Land Of The Free Ride

BeautifulBallad attended a screening of The Bling Ring yesterday, June 11. The indie tells the story of a group of fame obsessed teens, hell bent on robbing celebrities in their attempt to become celebrities in their own right.

Based off Nancy Jo Sales’ Vanity Fair feature “The Suspects Wore Louboutins,” and true life events, The Bling Ring starts from the end with a few characters talking with a Vanity Fair reporter, detailing how they all met and how the stealing began. From the very beginning we learn that Rebecca (Katie Chang) is the leader of the gang, while Marc (Israel Broussard) is her go to “best friend” after she befriends him on his first day of school. The two start off small, with petty crimes, including breaking into unlocked cars and homes, before deciding to rob Paris Hilton’s house. After their first successful break in, the two celebrate at a local club where they brag to sisters Nikki and Sam (Emma Watson and Taissa Farmiga) and Chloe (Claire Julien) about their night. This sparks the trio’s interest and their thieving group is formed.

The acting in the film varies, only a few characters are extremely memorable (Marc, Chloe, and Nikki). Israel (Marc) does a good job of making us feel sympathy for a character that would otherwise become forgettable. Claire’s portrayal of Chloe gave the audience some great laugh out loud moments, reminding us that girls like her do exist in this world. Emma’s portrayal of Nikki showed the star has the capability to play a character so far out of her comfort zone without overreaching.

Overall, Sofia Coppola was able to create a film where each character will literally drive you to the point of insanity with every uttered “Oh My God” and “So fab”, but in the end you walk away with a sense of sympathy for them. Each is an outcast, thirsting to be noticed. The group thrived off living vicariously through the famous in order to make their mediocre lives seem extraordinary.  Coppola does well to bring their twisted reality to life

Grade: B+