The Virgin Suicides (1999)

76% of critics liked it
(94 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(168,922 ratings)

A dark comedy punctuated by moments of drama, The Virgin Suicides explores the emotional underpinnings of a family starting to come apart at the seams in 1970's Midwestern America. The Lisbons seem like an ordinary enough family; Father (James Woods) teaches math at a high school in Michigan, Mother… More A dark comedy punctuated by moments of drama, The Virgin Suicides explores the emotional underpinnings of a family starting to come apart at the seams in 1970's Midwestern America. The Lisbons seem like an ordinary enough family; Father (James Woods) teaches math at a high school in Michigan, Mother (Kathleen Turner) has a strong religious faith, and they have five teenage daughters, ranging from 13-year-old Cecilia (Hannah Hall) to 17-year-old Therese (Leslie Hayman). However, the Lisbon family's sense of normalcy is shattered when Cecilia falls into a deep depression and attempts suicide. The family is shaken and Mother and Father seek the advice of psychiatrist Dr. Hornicker (Danny DeVito), who suggests the girls should be allowed to socialize more with boys. However, boys soon become a serious problem for Cecilia's sister Lux (Kirsten Dunst). Lux has attracted the eye of a high-school Romeo named Trip (Josh Hartnett), who assures Father of his good intentions. But Cecilia finally makes good on her decision to kill herself, throwing the Lisbons into a panic; and after attending a school dance, Trip seduces and then abandons Lux. The Lisbons pull their daughters out of school, as an emotionally frayed Mother keeps close watch over them. Meanwhile, Lux continues to attract the attentions of the local boys, and she responds with a series of clandestine sexual episodes with random partners as often as she can sneak out of the house. The debut feature from Sofia Coppola (whose father, Francis Ford Coppola, co-produced this film), The Virgin Suicides also features supporting performances from Scott Glenn and Giovanni Ribisi. The film was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series as the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Sofia Coppola
Written By: Sofia Coppola
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Apr 21, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Dec 19, 2000
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, Variety
Sofia Coppola tackles the issue of teenage suicide with an assured treatment in The Virgin Suicides, effectively employing a seriocomic tone.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A very curious and eclectic piece of work.
Elizabeth Weitzman, Film.com
A lovely, luminous dream.
Gemma Files, Film.com
A weird and glorious tribute to ephemera of every possible sort.
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This shimmery, darkly comic adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides' novel marks the assured, often inspired feature film debut of writer-director Sofia Coppola.
Kevin Maynard, Mr. Showbiz
Coppola has created a detective story without a solution and a coming-of-ager without discernable characters.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Intense, imperfect movie about teen suicide.
Nick Rogers, Suite101.com
Sofia Coppola's compelling, ethereal fable about adolescent loss of innocence is claustrophobic and uncomfortable, but profoundly affecting and gently funny. "The Virgin Suicides" advises teen years are sometimes best remembered as a long-ago vacation.
Bob Grimm, Sacramento News & Review
Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Jeffery Eugenides' 1993 novel plays like a sweet, sad dream.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
It's yet another case of blame-the-parents, and, more precisely, blame-the-overprotective-mother.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
An assured feature debut, this darkly humorous exploration of a tough subject benefits from an original narrative and the fact that the appealing cast consists of actors who are the same age as the characters they play.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
The strongest directorial debut of the year.
, Time Out
The tone of wistful regret and longing doesn't preclude a good deal of gentle humour. It's a restrained, subtly suggestive piece which disintegrates if you try to get a fix on it.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
A rather stunted and sliggish exercise in style whose sporadically haunting visual quality doesn't make up for its shallowness and ponderous pace.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
A stellar debut feature from Sofia Coppola and it's a must see.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Concentration on either the writing or the direction, but not both, may have spawned a better film from first-timer Sofia C.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Mergulhando com sensibilidade na amargura do universo adolescente, com seus anseios e frustrações, Coppola estréia de forma memorável na direção.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
A disarmingly poetic - and specifically female - vision of adolescence that it belongs in a category of its own.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
Coppola's direction engagingly avoids the coming-of-age cliches and the film boasts an excellent performance from Kirsten Dunst.
Jeanne Aufmuth, Palo Alto Weekly
Black comedy has never looked so good.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Kase V

Sofia Coppola's debut is no doubt an impressive one. The story is engaging and the script is poignant, but the acting exceeds levels for these young actors. Its not always as gripping in some parts as it is in others, but in retrospect it is a satisfyingly complete film. Coppola… More
Sofia Coppola's debut is no doubt an impressive one. The story is engaging and the script is poignant, but the acting exceeds levels for these young actors. Its not always as gripping in some parts as it is in others, but in retrospect it is a satisfyingly complete film. Coppola clearly has a knack for coaxing great performances from her actors, and this debut is a sure sign for things to come.
Coxxie M

Josh Hartnetts hair is messed up in every movee ive seen him and then he doesnt wanna brush it so he shaves his head in black hawk down
Sam B

Beautiful direction, a haunting (and unexpectedly humorous) script, and solid performances make "The Vigin Suicides" an affecting drama about the dangers of being sheltered and suppressed, despite a slow moving middle section.
Matthew R

Sofia Coppola is following in he footsteps of her acclaimed father with her debut as the writer and director of this sublime film. Teen suicide is not only investigated in this film, but thoroughly realistic in its delivery. The casting is great, except I wasn't the biggest fan… More
Sofia Coppola is following in he footsteps of her acclaimed father with her debut as the writer and director of this sublime film. Teen suicide is not only investigated in this film, but thoroughly realistic in its delivery. The casting is great, except I wasn't the biggest fan of Josh Hartnett but hey, he's very hit and miss actor anyhow. The way it is told from the point of view of the boys who actually were pretty much the only ones who wanted to help girls; solely knowing of and understanding their struggle in an abusive home wrought at the hands of a zealously overbearing and religiously fundamentalist mother and an enabling, absent-minded father, both refusing to accept the reality of their daughters' feelings, and ignoring the reality of the world progressing around them. This notion tied together with the relentless uncomfortableness of the bulk of the film and pure (almost Greek) tragedy of the story is just that more unsparing. And it is all tied together with one of the greatest, most stark and realistic representations of teenage rebellion ever put to film. The cinematography is quite innovative, the direction is amazing, the screenplay is ungodly fascinating to me, and the overall composition of the film is just fantastic. One of my all-time favorite films, it is something to really to check out and experience.
Chris W

At first glance, it might seem like this is some flowery chick flick based on a piece of estrogen soaked chick lit. That is actually not the case at all, and I was pleasantly surprised by what this really turned out to be. It just amazes me that it took me this long to finally start… More
At first glance, it might seem like this is some flowery chick flick based on a piece of estrogen soaked chick lit. That is actually not the case at all, and I was pleasantly surprised by what this really turned out to be. It just amazes me that it took me this long to finally start getting into the films of Sofia Coppola. The story takes place in 1970s suburban Minnesota and is about the seemingly normal yet highly reserved and mysterious Roman Catholic Lisbon family- led by the old fashioned homemaker mom and math teacher father, and featuring five gorgeous daughters all of whom range in age from 13-17. The film is an examination of this family, and the eventual suicides of all five girls told in retrospect from the poitns of view of various neighbors, especially a group of boys whose infatuations and fascinations with the girls only increases as the girls' parents try to keep them more and more secluded and sheltered. The material sounds dark, and it is, but the tone and the way it is handled makes the film very watchable, even ethereal thanks to the score and cinematography. The film is really best looked at as a darkly comedic dramedy punctuated by satire and subtext. I've not read the book, but research tells me that the film is rather faithful (especially in spirit) to the source material even that the latter has an unconventional narrative structure. Also, I'm sure the book further elaborates on the elements of subtext, if not making them a bigger focus. I found this to be a very enjoyable and dreamlike film, and, though it is really good, it seems even more so considering that it was the feature length debut of Sofia Coppola. For this to be a debut is a pretty good sign, and, though her career has had a few ups and downs, I'd still like to think that Coppola remains an important director, just like how her father used to be (but unfortunately still isn't). James Woods and Kathleen Turner are sublime as Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon, Kirsten Dunst, Hanna R. Hall, Chelse Swain, A.J. Cook, and Leslie Hayman are all really good as the Lisbon sisters, Josh Hartnett showed some real star potential as Trip the love itnerest of Dunst's Lux, and Giovanni Ribisi hits all the right notes and puts in fantastic work as the film's narrator, conveying a great sense of both maturity and youthful wonder. I think this is a very solid film, and I really enjoyed it, though I don't think it's quite a masterpiece. Some might find the film's conclusion unsatisfying, but, without getting into it, I think that might have been the point. This is one of those cases where it's not about the destination but the journey, and I love those types of situations (for the most part). I could have used more detail, but at the same time, I loved the subtlety and the way the film used imagery, music, and sometimes silence to provide the answers instead of just outright saying it, although even this technique isn't always totally subtle. Bah. I'm rambling. I apologize. I must say I'm impressed that not only is this iflm not a chick flick, but it''s got a nice sense of nostalgia and depth. I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a film about suicide, and, though the film does have its somber moments, it's filled with good sequences, evidence of real talent, and hits a tone that makes it all work. Give this one a look. It's pretty good.
Melvin W

Doctor: What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets. Cecilia: Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl. "Beautiful, mysterious, haunting, invariably fatal. Just like life." The Virgin Suicides is an… More
Doctor: What are you doing here, honey? You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets. Cecilia: Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl. "Beautiful, mysterious, haunting, invariably fatal. Just like life." The Virgin Suicides is an emotionally charged, stylistic, depressing and beautiful film from Sophia Coppola. The movie has a fabulous cast and a nice little soundtrack. It manages to be sad and funny at the same time. For example when a girl is talking about her grandmother eating her rat poison pie. Don't judge; it's funny as shit. Although the whole movie is composed of big names, there are a few standouts. Kirsten Dunst gives one of my favorite performances from her and Josh Hartnett gives the first performance that I've seen from that isn't completely horrible. He actually fits that character very well. Kathleen Turner and James Woods are good in their roles as the over protective, religious parents. The movie is so stylistic, which can with some filmmakers take away from the movie. There are moments in this movie where I thought it was a little too much, but after watching the whole movie and looking back, I don't think it was too much. I definitely wouldn't say this is an example of style over substance. The movie has a lot of substance; just not a whole lot on the surface. It is thought provoking and really makes you think about what Sophia Coppola is trying to get across. The Virgin Suicides isn't the most fun movie you'll ever watch, but it is a brilliant piece of filmmaking. It's a movie that ends up hypnotizing you with it's beautiful picture, haunting ideas and stunning performances. I wouldn't quite call it a masterpiece, but it's about as close as one can get without being considered one.
Bethany M

I didn't quite get the story. Was weird and confusing. Not really my sort of film.
J P

Hayden Christiansen is in this movie. I called it. When the boys were over at the girl's house for the homecoming, I was like "Whoa that boy is cute". Then I was like "Wait that looks a lot like Hayden Christiansen" then in the credits guess who it was? Yeah.… More
Hayden Christiansen is in this movie. I called it. When the boys were over at the girl's house for the homecoming, I was like "Whoa that boy is cute". Then I was like "Wait that looks a lot like Hayden Christiansen" then in the credits guess who it was? Yeah. I called it. I win.
Jennifer X

Such a messy, fractured movie but I love that sort of hapless, throwaway message of lust and love and hormones and naturalistic/suburban beauty. Because isn't that what adolescence is, so undefinable yet so touchable? I definitely think this is Coppola's best - it's… More
Such a messy, fractured movie but I love that sort of hapless, throwaway message of lust and love and hormones and naturalistic/suburban beauty. Because isn't that what adolescence is, so undefinable yet so touchable? I definitely think this is Coppola's best - it's her, all unfettered her.
Lewis C

"Cecilia was the first to go." What defines Sofia Coppola to me as a director is the distinctive atmosphere that accompanies each of her movies. Whether she's adapting someone else's work or making a movie based on her on material, that otherworldly feeling is… More
"Cecilia was the first to go." What defines Sofia Coppola to me as a director is the distinctive atmosphere that accompanies each of her movies. Whether she's adapting someone else's work or making a movie based on her on material, that otherworldly feeling is there. It doesn't matter if the film is focused on the mundane (Lost in Translation) or an incomprehensible tragedy (The Virgin Suicides), you can tell that she's the director. That distinctive fingerprint is what makes her one of my favorite directors, even though I think she's yet to make a masterpiece. The Virgin Suicides is the story of five adolescent sisters of various ages, told from the perspective of the four boys that knew them. Knew them as well as the audience gets to, I guess I should say. We only see fragments of the girl's lives, as their overprotective parents keep them mostly hidden away from the world, and Coppola also follows that mold with her film and storytelling style. Of the girls, we get to know Lux (Kristen Dunst, in what I think was the best performance she's given), the flirtatious, lovely middle child, the most. This is a movie full of great performances, actually, from the five girls playing the daughters, to Josh Hartnett, James Woods, and several others. Even the periodic narration was excellent, which is not something I say very often. I think the best way to watch The Virgin Suicides is with little expectations, like I did. It's a beautiful, haunting movie that isn't perfect, but will stick with you for days and begs to be watched again.
KJ P

The Virgin Suicides definitely has it's moments where it shines right off the screen, but it is overpowered by dull and very strange out of place scenes. The movie starts off with the death of a sister, and when the girls return back to school, it's almost as though they… More
The Virgin Suicides definitely has it's moments where it shines right off the screen, but it is overpowered by dull and very strange out of place scenes. The movie starts off with the death of a sister, and when the girls return back to school, it's almost as though they have forgotten all about her. This film is very odd, up until the point when one of the sister (Kirsten Dunst) falls in love, and has complications of her own. Meanwhile, their sister was completely forgotten about and never brought back up again. This was well made as far as cinematography and directing goes. However, the screenplay needs work and the story jumps around too often, leaving untold stories behind. It was a fine movie, but I was expecting more from this very strange film.
Lorenzo v

"Love Sex Passion Fear Obsession" A group of male friends become obsessed with a group of mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents after one of them commits suicide. <center>"Love Sex Passion Fear Obsession" A group of male friends become obsessed with a group of mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents after one of them commits suicide. <center>REVIEW</center> Neophyte filmmaker Sophia Coppola makes an auspicious directing debut in her adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides' novel set in the 1970s suburbia recollecting the tragic account of the golden haired ethereal Lisbon sisters, whose eponymous acts, cause reflection and observation by a group of pubescent boys bewitched, beguiled and bewildered by their hypnotic captivity by their strict effectless parents. Dunst gives a star-making performance as the most prominent of the siblings with her cheery grin masking a hollow existence that best sums up the plight of the sullen girls forced by their folks to their eventual demise. Coppola uses her cinematographer Edward Lachman and production designer Jasna Stefanovic to the hilt in the diffused faded lighting suggesting an old Polaroid come to life with its dead on accurate period encapsulation. She fares less on the four young men however which should've been the strong point (as it was in the book) in why they become obsessed but her use of FM pop nuggets like Todd Rundgren's 'Hello, It's Me' in an inventive, heart-breaking interpretation of playing telephone is one for the film vault of great scenes. Woods and Turner ? both barely recognizable - are outstanding in deglamourized almost sponge-like interpretations as the clueless couple whose doom is sealed from the first life attempt on. Joins the pantheon of suburban rot cinema with 'Ordinary People', 'The Ice Storm' and 'American Beauty'.
Conner R

A really multi-dimensional film that deals with everything that goes into the mind of a teenage girl. It's sad, funny and horrific at times. Sofia Coppola really has a great sense of style that I absolutely love, she truly is her father's daughter. I loved the cast, they… More
A really multi-dimensional film that deals with everything that goes into the mind of a teenage girl. It's sad, funny and horrific at times. Sofia Coppola really has a great sense of style that I absolutely love, she truly is her father's daughter. I loved the cast, they made the movie believable where others might not have. I really like the social commentary it makes about families and the whole suburban life, proving that not everyone fits in.
Jennifer D

3rd Sofia Coppola I'd ever seen. Not quite the tie breaker I expected. It was okay, not great, but not crap.
Wahida K

A very touching, creepy and tragedy about a Family and their Paranoi and religion beliefs.
Anthony L

A good debut film from Sofia Coppola, I didn't care for the characters much but it was beautifully filmed.
Randy T

I postponed seeing this because, for some reason, I thought it was just another 'chick-flick'. I couldn't have been more wrong. Four stars (teetering on four and a half) ...and a great soundtrack!
Mike S

My favourite movie by Coppola so far. Right from the get-go I was hypnotized by the brilliant (not to say quirky) way this story is told. It's definitely something out of the ordinary, and it's not hard to understand why this film has been met with so many positive comments.… More
My favourite movie by Coppola so far. Right from the get-go I was hypnotized by the brilliant (not to say quirky) way this story is told. It's definitely something out of the ordinary, and it's not hard to understand why this film has been met with so many positive comments. You can tell that a lot of thought and effort went into every scene, and it's all heightened by a great soundtrack, which has sort of become a trademark by now of Coppola's film-making. So if you're looking for a unique movie experience - that also happens to be enjoyable - this is no doubt a good pick.
Red L

Five daughters in a family, and the youngest commits suicide. The story of the family is told through the eyes of the neighbourhood boys - who don't quite understand what went on. Neither do we.
Tim S

An early Sofia Coppola film, it has its charms.