Roses Have Thoughts

Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, her striking debut feature, delves into the mysterious allure of adolescence and the crushing weight of repression. Adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel, Coppola’s film explores the brief, tragic lives of the five Lisbon sisters, capturing their beauty, innocence, and the stifling constraints that eventually lead to tragedy. While the film is visually evocative and haunting, it occasionally falters under the weight of its own melancholic beauty.

Set in a Michigan suburb in the 1970s, The Virgin Suicides tells the story of the Lisbon sisters through the eyes of a group of neighbourhood boys, whose memories and recollections shape the narrative. The film’s central figure, Lux Lisbon (Kirsten Dunst), embodies a spirit of rebellion and yearning for freedom, her desire to escape her overbearing household becoming a focal point. Coppola lingers on the mundane yet romantic details of suburban life, filling her scenes with a dreamy, nostalgic quality that enhances the story’s allure.

The film’s narration, provided by an unseen, reflective narrator (voiced by Giovanni Ribisi), weaves a feeling of helpless longing into the story, reinforcing the boys’ collective fascination with the sisters. This narrative technique, while effective in creating a haunting atmosphere, can also feel somewhat distancing. By placing the Lisbon sisters at an emotional remove, Coppola amplifies their mystique but risks rendering them more as symbols than fully realized characters.

Visually, The Virgin Suicides is stunning. Coppola’s collaboration with cinematographer Ed Lachman yields a washed-out, ethereal palette that lends an otherworldly quality to the girls’ lives. The setting, with its soft, warm lighting and period details, evokes an aching nostalgia, capturing a suburban life that is simultaneously idyllic and suffocating. Air’s haunting score complements the visuals, underscoring the story’s themes of innocence lost.

Despite its beauty, the film’s approach may leave some viewers feeling detached. Coppola’s dedication to atmosphere sometimes supersedes character development, and the Lisbon sisters remain, in some ways, an enigma. While this stylistic choice lends the story an almost mythic quality, it can feel frustrating for those seeking a deeper exploration of the girls’ inner lives.

The Virgin Suicides is a hypnotic, melancholy exploration of adolescence and repression. Coppola’s debut marks her as a director of distinct style and vision, and though the film doesn’t fully capture the emotional depths of its source material, it remains an evocative, haunting meditation on youthful desire and despair.

IMDB