Those girls have a bright future ahead of them (The Virgin Suicides (DVD))

Member Name: mmintfresh

Product:	The Virgin Suicides (DVD)
Date:	18/08/02 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good film, Directing

Disadvantages: Maybe slow for some, The ending may turn some viewers off

Set in the 70's the Virgin Suicides is told from a group of boys who loved and worshiped the mysterious Lisbon sisters. The Lisbon sisters Lux (Kirsten Dunst), Cecilia (Hanna Hall), Bonnie (Chelse Swain), Mary (A.J. Cook) and Therese (Leslie Hayman) are basically perfect. They are all beautiful and also all unattainable. They all live with their strict, overprotective mother (Kathleen Turner) and their weak willed father (James Woods). One day the youngest of the Lisbon sisters, Cecilia slits her wrist. She survives. The psychiatrist (Danny DeVito) suggests that the girls should have a party so they can mix with some members of the opposite sex, which they have been prevented from doing. Finally the neighbourhood boys get to meet their idols up close. However during the party Cecilia seems very withdrawn and goes off upstairs. She is next seen outside impaled on a railing, she jumped from a window and killed herself.

Needless to say the party breaks up and the boys go home wondering why. They even steal her diary hoping to find some clue but all they read are poems about trees and other un important things. One of the boys says Cecilia was a dreamer but the boys no they are no closer to figuring out the enigma of the Lisbon sisters. One day a new boy called Trip (Josh Hartnett) arrives at school. He is instantly attracted to Lux, the most beautiful and rebellious of the sisters. She also falls for Trip and when he wants to take her to the prom he finds out he has to win over her mother. She reluctantly agrees and some of the boys get to take the other three to the prom. However Lux ends up having sex with Trip and spending the night asleep on the football field. When she returns home her mother, now even more smothering since the death of Cecilia, withdraws the four from school. The Lisbons find themselves prisoners in their home. Even though they are hidden away the boys are still fascinated by them and they end up sending secret letters and playing r
ecord over the phone to the girls.

The Virgin Suicides is a strange but rewarding film. The film isn't just about the Lisbon sisters it is about the boys of the neighbourhood and their fascination with the girls. Most of the time we see the girls how the boys saw them and how they yearned after them. The film is also about growing up and becoming an adult and loosing the idealism that you had as a kid. When the Lisbon sisters kill themselves the neighbourhood and people change. The suicide is the death of innocents and youth. This is shown a lot in the death of Cecilia. Even though she was 13, she was a child inside. She liked writing poetry, silly stories and had childish dreams. Making the film very poignant and powerful.

Throughout the film we are placed in the places of the boys. We know little more about the Lisbon sisters than they do and are left scratching our heads over the suicides like they were. All we know is that their suicides has allowed them to stay perfect in the boys eyes, they will never change or never be understood. The Virgin Suicides is a very dreamlike film. Firstly the look of it, with the subdued colours, the floaty music and the Lisbon sisters makes the film seem like it is almost happening in another world.

What also adds to the film is the direction and writing from Sofia Coppola. She creates this otherworldliness in both her direction and writing. The film is quite slow paced but never boring and the plot is left open ended leaving the audience to wonder. I liked the fact that we aren't told every little detail because it is sometimes good to have your own interpretation or answer, the question in this film is why did these girls die? Coppola is brave enough to do this and also create an mysterious atmosphere that is always there, no matter where you turn. Even though the subject matter is very bleak she has also added some more humorous moments. Sometimes bordering on black comedy (the rat poison pi
e). The acting is also worth noting, especially the parents of the Lisbon sisters, Kathleen Turner and James Woods. Both are really playing against type. Turner looks worn down and inside seems to be scared of losing her daughters, so she smothers them. Turner is very believable and although what she does to the girls is horrible you can’t help feeling a little bit sorry for her. Woods is also great as the dominated father. His performance, especially when his character starts to go a little mad is believable and is also very sad and tragic. The other main part is the of Lux, Dunst is great and shows both Lux’s rebellious wild child and her vulnerability.

This film is not for everyone. We watched it in film studies once and half the class hated it whilst others loved it. It is because of the ambiguity that many will not like the film but I would suggest that you give it a try and you might like it.

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