The Bling Ring

I'm not a big Sofia Coppola fan, so this film was a pretty pleasant surprise. The Bling Ring is based on a true story about a group of Californian youngsters who invade celebrity houses when they're away from home. When they're there, they steal just the right amount of bling, so their victims won't even notice anyone's been in their home. Call it the nihilistic version of Robin Hood.

The film makes an interesting point on how the media idolizes both celebrity lifestyles and the people who rob from them for their own gain. As long as is it glitters, the media and the public will love it. It's also a coming of age story focused on the rich and the famous, the kids who are so pampered they grow up feeling they can get away with everything.

Coppola's direction is on point. The social media lifestyle, a soundtrack filled with appropriate party music and performances that perfectly capture the greed, nihilism, but also the rebellion and freedom of the characters. It's a tight, compact, fun and poignant little film, which sadly is a bit too contemporary to appeal to a large audience. I wouldn't be surprised if this film is going to be looked at with different eyes a few decades from now though.