The Bling Ring?
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 8:32PM Hey, why didn't anyone tell me there was a new Sofia Coppola movie on the horizon? Or did I just forgot. Nevertheless... The Bling Ring is coming and its 'stars' are walking right at'cha.
Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Katie Chang & Claire Alys Julien "The Bling Ring"
Well... not exactly. Sofia Coppola is the star this time out since this band of moneyed kids is an ensemble and none of them have the hefty screen presence (yet) of a Kirsten Dunst or a Scarlett Johansson. And besides, even in the starriest of circumstances Sofia is at least the top billed co-star of all or her movies, having such a distinct auteur voice.
The Bling Ring is the name of the thieving group (above) who burglarize celebrity homes. Expect starry cameos, including our beloved Kiki (who previously headlined Coppola's Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides), Paris Hilton and possibly Lindsay Lohan and Orlando 'Legolas' Bloom among them. No word about Scarlett Johansson but if both Scarjo and Kiki lent their dreamy girl star wattage The Bling Ring may well be the apotheosis of Coppola.
Sofia has been accused of not stretching enough safely ensconced in her sheltered moneyed world of discontent. First there was the hazy teenage girls trapped and scrutinized by the gaze of others (Her The Godfather Part III experience via The Virgin Suicides. You can see it, right?) then the girl in the orbit of real celebrities who hangs out bored and unloved and disconnected in hotel rooms (Lost in Translation) then the moneyed girl born into great privilege, accussed of narcissism and disconnected from everyday living (Marie Antoinette) and finally a star driving around in circles, vaguely aware that they need to find new roads to travel (Somewhere). If you're inclined to project whole interior lives onto the unknowable rich and famous -- and frankly, who isn't? -- well, Coppola will make it easy for you.
But the synopsis of The Bling Ring sounds like newish terrain, albeit still adjacent to the world she knows all too well.
Reader Comments (10)
I don't care what "new territory" even means if Marie Antoinette doesn't suffice as a massive display of ambition and progress after Lost in Translation, I just want this title changed. Sofia Coppola is too classy to ask me to see a movie with the non-word 'bling' in the title. Let alone a title that is a rhyme on said non-word
I'd be surprised if Scarjo popped up, from various media reports it doesn't appear they connected very well.
Today is the first time and second piece of writing I read with the word apotheosis.
Emma Watson isn't a movie star?
Sounds HORRIBLE. Sofia Coppola is boring.
Emma watson is a horrible actress- and I'm a major potterhead.
I agree with Amanda. She sounds like she's faking her own accent, she's so bad.
(Also a huge Potter fan)
Amanda: She hasn't really proved herself yet. Hermione Granger is probably the least interesting character in the books and there's not much room for a performer to leave an impact with that character. I'd say, consider her next four films (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, The End of the World (formerly known as Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse) and Your Voice in My Head) as her actual proving ground. A coming of age drama, Sofia Coppola thriller, ribbing self-parody (Extras went a long way to proving Daniel Radcliffe was a smart performer) and a mental health drama/melodrama sounds like a not bad idea to see how good someone actually is.
I'm lukewarm on Watson, but Vera Farmiga's younger sister is an amazingly talented actress.
Volvagia - 'Your Voice in My Head' isn't happening anymore, sadly. Also, Watson has portrayed two other characters (in 'Ballet Shoes', and 'My Week with Marilyn'), as well as doing things like a music video and long commercial for Lancome and hasn't been compelling or left an impact in any of it.
I disagree with your assessment of the Granger character - very well-written, moreso in the screenplays, and I would call 8 films 'enough room for a performer' to actually do a passable job.