Robbed Gives Lesson in Cinematic Escapism

The Pleasure of Being Robbed is the story of a young, jobless woman who spends her days roaming New York City, and finding new, creative ways to rob people. Don’t worry, though—the writers substitute the dirty, rugged, Charlize-Theron-in-Monster-like woman we were all imagining in favor of a petite and fashionable Eleonore Hendricks.

Often, the film feels like it should be renamed “The Pleasure of Robbing,” or, “How To Make New York Look Like Truffaut’s Paris.” The adorable vintage wardrobe and New York apartment, though, clash with the everyday slice-of-life aesthetic of the filmmaking. We can’t help but wonder how she supports her lifestyle not only without a job, but also without the good sense to swipe a few hundred bucks in her handbag-stealing escapades.

Very often, Robbed drags on in its lengthy glorification of its heroine’s quirkiness. Beyond the episodic exposition (how many times do I need to see Hendricks looking through a bag, and appreciate how quirky and carefree she is?), the film is sensually stunning. It exhilarates the audience. As an actress, Hendricks is at her best when interacting with people. As she laughs at a defeated ping-pong player (Wayne Chin), and steals a car with awkwardly charming Josh (director Joshua Safdie), the audience is taken up into that cinematic space where we believe that everything is good with the world, and everyday life is wonderful and artistic and meaningful.

But when we watch such a soaring film that nonetheless glorifies the everyday, are we simply reintroduced to reality, so that we see everything anew? Or, do we pine for our own unattainable, everyday life?

The Pleasure of Being Robbed sweeps us up into its fantastically carefree universe, in which women can pet polar bears and learn how to drive in two minutes. But the film comes crashing down with the realization that—even though it is shot in verité style, replete with shoddy camerawork—a film with a jobless heroine should not involve kittens and nice apartments and stomping on money. The Pleasure of Being Robbed feels refreshing, but the film inadvertently treads the fine line between reality and fantasy. The result is distracting.