Taglines: Living the dream, one heist at a time.
The Bling Ring is an American satirical crime film based on actual events. Written, directed and produced by Sofia Coppola, it features an ensemble cast including newcomers Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, and Claire Julien, as well as Taissa Farmiga and Emma Watson.
Filming began in March 2012. The film opened the Un Certain Regard section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on May 15, and was released in a limited release in the United States on June 14 and nationwide on June 21, 2013. 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.
Production primarily took place in and around Los Angeles, California in March and April 2012; notably in West Hollywood, Lynwood, and Venice. Paris Hilton, who was a victim during the actual Bling Ring robberies, and Kirsten Dunst both made cameo appearances in the film. Some scenes were shot in the celebrity victim’s homes and at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California.
About the Production (2013)
In the fame-obsessed world of Los Angeles, a group of teenagers take us on a thrilling and disturbing crime-spree in the Hollywood hills. Based on true events, the group, who were fixated on the glamorous life, tracked their celebrity targets online, and stole more than 3 million in luxury goods from their homes. Their victims included Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, and Rachel Bilson, and the gang became known in the media as “The Bling Ring.”
In The Bling Ring, Oscar Winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola takes us inside the world of these teens, where their youthful naivete and excitement is amplified by today’s culture of celebrity and luxury brand obsession. The members of the Bling Ring introduce us to temptations that any teenager would find hard to resist. And what starts out as youthful fun spins out of control, revealing a sobering view of our modern culture.
Quiet teenager Marc Hall (Israel Broussard) arrives as a new student at Indian Hills High School in Calabasas, California. Shortly after, he is befriended by fame-obsessed Rebecca Ahn (Katie Chang). While at a party at Rebecca’s house, the pair leave the party to check for unlocked vehicles on the street, taking valuables such as cash and credit cards.
When Marc mentions that one of his wealthy acquaintances is out of town, Rebecca suggests they go to his house. Marc is very uncomfortable trespassing, however Rebecca steals a handbag, mentioning that her idol, Lindsay Lohan has the same one. She also takes an amount of cash, and the keys to a Porsche, which the pair use to flee the scene. With the cash from the house, the two go on a shopping spree, affording themselves the luxury lifestyle they admired in magazines.
Marc visits a nightclub with Rebecca and her friends Nicki (Emma Watson) and her adopted sister Sam (Taissa Farmiga), and Chloe (Claire Julien), where they rub shoulders with celebrities such as Kirsten Dunst and Paris Hilton. While researching Hilton on the Internet, Marc and Rebecca realize that she will be out of town, and create a plan to rob her home. Finding the key under the doormat, the pair goes through Hilton’s belongings, taking some small items of jewelry. Rebecca then flaunts a stolen bracelet 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 marvel at the excess of Hilton’s lifestyle, and steal shoes, bags, dresses, cash, and jewelry. Later, Marc and Rebecca rob Hilton’s house on a third occasion. The pair also decide 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 burglarize the home of Megan Fox, with Nicki’s younger sister Emily (Georgia Rock) squeezing through a pet door to gain access to the home.
The group enters the home of Orlando Bloom and his girlfriend, Miranda Kerr, and the girls proceed to steal her usual 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 boyfriend, Ricky. The group returns once again 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 Audrina Patridge’s home, which concerns Marc, however Rebecca is undeterred, and instigates a burglary at the home of Rachel Bilson. Word spreads amongst the group’s social circles, and the girls proudly boast of their accomplisments at parties, also posting photographs of the stolen items on social media sites. The group ultimately rob the home of Lohan, Rebecca’s celebrity idol. Shortly after, Rebecca moves to Las Vegas with her father due to troubles at home, leaving some of her stolen items with Marc. During this, Marc also inadvertently helps Rebecca transfer stolen items across state lines.
News reports of the Hollywood Hills burglaries intensify, with the media labelling 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, however Sam is not identified in the footage and avoids arrest.
Marc cooperates with the police, informing them on the details of the burglaries, much to the chagrin of Rebecca, who has been identified as the ringleader. A Vanity Fair journalist interviews Nicki and Marc, capturing the highly publicized story. While Marc is remorseful, Nicki vehemently suggests the others were at fault, and that she was simply involved with the wrong people. The group is ultimately prosecuted, receiving varying amounts of jail time and being ordered to collectively pay millions of dollars in restitution for the stolen items.
The group serve their jail time, and Marc and Rebecca each go into seclusion from the press. The film then cuts to a few months later where Nicki is on a talk show talking about her time in jail, where she reveals that her cell was next to Lohan’s. After digressing, she turns to the audience (and the viewers) as she finds a way to enhance her newfound notoriety, telling them to visit her now-popular website detailing her life after The Bling Ring.
The Bling Ring (2013)
Directed by: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Georgia Rock, Emma Watson, Leslie Mann, Claire Alys Julien
Screenplay by: Sofia Coppola, Nancy Jo Sales
Production Design by: Anne Ross
Cinematography by: Christopher Blauvelt, Harris Savides
Film Editing by: Sarah Flack
Music by; Daniel Lopatin, Brian Reitzell
Costume Design by: Stacey Battat
Set Decoration by: Sara Parks
Art Direction by: Kevin Bird
MPAA Rating: R for teen drug and alcohol use, and for language including some brief sexual references.
Studio: A24
Release Date: June 14, 2013
Visits: 66
