“I think we just wanted to be part of the lifestyle. The lifestyle that everybody kinda wants.”
Wear a killer dress and heels, take a picture and upload it to social media. Go to the coolest club and looking hot, take a picture and upload it again. It’s today’s modern social culture, we crave the the need to be accepted in the ‘cool world’. Far worse, we digest everything from the media. Unconsciously, seeing what the celebrities do and think it’s okay to steal things and drug cocaine. Unfortunately, some younger people like teens that still trying to find their identity and lack morale direction could copy them easily with no sense of responsibility.
Sofia Coppola’s latest movie, The Bling Ring (2013) features five high school teenagers that rob branded clothes and materials from celebrity houses in L.A. Being a new kid in high school, Marc (Israel Broussard) need new social group and Rebecca (Katie Chang) easily befriend him and invite him to her friend’s hang outs. Like Rebecca, Marc likes to style and branded items. Starts with robbing money and drug from expensive cars in L.A. neighborhood, Rebecca engage Marc to start robbing Paris Hilton’s house while she’s out of town. When they got in easily, they start to invite other friends in another occasion, including Nicolette (Emma Watson), a model and celebrity-wannabe. Since they successfully got in, Rebecca starts to target other house based entertainment news telling if a celebrity is out of town. Though Marc worries about their robbing activity, he couldn’t help to join Rebecca as he sees her as his sister and best friend. The other girls also worships pretty celebrities, like Rachel Bilson and Paris Hilton. The robbing is like an addiction and in spite of feeling ashamed, they think of it as cool activity and deserves a recognition. Telling their other friends is a non-issue.
Seeing the teens easily got in these celebrity houses makes me wonder, is security isn’t something urgent in L.A.? Is Rebecca high-equipped on sneaking houses and breaking in cars? Why is it after stealing lots of stuff, she doesn’t have any sense of shame and guilt, instead proud and snobby?
Seeing these epidemic, who’s to blame? The media? Our craving to see the latest news of celebrity? Or, misguided parenting? In such places like L.A., where perfect image is a must and celebrities are like Gods, where should we stand our identity aside from expensive cars, branded clothes and elite houses?
The Bling Ring portrayed these situation perfectly, in Sofia Coppola’s trademark of telling things more of visually and conditionally, rather than with words or narration. Though it wasn’t as deserted as Somewhere (2010), makes me wonder why only Marc who stated things more often than other characters. Perhaps Marc is the only one who is willing to be honest and open, while other is more concern on their own image. Unfortunately, not much of information from Rebecca, the fuse of all the robbing activity. The movie stated clearly that the story was based on real events and Variety article.
It’s unquestionable about the soundtrack, but The Bling Ring‘s point of interest other than highlighting a crime, it also quite contemporary. Showing today’s image craving, celebrity wanna-be’s and depending on unhealthy role models. Searching for perfect image that only appear on media and facebook, apparent happiness that would never finish and never quite fulfilling.
Perhaps The Bling Ring could be more grand if there’s a little justification about the outcomes, about the future of these kids. I think Coppola could gather more information, unless it’s what her purpose to let us conclude the ending. Or, it’s only just her purpose to tell these epidemic situation?
As for performances, Emma Watson’s quite the blatant girl from all but more of her star aura. I read that she stated it’s a challenge to play a character she doesn’t like. But here, though different, it’s almost a waste of her intelligence. But it’s quite understandable how she want to let go of her brainy image. But I was a little disappointed seeing the lack of depth in her character. Nicolette’s desperation to enter the celebrity world and to be acknowledged was quite obvious and given that her mother teaches her with home-schooling The Secret way somehow made her character looked weak.
Even so, The Bling Ring successfully made me concern about the teens. It’s also quite interesting to see the inside home of some celebrities, though I still wonder why these kids could easily go in and out the houses easily. In terms of contemporary problems, perhaps you could call this movie 2013′s Social Network (2011), though not as tight and complicated. But what to learn from this movie? That good and pretty image aren’t the real thing and anything stolen should be given back. I couldn’t help but feel sad seeing the teens copying the bad role models and feel lucky that I grew up with cartoons and Japanese tokusatsu TV series back then. I just wish there’s something a little bit more than robbing and wearing branded clothes.
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