The Bling Ring Review

The Bling Ring

3.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

The most unsettling and disturbing film I've seen in a while is The Bling Ring. It's a fascinating, thought-provoking, and brilliantly executed film that got under my skin and kept me thinking for days. 

Inspired by the recent true story, The Bling Ring follows a group of "Generation Y" Los Angelenos who successfully robbed celebrities' homes of clothes, jewelry, accessories, and cash. I'm sure for some of you -- especially those of the same generation as them -- these kids will sound familiar. You know, those kids fueled by materialism and hedonism. The ones who take "selfies" every couple of seconds and instantly upload them to Facebook. The ones who proudly call each other "sluts" and "whores" in an endearing fashion. The ones whose motto is "YOLO." The ones who don't give a damn about what their parents think. Yup, The Bling Ring is about those troubled, spoiled brats who live life on the edge -- and live dangerously at that -- while not even thinking about the consequences of their idiotic actions.

Rebecca (Katie Chang) is the ringleader of the group, the one who organizes the robberies and convinces the others to join her for nights of wild fun. Marc (Israel Broussard) is the sexually ambiguous new kid in town, the only boy of the group, and the only one with a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, Rebecca pulls him into this dark world and forces him to join her. Along for the ride is also Chloe (Claire Julien) and Sam (Taissa Farmiga), two dangerous little firecrackers who get a little too crazy for their own good. And of course there's also Nicki (Emma Watson), the ridiculous fame-obsessed girl who sweet-talks her way through everything to get what she wants. The film follows their successive nights of burglaries and robberies. But it doesn't stop there. It also shows these teens' follow-up stories after they've been arrested, and how their lives have changed as a result of their suddenly found fame as notorious little criminals.

Writer-director Sofia Coppola's fifth film is her most accomplished work yet. This is a stunningly well-made film that packs a punch. Everything about The Bling Ring is precise and intricate. She holds shots for an almost uncomfortable length of time. She keeps the camera distant from her actors and thus distances her audience from her subjects. This forces us to observe first, then feel later. Her camera movements, such as her slow dolly shots, are all intentional. She uses a wide variety of cameras -- security cameras to show us the action and webcams to shed light on the characters' personalities and self-obsession. Her editing is purposefully fragmented and disjointed in an effective manner. Everything about Coppola's direction is remarkable. She is a truly talented filmmaker.

What is perhaps Coppola's most extraordinary and bold decision as a filmmaker is the presentation of her characters. Coppola doesn't really flesh them out. We don't know much about their psychological states of being, or what drives them to do what they do. They are shallow and empty shells. Most of them have similar personalities, with some of them being nearly interchangeable. Ultimately, many people are complaining that The Bling Ring fails because we can't connect with these hooligans. I wholeheartedly disagree with those who berate Coppola's characters because I find them to be brilliant.

What made me appreciate Coppola's characters is that they stand for something greater: "Generation Y," itself. Coppola has keen insight on what people think about this generation. She understands that people see "Generation Y" as vapid, reckless, tasteless, and immoral. This is a generation that isn't defined by personality as much as it is by technology. Facebook profiles -- whether they are legitimate or fictionalized -- have come to define today's youth. This generation's obsession with celebrities and fame has caused it to mimic or emulate superstars, and in the process, has marginalized individuality. So even though these are not deep characters, they are compelling ones. They are disturbing representations of today's youth and of today's Hollywood-obsessed culture.

I found the characters -- and ultimately the entire film itself -- to be highly unnerving because they hit a little too close to home. I know girls who talk exactly like the girls of The Bling Ring -- girls who curse liberally and say the most derogatory profane things to others. I know guys and gals who are a little too obsessed with their images -- from their bodies to their clothing -- who spend more time in front of the mirror than with other humans. I know people who brag a little too much about how wasted they got or how hungover they are, simply to posit their badass status. And for these reasons, The Bling Ring's characters and writing are brilliant. Coppola's script is spot-on because her dialogue is true to the vernacular of the youth generation of today. Kudos to all of these talented young actors for delivering spectacular performances. Chang's blank and icy delivery is chilling. Farmiga injects some suspenseful danger into the film. Julien nails it as the bad girl. Broussard makes his character both pathetic and sympathetic and draws us into the most relatable character in the film. And last but not least, Watson is phenomenal. She sheds her British accent and is completely convincing as the airhead "valley girl." She  understands the humor of the film and truly hams up the ridiculousness of her character while remaining realistic.

Even though I'm really emphasizing how unconventionally scary I found this film to be, I commend Coppola for not really taking a side on the story. She's not condemning the real Bling Ring, nor is she making light of them. She simply tells the story without judgment and allows the viewers to draw their own conclusions for themselves. You may be thinking that this non-judgmental aspect of her direction would detract from the power of the film. But as you can tell from my strong reaction to this film, that is not the case.

I want to step away from my personal feelings of the film for a moment and talk about the elements that anyone can analyze: the cinematography and soundtrack. First of all, Harris Savides' cinematography is wonderful. It's such a shame that this was the last film that he shot before passing away, but he leaves us with images that are fascinating to analyze. I particularly liked the way he -- and co-cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, who took over after Savides' passing -- shot the club scenes which are dizzying yet mesmerizing all at once. Another sensational element of the film is the music. Hard hip-hop records and bouncy house tracks comprise this soundtrack that should sound familiar to any listeners of top 40 radio today. This synthesis of sight and sound makes for a compelling window into today's contemporary and ever-changing society.

If there is one small criticism that I must address, then it is the repetition of the home invasions. We get to witness these kids break into many celebrity homes, from Paris Hilton's to Orlando Bloom's. However, these robberies become similar in nature. We witness the entrance, we see the kids parade around, we see them "shop" through the luxurious fashion closets, we see them hangout for a bit, and then we see them leave. Sure, it's fascinating to watch, but there isn't much that differentiates one robbery from another. Perhaps this is intentional, though, in order to create a strange effect and bring the viewer on a tiring ride along with these eccentric teens.

Ultimately, The Bling Ring is a nearly flawless masterpiece that is a rarity. It is so sickeningly spot-on with everything that it does -- it is insightful, truthful, funny, and disturbing simultaneously. It is controversial and thought-provoking and will undoubtedly spark debate amongst cinephiles. After I witnessed the final shot of the film -- which is the most haunting and disturbing final cinematic moment I've seen in years -- I was left with an extremely bitter aftertaste. The ending made me reflect upon the flaws of my generation and -- in its darkness -- was the perfect icing on the cake. The Bling Ring hooked, baffled, irritated, entertained, and haunted me with such tremendous force, and for these reasons, I loved it. Three and a half stars out of four.