The Bling Ring

The Bling Ring is a 2013 satirical crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola.[5] It features an ensemble cast, led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 Vanity Fair article "The Suspects Wore Louboutins" by Nancy Jo Sales, which dealt with a real-life gang known as the Bling Ring. The story follows a group of fame-obsessed teenagers who use the internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to burgle their homes.

This article is about the film. For the ring upon which the film is based, see Bling Ring.

The Bling Ring
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySofia Coppola
Produced by
Written bySofia Coppola
Based on"The Suspects Wore Louboutins"
by Nancy Jo Sales
Starring
Music by
Cinematography
Edited bySarah Flack
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • A24 (United States)
  • StudioCanal (United Kingdom)[1]
  • Pathé (France)[1]
  • Tobis Film (Germany)[1]
  • Tohokushinsha Film (Japan)[1]
Release date
  • May 16, 2013 (2013-05-16) (Cannes)
  • June 12, 2013 (2013-06-12) (France)
  • June 21, 2013 (2013-06-21) (United States)
  • July 5, 2013 (2013-07-05) (United Kingdom)
  • August 15, 2013 (2013-08-15) (Germany)
  • December 14, 2013 (2013-12-14) (Japan)
Running time
90 minutes[2]
Country
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Germany
  • Japan
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million[3]
Box office$20 million[4]

The film is an international co-production by producers in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan. Coppola began developing a screenplay based on the real-life burglaries in December 2011. Casting took place in early 2012, before principal photography started in March that same year in Los Angeles, California.

The Bling Ring had its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2013.[6] The film was theatrically released in limited theaters on June 14, 2013, by A24, before opening in a wide release on June 21. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with many praising the cast and Coppola's "stylish" direction; Watson received critical acclaim for her performance. However, others criticized the film for its "shallow" and morally ambiguous approach towards the subject matter.[7]

The Bling Ring represents the final work of cinematographer Harris Savides, who died of brain cancer while the film was in post-production. The film is dedicated to him.[8]

Plot

Quiet teenager Marc Hall arrives as a new student at Indian Hills High School in Agoura Hills, California. Soon after arriving, he is befriended by fame-obsessed Rebecca Ahn. While at a party at Rebecca's house, Rebecca persuades Marc to sneak away with her, and the pair check unlocked vehicles on the street, taking valuables such as cash and credit cards. The two begin hanging out after school, and Marc begins to see Rebecca as a sister figure. When he briefly mentions that one of his wealthy acquaintances is out of town, she encourages him to join her in breaking into his house. Rebecca steals a handbag, noting that her idol, Lindsay Lohan, has the same one. She also steals cash and the keys to a Porsche, which the pair use to flee the scene. With the money, the two go on a shopping spree, affording themselves the luxury lifestyle they admire in magazines.

Marc visits a nightclub with Rebecca and her friends, who include Nicki Moore, Nicki's adoptive sister Sam, and Chloe Tainer, where they rub shoulders with celebrities such as Kirsten Dunst and Paris Hilton. Later, while researching Hilton on the Internet, Marc and Rebecca realize that she is out of town. The pair find her address, go to her house, and, upon finding the key under the doormat, they break in. They go through Hilton's belongings, taking some jewelry with them, including a bracelet that Rebecca later flaunts to Nicki, Sam, and Chloe at a party.

At Nicki's request, Rebecca and Marc take her, Sam, and Chloe back to Hilton's house. The group marvels at the excess of Hilton's lifestyle and steals shoes, bags, dresses, cash, and jewelry. Marc and Rebecca return to rob Hilton's house on a third occasion. The pair also decides to rob the home of Audrina Patridge, once again using the Internet to determine when she will not be home. The entire group uses the same method to burgle the home of Megan Fox, with Nicki's younger sister Emily squeezing through a pet door to gain access to the house.

The group enters the home of Orlando Bloom and his girlfriend, Miranda Kerr. The girls proceed to steal similar items, while Marc finds a case filled with seven of Bloom's Rolex watches along with a roll of cash. Chloe then helps Marc sell the watches to her friend, a night club manager named Ricky. The group returns to Hilton's house with Sam's boyfriend Rob, who also steals from the home.

A news report releases captured CCTV footage from the robbery at Patridge's home. This concerns Marc, but Rebecca is undeterred and instigates a burglary at the home of Rachel Bilson. Word spreads amongst the group's social circles, and the girls boast of their accomplishments at parties, also posting photographs of the stolen items on social media sites. The group ultimately breaks into Lohan's house and robs it. Shortly after, Rebecca moves to Las Vegas with her father due to troubles at home, leaving her stolen items with Marc. He inadvertently helps Rebecca transfer stolen items across state lines.

News reports of the Hollywood Hills burglaries intensify, with the media labeling the group "The Bling Ring." CCTV from several robberies, in addition to the evidence on social media, allows authorities to identify the group. Police arrest Marc, Nicki, Chloe, Rebecca, Rob, and Ricky, but Sam is not recognized in the footage and avoids arrest. Marc cooperates with the police, informing them of the burglaries' details, much to the chagrin of Rebecca, who has been identified as the ringleader. A Vanity Fair journalist interviews Marc, who is remorseful, and Nicki, who vehemently suggests the others were at fault and that she was involved with the wrong people. The group is ultimately prosecuted, receiving varying amounts of jail time, and is ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution collectively for the stolen items.

Marc is seen being transported to prison. In the final scene, set a few months later, Nicki is on a talk show talking about her time in jail and reveals that her cell was next to Lohan's. After digressing, she turns to the audience (and the viewers) and promotes her website, where people can learn everything about her "journey."

Cast
Cameos

Production

Development

In December 2011, it was reported that Sofia Coppola was developing a screenplay for a film based on the Bling Ring burglaries, to be directed and produced by herself. Her father, Francis Ford Coppola, executive produced the project through his American Zoetrope production company.[10] In April 2012, it was announced that financing had been set up with NALA Films, and Roman Coppola would also serve as a producer.[11]

Casting

Emma Watson joined the cast of the film on February 29, 2012,[12] and on March 1, Taissa Farmiga was reported to have joined the main cast.[13] Also in early March, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the casting of Leslie Mann and Israel Broussard.[14] On March 16, Claire Julien joined the cast, and Katie Chang and Georgia Rock were also confirmed for roles.[15] That same month, Carlos Miranda was cast in a supporting role.[16] In late March, Kirsten Dunst and Paris Hilton were both confirmed to make cameos in the film, as themselves.[17][18] Gavin Rossdale was spotted on the set of the film on March 27, 2012.[19]

Filming

Production primarily took place in and around Los Angeles, California in March and April 2012; notably in West Hollywood, Lynwood, and Venice.[20] Paris Hilton, who was a victim during the actual Bling Ring robberies, and Kirsten Dunst, both made cameo appearances in the film.[21] Some scenes were shot in the celebrity victims' homes and at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California.[22]

Soundtrack

The Bling Ring: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
ReleasedJune 11, 2013
GenreFilm soundtrack
Length1:19:44
LabelDef Jam Records
"I spent a few months listening to everything that is out now and then going back a bit to when the story actually happened. So the Kanye stuff was fair game, as well as the newer stuff. The Can stuff is interesting because the other side is the score, the sound of L.A. at night when they're driving around. I thought that it would be really cool to use Klaus Schulze and some of the German stuff that I really, really love, and it's amazing how well those tracks fit next to each other."

– Reitzell, on the variety of music[23]

The Bling Ring: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was supervised by frequent Coppola collaborator Brian Reitzell. The film's soundtrack album was released on June 11, 2013 by Def Jam Recordings.[24] It contains a mix of music ranging between such genres as hip-hop/rap, krautrock, and electronic.[25]

The musical score for the film was written by Reitzell in collaboration with Daniel Lopatin, known mostly under the recording name of Oneohtrix Point Never.[26] Coppola's husband's band, Phoenix, also contributed the title track from their album Bankrupt!.[23]

Reitzell worked closely with Coppola to find contemporary music that would fit within the film's setting. After being contacted for song contributions, rapper Kanye West recommended Reitzell use Frank Ocean's then-unreleased "Super Rich Kids."

Tracklist
Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)PerformerLength
1."Crown on the Ground"Alexis Krauss, Derek E. MillerSleigh Bells3:49
2."9 Piece"William Leonard Roberts II, Dwayne Carter, Lexus LewisRick Ross featuring Lil Wayne5:17
3."Sunshine"Ryeisha Berrain, Maya ArulpragasamRye Rye featuring M.I.A.3:22
4."212"Azealia Banks, Jef MartensAzealia Banks featuring Lazy Jay3:26
5."Ouroboros"Daniel LopatinOneohtrix Point Never2:02
6."Money Machine"Tauheed Epps, Christopher Gholson2 Chainz4:42
7."Bad Girls"Mathangi Arulpragasam, Nate Hills, Marcella AraicaM.I.A.3:48
8."All of the Lights"Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Yusef El Shabbaz Jones, Scott Mescudi, Warren TrotterKanye West4:59
9."Drop It Low"Christopher Maurice Brown, Ester Dean, Jamal F. JonesEster Dean featuring Chris Brown3:14
10."Gucci Bag"Gemar Akoto, Kwadwo Boateng, Reem OwetiReema Major3:54
11."Halleluhwah"Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt, Holger Schweizer, Kenji SuzukiCan5:36
12."Power"Kanye West, Larry Griffin Jr., Mike Dean, Jeff Bhasker, Andwele Gardner, Ken Lewis, Francois Bernheim, Jean-Pierre Lang, Boris Bergman, Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonaldKanye West4:52
13."Freeze"Klaus SchulzeKlaus Schulze6:39
14."FML"Joel ZimmermanDeadmau56:35
15."The Bling Ring Suite"Brian Reitzell, Daniel LopatinBrian Reitzell and Daniel Lopatin6:52
16."Bankrupt!"Thomas Mars, Deck d'Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz, Christian MazzalaiPhoenix6:56
17."Super Rich Kids"Christopher Breaux, Malay, Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, Kirk Robinson, Nathaniel Robinson Jr., Ray Hammond, Mark Morales, Mark RooneyFrank Ocean featuring Earl Sweatshirt5:04
Total length:1:19:44

Distribution
Coppola at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for the premiere

Release

In January 2013, A24 acquired domestic distribution rights to the film.[27] The film opened the Un Certain Regard section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on May 16.[6][28] The film is Coppola's third in a row that deals heavily with the famous, following Marie Antoinette and Somewhere, a drama about a renowned actor and his 11-year-old daughter. About the premiere in Cannes, she said, "It seems like the perfect setting for The Bling Ring when you see people walking around in their heels. It's a glamorous place, so it feels appropriate." The film closed the 39th Seattle International Film Festival on June 9, 2013.[29][30]

Home media

The Bling Ring was released via digital download on September 6, 2013, and on DVD and Blu-ray on September 17, 2013, by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The extras include a behind the scenes making of the film, an interview with Coppola, and a tour of a crime scene by Bling Ring target Paris Hilton.[31]

Reception

Box office

In its debut weekend in the United States, the film opened in five theaters with $214,395, for a per-theater average of $42,879.[32] It was Coppola's best opening per-theater average, beating out Lost in Translation's intake of $40,221 for each of 23 locations in 2003. The following weekend, The Bling Ring expanded to 650 theaters, making $2 million for a per-theater average of $3,080.[33] The film went on to gross $5.8 million domestically and $20 million worldwide.[4]

Critical response

The Bling Ring received mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 59% approval rating, based on reviews from 204 critics, with a weighted average of 6.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "While it's certainly timely and beautifully filmed, The Bling Ring suffers from director Sofia Coppola's failure to delve beneath the surface of its shallow protagonists' real-life crimes."[34] Metacritic has assigned the film an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 40 reviews from mainstream critics, indicating "generally positive reviews".[35] The film has drawn comparisons to the Day-Glo cinematography of Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers, which was also released under A24 Films.[36]

Emma Watson's performance received critical acclaim.

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly had a positive opinion, writing, "Watching The Bling Ring, the audience is invited to understand the impulses of these child-woman thieves, even as Coppola stands firmly apart from their craziness and sees them for who they are."[37] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph stated, "Everything comes together for the good here: visuals, performances, raucous soundtrack, Coppola's teasing flirtation with, yet ultimate lack of commitment to, some kind of concrete morality."[38] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter stated, "Coppola's attitude toward her subject seems equivocal, uncertain; there is perhaps a smidgen of social commentary, but she seems far too at home in the world she depicts to offer a rewarding critique of it."[39]

Watson's performance as Nicki Moore was critically acclaimed. Richard Roeper called her "comedic gold," [40] while Gleiberman wrote that Watson "proves that her willingness to take chances is only growing and that she's an actress serious enough to turn a line like 'Your butt looks awesome!' into something that reveals character." Cath Clarke of Time Out commented positively on Watson, saying, "The real story here isn't the good-girl-goes-bad stunt casting; it's that Watson can act. Against the odds, the Harry Potter star gives a sharp, knowing smart performance as Nicki."[41] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote, "Watson is sensational as Nicki, an underage club girl and actress wanna-be, who lives in a universe of Valley Girl narcissism eons away from Hogwarts."[42] Even critics who gave the film overall negative reviews singled out Watson for praise, with Peter Howell of the Toronto Star stating, "The undistinguished young cast of The Bling Ring has just one standout, and that's Emma Watson, who plays one of the most vacuous of the juvenile thieves. We know her best as the brainy Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter movies, and she can obviously do brainless equally well."[43] Joe Neumaier of New York Daily News wrote, "Watson, though, does a great imitation of hollow-eyed gaze; her character is the one who tries to parlay notoriety into success (everyone else can, she figures). The one-time Harry Potter star captures the slack-jawed fan only too well."[44]

Accolades
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result
2013 Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard Award Sofia Coppola Nominated
2013 Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards Dorothy Arzner Directors Award Won
2014 Golden Trailer Awards Best Independent TV Spot "Roster" Trailer (A24 Films) Nominated
2014 Best Teaser Poster The Bling Ring (Pathé) Nominated

References
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  2. "THE BLING RING (15)". British Board of Film Classification. April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  3. Galloway, Stephen (May 8, 2013). "'The Bling Ring's' Sofia Coppola: The Trials, Tears and Talent". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  4. "The Bling Ring (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
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  13. Kroll, Justin (March 1, 2012). "'Horror Story' thesp Farmiga lands 2 roles". Variety. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
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  15. Fleming Jr, Mike (March 16, 2012). "Claire Julien Joins 'The Bling Ring'". Deadline Hollywood.
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  43. Howell, Peter (June 21, 2013). "The Bling Ring review: Lifestyles of the Vacant and Greedy". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
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