Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Actual Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist' On Netflix, A Docuseries Instructed From The Perspective Of Two Individuals Who Robbed Celebrities' Homes – Decider

The Actual Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist is a three-part docuseries that talks to 2 members of the infamous Bling Ring, which burglarized celeb houses in Calabasas, California in 2008 and 2009. No less than one of many victims, Audrina Patridge, is interviewed for the sequence, however the ring victimized numerous different celebrities, together with Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, and Rachel Bilson. 

Opening Shot: After a disclaimer in regards to the sequence containing reenactments primarily based on court docket data, police experiences and “conflicting firsthand accounts,” we hear from Nick Purgo and Alexis Neiers in regards to the day they have been arrested.

The Gist: Purgo and Neiers have been a part of the “Bling Ring,” a bunch of teenagers and younger adults that robbed the homes of a number of celebrities in Calabasas, California in 2008 and 2009. They’re the central figures of The Actual Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist, a three-part docuseries that tells their sides of the story, the way it appeared like these two bored teenagers from the celebrity-laden city within the San Fernando Valley managed to be a part of a hoop that stole hundreds of thousands of {dollars} of property and money from the houses of Paris Hilton, Audrina Patridge, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan and others.

The primary episode has Purgo and Neiers discuss their upbringings; Neiers and her sister Gabby moved round with their mom, Andrea Arlington-Dunne, many occasions after she divorced their father, and Andrea spent some huge cash on units to maintain her trying good for her modeling profession. Purgo and his household moved to Calabasas and he felt remoted as a result of he was firmly center class in a largely rich neighborhood filled with celeb houses.

When Purgo met Rachel Lee in highschool, he claimed that she obtained the concept to do issues like open unlocked luxurious vehicles parked on the road and steal money and different valuables. That ramped as much as stealing a automobile when the important thing was inside. It fueled a clubbing, lavish way of life. So after they wanted additional cash, throughout an period the place individuals like Hilton and others have been very open about the place they lived and what they did on early social media, they got down to burglarize homes, beginning with an previous buddy of Purgo’s. However then they hit Hilton’s home, which was not exhausting to seek out and surprisingly accessible (i.e. unlocked).

Then, Nick and Alexis meet, and Alexis turns into a part of the ring, no less than for one of many robberies.

What Reveals Will It Remind You Of? It’s attention-grabbing how The Actual Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist comes virtually a decade after The Bling Ring, the fictionalized model of this case that starred Emma Watson. They even use scenes from the film — shot inside Paris Hilton’s home! — as an example what Nick and Rachel noticed after they first entered Paris’ home with the intention to steal stuff.

Our Take: There’s one thing alarming about this sequence, directed by Miles Blayden-Ryall. It could possibly be that it appears like two individuals telling the story of their theft adventures like they have been trying again at a very booze-filled frat social gathering or another indiscretion of youth. It virtually appears like Blayden-Ryall is glorifying Purgo and Neiers’ participation on this housebreaking ring, and watching them discuss it with such glee left a nasty style in our mouths.

Purgo appears notably unrepentant in regards to the robberies, primarily chalking them as much as the celeb tradition of the ’00s and Hilton’s basic casualness (i.e. stupidity) about defending her property. It wasn’t a victimless crime; as a lot as individuals might not really feel sorry for her, Hilton and the opposite celebs have been victims, and by the point the Bling Ring was caught, the robberies have been stepping into the six and 7 figures.

The primary episode treats Purgo and Neiers like they have been merely bored millennials who robbed celebrities to gasoline their partying habits, and someway that doesn’t make it OK, however makes it appear not that dangerous. Sure, they’ve all been convicted and completed their time, however it simply doesn’t really feel like there’s any gravity to the truth that these individuals broke into houses and stole costly objects that didn’t belong to them.

The place issues might enhance is that if there’s some battle among the many members of the Bling Ring because the stakes rise and legislation enforcement closes in. It’s telling that Lee and different members of the ring refused to speak to Blayden-Ryall, and it’s additionally telling how there’s a disclaimer about “conflicting firsthand accounts.” The story in regards to the Bling Ring could be in how they every considered their function inside the group, who they every thought was the ringleader, and so on. If it’s nearly fool youngsters robbing celebrities that don’t appear to know the way to lock their entrance doorways, then will probably be an awfully boring three-part sequence.

Intercourse and Pores and skin: None.

Parting Shot: After hiring somebody to wash out Hilton’s jewellery, the group decides to hit one other celeb home, and we see footage of individuals sneaking into Audrina Patridge’s home, with a information anchor’s voice describing the video.

Sleeper Star: We’ll give this to Alexis’ mom Andrea, who reveals her imaginative and prescient board. Sure, she had a imaginative and prescient board, as she belonged to a church who very a lot believed within the tenants within the e-book The Secret.

Most Pilot-y Line: After Purgo claims he and Lee stole “Paris Hilton’s coke” and mentioned it was among the finest coke he ever had, there’s a disclaimer on the finish of the episode that states, “A consultant of Paris Hilton has denied that illicit medicine have been discovered at her dwelling.” Uh, okay….

Our Name: SKIP IT. The Actual Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist feels prefer it glorifies the Bling Ring members — no less than those who agreed to be interviewed — and victim-blames the celebrities that obtained burglarized, which makes the sequence’ perspective actually robust to swallow.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about meals, leisure, parenting and tech, however he doesn’t child himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared within the New York Instances, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Quick Firm and elsewhere.