The Bling Ring (2013)

The Bling Ring cinematises the factual story of a clique of amoral upper middle class Californian teens who burglarise the homes of their celebrity idols in order to vicariously become them. Gone are the days of the teen film that examined themes of drugs, sex, and relationships along the implausibly-cool characters’ journey to adulthood. The modern-day coming-of-age romp belies comradeship, denounces integrity and those former themes are now merely exploited as irrelevant sideshows of “chill” – at least, this is what The Bling Ring director, Sofia Coppola, contemptuously prescribes. The previously shabby, languorous subgenre receives a plush makeover of materialism, internet culture and gallows humour.   

If The Bling Ring was moralistic like a Stand by Me or American Graffiti before it, it would have been a lot more hard-hitting. Neither is it really about the interactions of this group between themselves, their families or anyone else. In fact, the crux is self-absorption on a grandiose scale. Ultimately, the gang only provides the impetus each individual needed to commit the felonies, and then manipulate the situation for personal profit.

Boy Bling Ring-er, Marc (Israel Broussard), represents those of us who are outside the glamorous circles and those of us who still believe in the purity of uprightness. He attempts to act as a foil to the vacuous Valley girls, (immaculately performed by Emma Watson and little-known newcomer, Katie Chang, may I add) whose personal growths come in the form of pilfered haute couture that matures their sense of style, and fails dramatically. Soon, he’s taken in by the intoxication of the caper. Who can blame him? After all, if the lifestyle is as golden and quixotic as Coppola visualised it, then I may have to whip out the Google Street View myself!

Emma Watson and her crime-causing sidekicks

Today’s society perpetuates superficiality over substance everywhere you look – The Bling Ring simply admits it outright, flamboyantly and with wicked wit. It’s no wonder adolescence now revolves around dance-pop, celebrity goss and some sense of minor stardom brought about by a perfect picture moment posted onto Facebook. We all have to accept it but that doesn’t mean we can’t laugh about it. 

Rating: 4/5