Review of The Virgin Suicides (2000) by Kaylen M — 25 Jun 2011

These three serendipitous stars are justified adequately by the articulation and lucidity of the narration, the aggravatingly hellish household of The Lisbons (esp. Turner, the intransigent witch of a mother), the score courtesy of none other than Air, and Dunst's bravura (mostly due to gesticulation, less from dialogue).

I must address the interesting obsession of the next-door-boys towards the furtive Lisbon girls: as this affinity serves as a backbone for the plot to unfold upon. I wish Hartnett was either expunged from the screenplay or given a more substantial role.

Including Hartnett, there's just too many unanswered questions and a dearth of justification for the plot's actions. And the indiscriminate appearances of the late Cecilia..? (too erratic and weird).

This is definitely a story that beseeches to be told, but too many ephemeral events make for a hot mess. Dunst, Turner, Woods, and the little boys deserve a nod or two but the remaining actors were either pitiful or just plain worthless.

I dug the symbolism of the trees, music records, and the sideways 7 on the house number of the Lisbon's. It (the narrator) states several times that they "loved" the girls... once again, there's zero rationale for that "love.

" OK, they're hot, play hard-to-get, live in an untouchable, doctrinaire household with an apostate mother, etc. There's nothing worthwhile to take away to justify this strong desire to be with them.

Coppola does a fine debut work, but needs to further develop her character(s). Which, ostensibly, she's done effectively in her later projects. This movie is worth a viewing, don't expect to be moved emotionally, expect Dunst to foment a boner within.

Again, less events, more profundity.