The Bling Ring Review
Reviewed by David Savage
Starring: Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, Claire Julien, Katie Chang, Leslie Mann
Directed By: Sofia Coppola
Certificate: 12
Running Time: 86 minutes (approx.)
Release Date: 28 October 2013
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
The Bling Ring is based on a true story about a group of celebrity obsessed teenagers who went on a $3 million crime spree between 2008 and 2009 robbing the houses of celebrities they knew would be away from home by following their favourite celebrities online using social media and online maps. They robbed houses of famous Hollywood stars such as Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom and Paris Hilton (who they repeatedly kept going back to rob). Paris Hilton even let them film the movie in her house where the burglaries took place.
The opening line of the film is “Let’s go shopping” and that’s exactly what these teenagers did just in celebrities houses rather than shops and had no intention of paying for anything.
Marc (Israel Broussard) is a shy, middle class boy who has been kicked out of school for being absent too many times and ends up in a school for wayward kids. He strikes up a friendship with Rebecca (Katie Chang) and become the best of friends. They both have a love of fashion and celebrities and while out one night start checking cars for any doors left open so they can steal cash, wallets, drugs and anything else of value left in the car. When they see on the internet that Paris Hilton will be away from home hosting a party they find out her address and then go to her house. Once finding a door unlocked they enter and steal money, clothes and jewellery (in small amounts so as it is not missed).
Once the realise how easy it is they soon invite others to their group and then start tracking their favourite celebs online and entering their homes when they knew they would be out of town, with Paris Hilton being robbed 6 times. They would post pictures online on social media accounts showing themselves with the stolen items (taking $2 million worth of designer clothes, jewellery and cash just from Paris Hilton).
These robberies funded their partying and drugs and made them famous as “The Bling Ring”.
Overall, this is a very good film based on true events with Emma Watson giving a great performance. If shows how easy it is to stalk celebrities and know their movements which these kids did with ease allowing them to steal millions of dollars’ worth of clothes, jewellery, cash and cars before eventually getting caught (through the police being tipped off). They would see in magazines and online what kind of “bling” each celebrity would have and then deciding which one to rob.
A good film based on true events worth seeing.
Rating: 4/5
Available to buy from Amazon here.
