A striking, thoughtful, funny, sorrowful, and memorable story about growing up in the nineteen seventies unfolds here. The narrative centers on a young girl from a Catholic family living outside of Detroit who takes her own life late in the seventies. The film then explores how this event impacts her four sisters (including Kirsten Dunst), her parents, portrayed by James Woods and Kathleen Turner, and the local boys over the subsequent year. Josh Hartnett appears as the popular boy at school with an interest in Lux (Dunst). "The Virgin Suicides," released in 1999, marked Sofia Coppola’s first directorial effort, adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides' novel; she later achieved recognition with films like “Lost in Translation” (2003) and the underappreciated "Marie Antoinette" (2006). Her approach shares similarities with her father’s style, as well as that of Peter Weir, although perhaps emphasizing themes related to women. The film possesses an artistic and profound atmosphere, though it isn't without moments of levity. It creates a haunting, enigmatic, beautiful, yet difficult-to-grasp feeling, drawing parallels to Weir’s “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975). A notable 1970s soundtrack complements the visuals, featuring songs by The Hollies, Heart, Styx, Todd Rundgren and 10cc. The underlying commentary on strict parental rules evokes comparisons to "Footloose" (1984), but it’s evident that responsibility for what transpired cannot be entirely assigned to the parents, who are certainly overprotective yet also demonstrably affectionate. Cecilia's impulsive actions initiate a chain of events alongside oppressive regulations and possibly a form of quiet retaliation. Ultimately, it boils down to an ill-advised choice made by young people. However, the movie delves into much more than just suicide and its origins; it examines growing up, searching for selfhood and expression, confronting mortality, and the lingering memories of those left behind. The film’s runtime is 1 hour and 37 minutes, and filming took place in Toronto. GRADE: A-/B+

Source on TMDB