My Review: At Middleton (5/10)

"The line between ambition and obsession can be much thinner than one might imagine."

At Middleton is one of those films that are hard to review because the dialogue is so cheesy and over the top while the performances are charming and engaging. It's not a good film, but one that works for a certain audience that can appreciate the two lead performances despite the flaws. It's a film about two unlikely people making a connection and if you buy in to that connection you will enjoy this film. The problem is that I never believed these two characters would connect in the way they did and everything felt false despite the sparks of charm and sweetness that the film evokes. It's hard not to enjoy a film starring a funny Andy Garcia (getting away from the dramatic roles we've seen him in) and a lovable Vera Farmiga. Both actors are stunning and enjoyable despite the weak material they had to work with. Several moments felt forced, but the chemistry between the two actors make this film tolerable. At Middleton is Adam Rogers first feature film and he co-wrote the script with Glenn German. It tries to be a mature romantic film about marriage and preparing for the empty nest, but it ended up feeling like a movie you'd catch on Lifetime or the Hallmark channel.

The film takes place during the course of one day as two families are heading to a college tour at Middleton. On the one hand there is Edith (Vera Farmiga) a married businesswoman driving her teenage daughter, Audrey (Taissa Farmiga) to the tour. Audrey is excited about Middleton because she wants the best linguistic professor in the country, Dr. Emerson (Tom Skerrit) to be her advisor. Then we are introduced to George Hartman (Andy Garcia), a heart surgeon who is almost forcing his son Conrad (Spencer Lofranco) to get excited about the tour at Middleton. Once both families arrive at the campus their paths cross during the tour and eventually Edith and George get separated from the rest of the group and spend the rest of the day getting to know each other while they decide to take their own private tour of the college. Despite not liking each other at first, they quickly make a connection and as the day goes on they begin falling for each other.

Halfway through the film I already knew where we were going to end up. It ended as I predicted, but I still enjoyed some of the moments in the film. The chemistry between both actors is charming and sweet despite the fact that most of the film felt forced. The two kids in this film did a decent job as well. Taissa Farmiga plays Vera's daughter although in real life the two are sisters. She does a decent job, but the truth of the matter is that Vera and Andy Garcia are the heart and soul of this film. They make this a watchable film although I wouldn't recommend it. There are some nice sparks that make the film feel pleasant at times and it looks good, but it was just a bit too cheesy for my liking. At Middleton is a bittersweet meh movie; nothing more to add here.

My Review: The Bling Ring (7/10)

"I think we just wanted to be part of the lifestyle. The lifestyle that everybody kinda wants."

Sofia Coppola is a talented writer and director, and despite not being able to equal her masterpiece, Lost in Translation, she still continues to surprise me with films like this. Her approach is different from most other directors, she isn't interested in trying to delve into the psyche of these characters and explain why they act a certain way, she kind of takes a distant approach and lets their actions speak for them. The Bling Ring is Sofia Coppola's way of putting a mirror in front of today's youth and letting them see how empty and shallow they've become. There is no denying that our young generation is obsessed with fame, celebrities, and social media. We see it every day in television through so many reality shows, and in The Bling Ring Sofia Coppola gets this point across from the very opening scenes where we see the main characters speak obsessively over fashion and celebrities while at the same time taking pictures of each other at a party and simply posing. That moment where you arrive at a party and everyone is sitting down in a same table with their eyes glued to their cellphones. Those are the sort of moments that Coppola captures from a distance in this film and she never tries to judge or explain their behavior. This detachment is what generally works in Coppola's work and I really was drawn into this world. As opposed to Lost in Translation and Somewhere, this film actually has a lot more going for it plot wise, despite not being as good as Lost in Translation. I really liked the dark comedy in this film and the performances from relatively unknown actors were also great. Emma Watson plays a very different role from what we've seen her in the past and she delivers despite not being the lead actress here. The Bling Ring isn't a perfect movie, but it is a detached observation of today's youth culture.

The Bling Ring was adapted by Sofia Coppola from Nancy Jo Sales's Vanity Fair article "The Suspect Wore Louboutins" about the real life crimes committed by a group of teenagers in 2008. This group, which the media called The Bling Ring, stole more than 3 million dollars worth of clothing and jewelry from celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, among others. They checked the whereabouts of the celebrities on the internet and then looked up their home address and simply entered their homes. Marc (Israel Broussard) has just moved to California and on the first day of High School he quickly befriends Rebecca (Katie Chang) who invites him to hang out with her and Chloe (Claire Julien) at the beach. They click right away because they both seem to share an obsession for fashion and after hanging out Rebecca asks him if he knows anyone who's family is away. Marc mentions one and Rebecca convinces him to break into their home and take a few things. This is just the beginning of their adventures as the two realize they can do the same with celebrities' houses. Rebecca's friends Nicki (Emma Watson) and Sam (Taissa Farmiga, who happens to be Vera Farmiga's youngest sister) also join them on some of the robberies. The members of the Bling Ring begin enjoying their lives of luxury and feeling like celebrities, but their excesses catch up with them and soon will run into trouble with the law.

If this weren't a film based on true events I would say it was ridiculous that someone would've come up with a plot like this since I wouldn't expect these celebrities to have such bad security systems in their homes, but this really happened although I'm betting things have changed now. Emma Watson's character is so dislikable but she manages to give a great performance nonetheless. Her character depicts everything that is wrong with today's youth. The final scene where she is being interviewed along with her mother (played by Leslie Mann) is just hilarious. She simply shines in every scene she's in here. Broussard and Chang also have great chemistry together and carry the movie despite being unknown actors. I know that a lot of people found this film shallow and pointless but I think that was exactly the point that Coppola was trying to get across: how shallow these people really are. This is a very fun film although probably a forgettable one as well considering the main themes of the movie. The critique of American culture is right on the mark here and perhaps that is why the film might leave you with a sense of emptiness as well, but that was exactly the reaction that Coppola was looking for.