You know how when you go to a mall you’ll see men solemnly standing behind their girlfriends or wives, holding their purses while they shop? Watching The Bling Ring is akin to that. As these spoiled California kids raid celebrities closets, we as an audience are left holding their purse – bored and praying for the end.
Based on the true story of the Hollywood Hills burglaries in 2008-09, The Bling Ring attempts to unmask the state of youth culture. This is lost in the fact that these characters, though based on real people, are so far disconnected from the average teen that they don’t feel real. Almost everyone can relate to desiring luxury, but not everyone relates to being entitled and air-headed. If your daily vocabulary extends further than “Oh my God,” “Wow,” and “That’s so hot,” you’re not going to feel a part of Sofia Coppola’s “youth culture.”
The primary members of The Bling Ring are Marc, Rebecca, Nicki, Sam, and Chloe (Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien). Marc, new to the Hills, met Rebecca and Chloe at a high school for troubled teens. It wasn’t long before Rebecca introduced Marc to the world of thievery, testing parked cars for unlocked doors and taking whatever’s inside. It’s amazing how many people leave wallets full of cash and credit cards in their cars overnight.
