The title spells out everything in this absolutely beautiful, if fairly depressing, film adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides book of the same name. It was the feature-length directorial debut of Sophia Coppola, who is best known for slow-burning films that are gorgeous, sad, and usually lack any kind of resolution. The film tells of the events surrounding the lives of five sisters - Therese (Leslie Hayman), Mary (A. J. Cook), Bonnie (Chelse Swain), Lux (Kirsten Dunst), and Cecilia (Hanna R. Hall) - in an upper-middle class suburb of Detroit during the 1970s. After the youngest sister makes an initial attempt at suicide, the sisters are put under close scrutiny by their parents, eventually being put into near-confinement, which leads to increasingly depressive and isolated behavior. This darkly humorous exploration of a tough subject benefits from an original narrative (and the fact that the cast consists of actors who are the same age as the characters they play). It's a heartbreaking glimpse at the secret life of adolescents - shockingly tender and remarkably acted.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
