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The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American film written and directed by Sofia Coppola in her feature directorial debut.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American psychological drama film written and directed by Sofia Coppola in her feature directorial debut. It is adapted from Jeffrey Eugenides’s 1993 novel and follows the lives of five sisters in suburban Detroit, as told through the memories of neighborhood boys.

Plot

The film follows a group of neighborhood boys who become fascinated with the five Lisbon sisters after a suicide attempt and the family’s increasing isolation. The boys later try to reconstruct the sisters’ lives from fragments of memory and evidence.

Production and release

Sofia Coppola wrote and directed the film, adapting Eugenides’s novel for her first feature as a director. It premiered at Cannes in 1999 and later received a U.S. theatrical release in 2000.

Source novel

Jeffrey Eugenides’s 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides is a coming-of-age work set in 1970s Michigan. The novel is narrated in the first person plural by an unnamed group of teenage boys.

Reception and legacy

The film has been recognized for its atmosphere, adolescent perspective, and portrayal of suburban repression. It has also been described as a cult classic.

Key facts

  • The film was Sofia Coppola’s feature directorial debut.
  • It is based on Jeffrey Eugenides’s debut novel of the same name.
  • The story centers on the five Lisbon sisters in a suburban Detroit community.
  • The film premiered at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.
  • It is commonly described as a cult classic and is noted for its lyrical style.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Virgin Suicides about?
It follows five sisters in suburban Detroit and the neighborhood boys who become obsessed with them after one sister’s suicide attempt and the family’s withdrawal from social life.
Who directed The Virgin Suicides?
Sofia Coppola directed the film and wrote the screenplay.
What is it based on?
It is based on Jeffrey Eugenides’s 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides.
When was the film released?
It premiered in 1999 and received a U.S. theatrical release in 2000.
Where is the story set?
The story is set in a suburban Detroit area in the 1970s.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_Suicides_(film)
    Supports: Director, release year, adaptation, setting, Cannes premiere, cult classic characterization
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159097/plotsummary/
    Supports: Plot summary and focus on the Lisbon sisters and neighborhood boys
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_Suicides
    Supports: Source novel, publication year, setting, narrative perspective
  4. Turner Classic Movies — https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/444160/the-virgin-suicides
    Supports: Plot context, family isolation, suburban Michigan setting