The Bling Ring Review

Director: Sofia Coppola.

Starring: Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Leslie Mann.

Running time: 90 minutes.

Certificate: 15.

Synopsis: A group of bored, fame-obsessed teenagers decide to ditch their homework duties and burglarise celebrity houses.

Sofia Coppola is one of Hollywood’s leading female directors. She already has THE VIRGIN SUICIDES, LOST IN TRANSLATION, MARIE ANTOINETTE and SOMEWHERE tucked under her belt and is known for pushing forward her female protagonists, ensuring they steal the limelight and stay there. With THE BLING RING, her new feature film, you’ll find it hard to look away.

Based on actual events, Coppola took inspiration from a Vanity Fair article (The Suspect Wore Louboutins written by Nancy Jo Sales) to base her narrative around new kid Marc (Israel Broussard), a fashion-conscious but lonely teenage boy who moves to a new school. There he meets Rebecca (Katie Chang), the Lindsay Lohan-obsessed diva who Marc starts to tag along with. One boring school night, Marc and Rebecca discover that they live within driving distance of Paris Hilton’s house and, as luck would have it, she’s out hosting a party. Paris being Paris, she leaves her keys under her doormat, giving the duo easy access to her glitzy riches. Much like their drug habit, Marc and Rebecca find it hard to stop breaking and entering, and end up inviting the rest of their posse along for the crime-filled ride. When celebrities go out and leave their doors unlocked, who wouldn’t want to take a peak – right?

Wrong. This is where Coppola takes a bit of a U-turn. While we’re shown numerous scenes of the group fawning over shelves of Louboutin heels, Chanel bags and mountains of diamond jewellery, we’re subtly reminded just how materialistic and fake the girls (and guy) come across. While Chloe (Claire Julien) constantly describes things as ‘sick’, ‘dope’ and ‘ill’, Sam (Taissa Farmiga) throws a gun around like it’s no big deal. They drive fast cars, shop hard (with stolen cash) and party even harder, accompanied by a modern hip-hop soundtrack.

At times, the performances hit a bit of a low, but is it just bad acting or is Coppola emphasising her characters’ blandness? While Watson (playing Nicki) seems to be putting in a lot of effort to play the pretty-and-dumb card, Chang pulls off the rich bitch very easily, with a couple of brilliant one liners thrown in – after finding out the police have spoken to the victims, she eagerly asks, “What did Lindsay say?”) If you followed the press coverage at the time, you’ll know what happens in the end, but that doesn’t stop Coppola ripping America a new one, with her constant subtle criticism of the country’s obsession with money, fame, possession and partying.

Coppola’s crisp cinematography, accompanied by a killer soundtrack and tongue-in-cheek performances, make for a sleek, sexy finished product. While more in-your-face than her other films (you can’t help but feel a little assaulted by the music and flashing club lights), THE BLING RING perfectly encapsulates 21st century life, dominated by the temptations of a fast buck.

 THE BLING RING is released in UK cinemas on July 5th.