Reel Time: The Virgin Suicides

Director: Sofia Coppola

Written by: Sofia Coppola & Jeffery Euginides (novel)

Starring: James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Durnst, Josh Hartnett, A.J. Cook, Hannah R. Hall, Leslie Hayman, Chelse Swain

Summary:

The Lisbon family seemed to live a normal life in 1970s rural America. Mr. Lisbon (Woods) teachs math at the local high school and Mrs. Lisbon (Turner) clings to her strong religious faith. Together they are blessed with five beautiful daughters: Cecilia (Hall), Therese (Hayman), Bonnie (Swain), Mary (Cook), and Lux (Durnst). These daughters are the talk of town by the neighborhood boys. Twenty years later the boys, now men, come together to talk of why these gorgeous girls committed suicide (not a spoiler as this was announced pretty much right away). 

Review

Chilling and visually beautiful equal the Virgin Suicides. Right away you wonder how could girls like that ever do such a thing? Coppola does a splendid job capturing the 1993 novel of the same name. She brings the movie to another atmosphere which is indescribable.  Teenage angst and rebellion shown at its best. However, I personally was disappointed at the lack character development of the sisters besides Lux. Connecting with the other four sisters was difficult to do. I felt empty at the end, but really there isn't any other way to end it. However, I would recommend this movie for sure. The R rating and title usually scare people off, which it shouldn't. An 8/10 for sure.

-- J.