A
group of fame-obsessed teenagers track celebrities whereabouts on social media
sites, creating a string of robberies in the Los Angeles area. Inspired by
true events.
Directed and written by Sofia Coppola. Based on
an article by Nancy Jo Sales.
Friends Marc Hall (Israel Broussard) and Rebecca
Ahn (Katie Chang) befriend each other in Calabasas at an alternative school and
ban together stealing credit cards and cash from unlocked cars. Marc and
Rebecca, them, team together and steal money, first
from acquaintances, then from celebrities. The team easily gathers information
on celebrities locations through social media sites like twitter and
gossip blogs. As their thefts gain in size and so does their group of
friends. They recruit Chloe (Claire Julien), Sam (Taissa Farmiga),
and Nicki (Emma Watson, portraying Alexis Neiers, known from the
reality show Pretty Wild.
The group manages to steal money from celebrities
such as Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, Audrina Patridge and
Paris Hilton. Guilt does not seem to phase them as they boast about their
accomplishments at parties and share photographs of the stolen items on social
media sites.
News reports of the burglaries intensify and the
group is now known publicly as "The Bling Ring". Survellience footage
combined with the evidence on social media allows authorities to identify the
group. The group is then arrested by police, however Sam avoids arrest
since he cannot be identified in the footage. As the police question the
group, Marc cooperates, while the rest of the group shares minimal
information. The group is ultimately prosecuted, sentencing
jail time and restitution for the stolen items.
