The Virgin Suicides Essay Example
The Virgin Suicides Essay Example

The Virgin Suicides Essay Example

Available Only on StudyHippo
  • Pages: 3 (670 words)
  • Published: October 2, 2017
  • Type: Book Review
View Entire Sample
Text preview

Sofia Coppola makes her directorial debut with confidence and maturity, skillfully adapting Jeffrey Eugenides' novel "The Virgin Suicides" to create her own unique vision. Her success is evident in the three awards and nine nominations the film received. Ms. Coppola credits the film's success to her exceptional cast, especially Kirsten Dunst who plays Lux with a delicate balance of innocence and wickedness, and Josh Hartnett as Trip Fontaine, the high school bad boy who predictably falls in love with Lux.

James Woods delivers one of the top-notch performances in 'The Virgin Suicides' as Mr. Lisbon, the distant father of the five mesmerizing sisters. Mr. Lisbon allows himself to be controlled by his strict wife Kathleen Turner. The film is set in a typical Michigan suburb and is far from a typical teen film, dealing with realistic and unpredictable subjects. The

...

movie narrates the mysterious lives of the five stunning sisters through the eyes of neighborhood boys who adore them from afar but view them as unattainable while being obsessed with them in the film despite it being otherwise in real life.

Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux (Kirsten Dunst) and Cecilia were typical teenagers until Cecilia's suicide attempt piqued the boys' curiosity. The doctor asked Cecilia why she tried to end her life, to which she replied, "Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl."

Although the girls may have silently endured their suffering, their family struggled to understand and cope with their unhappiness. The movie focuses on the suicides and how they impacted both the family and society instead of delving into their reasons. Through skillful direction, the director portrays the suicides as an inevitable event, intensifying th

View entire sample
Join StudyHippo to see entire essay

aura of mystery and drama. After Cecilia's devastating suicide, the Lisbon family is left in turmoil without much hope for healing. However, Lux (Kirsten Dunst) persists in her efforts to create a future for herself.

Accompanied by bad boy Trip Fontaine (Josh Hartnett), Lux Lisbon receives an invitation from Mr Lisbon (James Woods) to attend the Ball, subject to certain conditions. Mrs Lisbon permits Lux to go only if Trip arranges respectable escorts for the rest of the sisters and ensures that they adhere to the 11 o'clock curfew. This is the girls' final opportunity for joy.

Regrettably, the Lisbons will face dreadful outcomes following their night of liberation. Lux is deserted by Trip on the football field, causing her to miss her curfew and leading to the girls' withdrawal from school. Subsequently, they are confined to their home by their domineering mother, Kathleen Turner. This fallout could have potentially contributed to their eventual demise. Eventually, the girls solicit the assistance of local boys in an attempt to break free from their confinement.

However, the male characters are shocked to discover that the female characters have taken their own lives while the males were attempting to assist them in escaping their distressing circumstances within the house. The males subsequently refer to the females' decision as self-centered since they failed to consider the negative repercussions of their deaths on the male characters. “I never believed that ‘The Virgin Suicides’ had any focus on suicide,” declared Ms. Coppola, “My purpose for becoming involved in this venture originally was my reluctance to witness a film adaptation of this novel that would be gloomy, aggressive or lascivious.”

When I first read it,

I loved how the story celebrates first love and how it haunts you indefinitely. The central theme is loss and the inexplicable events that can happen in life. Memories and fragments of them make up the story, leaving the feeling that their true meaning is unattainable until you stop trying. Eventually, you only remember the genuine essence of people, especially during times when they suddenly depart and alter everything. She remarks that everyone must suffer something like this. Even though it is not a typical teen movie, there are still enchanting moments similar to others in the genre, such as the prom, unfamiliar family gatherings, and spoken-only records during phone calls.

Get an explanation on any task
Get unstuck with the help of our AI assistant in seconds
New