The Virgin Suicides

Its one thing being born to a mother set decorator/artist, Eleanor Coppola and to a father director Francis Ford Coppola; it's another thing to be related to noted actor Nicolas Cage, and still yet, having the opportunity to intern with Chanel at the tender age of 15 years old. Sofia Coppola has a charmed life, without a doubt, and despite being surrounded by success, she made success of her own, by beginning her own clothing line called Milkfed, which is sold exclusively in Japan, not to mention her scores of award nominated and winning films. Sofia Coppola is a model, fashion designer, screenwriter, director, actress and producer. This set list of accomplishments doesn't come altogether that often, in fact doesn't come altogether and recognizable for a woman at that.

I've rather enjoyed many of her other films, 'Lost in Translation' and 'Marie Antoinette', to name a few, but The Virgin Suicides, even though one of her earlier films, still I found to be pretty enjoyable. Perhaps it was the silly, yet bubbly sound effects, the dimples in Kirsten Dunst's smile, the way the light streamed through the trees, or simply the narrators' matter of factish yet warm voice.

The Virgin Suicides was set in the 1970's in Michigan and is a dark and morbid tale of 5 sisters who because of strict parents led up to literal house-arrest, believing that they could protect the girls from the world. All girls, died virgins, except of course, Kirsten Dunst, who had that dimply, mischievous smile. I believe it was entitled Virgin Suicides, not harping on the fact that the girls were indeed virgins, but because in actuality, they were all only girls, and did not live a full life.

Despite the heavy content, it came across rather light and painless because of the narrator's story-telling throughout. None of the actors had very much dialogue, so the entire movie had a dream-like quality to it. I am positive had there been more depth or dialogue between the sisters and other characters in the film, the audience would have been able to identify with emotions more strongly, in turn creating greater reaction and connection to the girls after they had passed. Because of Sofia Coppola's chosen dreamy technique in the film, she was able to keep it mysterious yet inviting, as opposed to nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat entertainment.