The Bling Ring

A typically underwhelming effort from Sofia Coppola, The Bling Ring follows several teenagers, including Emma Watson’s Nicki and Katie Chang’s Rebecca, as they decide to rob the homes of various celebrities. There’s ultimately little here that wholeheartedly works, as Coppola has infused the proceedings with a superficial feel that grows more and more exhausting as time progresses – with the substance-free vibe proving especially problematic in terms of the central figures. The lack of character development among the movie’s protagonists ensures that they remain one-dimensional and hopelessly interchangeable from start to finish, which, in turn, prevents the viewer from working up an ounce of interest in or sympathy for their illicit exploits. It’s hard to deny, however, that the inherently compelling setup results in an atmosphere that is, at the very least, watchable, with the novelty of the premise ensuring that the movie fares best in its comparatively involving opening half hour. (Coppola’s less-than-ambitious screenplay paves the way for a second half that’s almost infuriatingly repetitive, unfortunately.) The inclusion of a few admittedly striking sequences (eg a montage of the protagonists being arrested) goes a long way towards buoying the viewer’s interest on an all-too-sporadic basis, but it’s ultimately clear that Coppola’s lackadaisical, unfocused modus operandi cements The Bling Ring‘s place as a pointless art-house misfire.

** out of ****