a lot. I would skip The Bling Ring unless yu really care about some rich kids robbing richer kids. If that doesn't do it for you then I highly recommend you see something else, and I'll see you at the theater.
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