Virgin Suicides, The (1999)

reviewed by
Chuck Dowling


The Virgin Suicides (2000)
Rating: 1.0 stars out of 5.0 stars

Cast: James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Harnett, Hannah Hall, Chelse Swain, A.J. Cook, Leslie Hayman, Michael Pare, Danny DeVito, Scott Glenn, Giovanni Ribisi Based on a novel by: Jeffrey Eugenides Written and Directed by: Sofia Coppola Running Time: 91 minutes

Suicide is pointless, everyone should know that. So what's this movie like? You guessed it... pointless.

The Virgin Suicides focuses on the lives of the five Lisbon sisters, from the perspective of the teenage boys who are fascinated by them. When the youngest Lisbon sister commits suicide, it sets in motion a series of events that will change the lives of many people forever.

That's what the press materials for the film probably say. Now here's what I say: The Virgin Suicides is a huge waste of time. Boring, arty, pretentious junk that is about as entertaining as... well as committing suicide. The movie lost me early on, immediately following the scene where the younger daughter jumps to her death from her bedroom window. The girl's father (James Woods) holds her lifeless body in his arms as their horrified family looks on. Then, as the scene ends, the lawn sprinklers come on. Is that a joke? Is that supposed to be amusing in some way? From then on, the movie failed to draw me back in.

Performances are the only saving grace of The Virgin Suicides. Woods plays the only character who would actually interest me when he came onscreen, but the performance of Kirsten Dunst as the next youngest daughter Lux is worth mentioning as well. Dunst has the potential to be a big star, if she chooses her projects well. And while this film is awful, she manages to come away from it virtually unscathed. There are also a few cameos in the film here and there, which only frustrate the audience as they leave you wanting more. As a result, they all seem rather pointless (although there's a brief role given to Michael Pare from Eddie and the Cruisers which turns out to be his best role since... well since Eddie and the Cruisers).

Perhaps The Virgin Suicides would have worked had the story not been told from the point of view of people who had very little access to the main characters. We never get any significant insight into the girls and why they might be feeling what they're feeling. All we really know is that Mrs. Lisbon (Kathleen Turner) is strict and keeps them on a short leash. What mother doesn't? It's certainly no reason to commit suicide.

With The Godfather Part III, Sofia Coppola proved that she had no business being in front of the camera. With The Virgin Suicides, she proves she has no business behind it either. Having family connections doesn't entitle you to be allowed to make movies. So attention film directors... stop letting your daughters pout their way into the industry. Just because they share your DNA doesn't mean they share your talent. [R]

Reviewed by Chuck Dowling - chuckd21@fdn.com AOL Instant Messenger: FilmJax The Jacksonville Film Journal - http://www.jaxfilmjournal.com/


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