The Bling Ring (2013) Dir. Sofia Coppola

Based on real life events, specifically on the Vanity Fair article, The Suspects Wore Louboutins, Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring follows a group of celebrity-obsessed teens that 'burglarized' (I was not aware this  was even a word before seeing the film) celebrity homes. Orlando Bloom, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan , Megan Fox and Audrina Patridge were some of the victims victims?! targets victims. 

Sofia Coppola has always been somewhat sympathetic towards the problems and plights of the privileged. It's certainly an odd and slightly irritating perspective to adopt but none the less an extremely fascinating one which most of us are alien to. We saw this theme boldly in her stunning feature; Somewhere, which follows the aimless life of well known actor, Johnny Marco,  (played by Stephen Dorff) and his young daughter Cleo (played by the immensely talented, Elle Fanning) the film mostly takes place in the iconic luxury hotel, Chateau Marmont and around Los Angeles. 

Coppola herself was born and raised to affluent parents. Her father, Francis Ford Coppola, the great director who created the classic Godfather films, it's no question as to why she takes such an interest into the lives of the privileged and  the issues surrounding them. 

Throughout the film, as the sequences unfold, the robberies and car thefts do not appear to be shocking, the audience is effectively taken along this ride of madness and stealing begins to feel like the norm here. Emma Watson is particular exceptional in her role of Niki. Ice cold, deluded and generally jaded. Using Paris Hilton's actual house for the filming of the burglaries, the film puts the audience right in the heart of excessive celebrity worship. It's certainly a visual feast with the shots of ridiculous amount of shoes, bling and clothes. 

Teens gone wild - Paris Hilton's shoes

The most exquisite sequence is when Rebecca (played by Katie Chang) and Marc (played by Israel Broussard) rob Audrina Patridge's home. The Sofia Coppola stamp was most clearly marked with the stunning long shot of the mansion on the hills, each room lights up as the teens enter rummaging around for goods to steal . The audience adopts a completely detached angle whilst they witness the vulgar act unfold. This was one of the most exceptional sequences in the film.

Coppola approaches The Bling Ring with a rather numb, obsessive compulsive and repetitive angle. These teens are clearly misguided and represent a whole generation infatuated with fame, celebrities, money, Chanel hand bags and facebook profile pictures. Coppola refrains from glamourising this clique or series of circumstances which is one of the major strengths of the film.

The film is jam packed with LA norms and for anyone who has spent time in LA, you will understand these connections and the film will come across as a black comedy. The fact that many people use prescription drugs like Xanax is casually thrown into the film, Hollywood in particular has a reputation for the easy access of prescription drugs. Geographically speaking, celebrities roam around LA and are in close proximity to the average person, they are only a handful of 'cool' night clubs and bars, this appears to encourage the sense of celeb mania. Coppola reflects this ever so casually in the night club scene where the teens are at, both Paris Hilton and Kirsten Dunst both make a cameo. 

Niki (Emma Watson) in the club sequence

Another humorous aspect of the film is Niki's mother home-schooling her children based on the spiritual wisdom / religion, The Secret.  Most of the theory is based on positive thinking and blocking out negative thoughts in order invite good things (yes, actual things) into your life. 

The desire for money, the desire for the perfect body, the desire for status, the desire for designer clothes and even the greed for spiritual / religious enlightenment. At first glance, The Bling Ring may have worked better as a documentary of some sort however, on second glance, the repetitive and robotic nature of the screenplay and general unfolding of this feature is a unique triumph. Coppola has most eloquently summarised the problem with young teens in Hollywood and delivered a polished film with amazing performances and a kitsch soundtrack. 

The destinations of these characters are unknown, Coppola hints towards a metaphoric LA smog, coexisting and interrupting these youngsters, filling them with an quenching thirst for all things celebrity and material based. The audience does tend to sympathise with these teens, especially towards the lead up of their arrest. However, the eerie reality that Coppola has painted of La La Land, overrides this completely.