Whimsy, delicacy, and the female perspective all tend to imbue Sofia Coppola’s films with a dream-like atmosphere. From The Virgin Suicides to The Bling Ring, Coppola has been creating films that are decidedly her own, while also allowing performances to shine through settings that are grounded. It’s the 15th anniversary of her film, The Virgin Suicides, and with a number of her films being on my “all time favorites” list, it’s certainly worth taking a look at her filmography in some sort of fashion.
Quick note before I go any further: From experience, I can tell you that The Virgin Suicides is not a good hang-out-with-friends movie. It will make them sad and question your taste in films, and everyone will go home feeling low. It’s a shame, but true.
Sofia Coppola is an auteur without question. She instills a particular subtle, grandiosity to her films that make them tangible while very far away. Her actors are who helped keep them anchored to earth.
Here are the five best performances from her films:
Kirsten Dunst – Marie Antoinette
I understand just how loathsome it is to say something like this in the film community, but I truly believe that many people “missed the point” (so to speak) of Marie Antoinette. I’ve already written about this here, but the film was never supposed to be an accurate, historical retelling. Instead, it was a glimpse into a life of solitude and femininity, like so many other Coppola films. Kirsten Dunst as the leading lady is vulnerable at the beginning, and throughout the film, we watch as she grows into herself, adopting a regal air and a powerful one that showcases why she’d have been so influential. She never loses the wonder, never touches cynicism, and is a captivating lead. She is ultimately the heart of the film, and we have to watch as she goes through unbearably stressful situations all the while keeping her optimism.
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Bill Murray – Lost in Translation
I like Bill Murray but have never gravitated towards his films as quickly as other cinephiles. Lost in Translation was the first film of his that I thought “I get it.” He expertly plays to his comedic bearings, while also allowing the loneliness of the character and his curiosity of his current setting and companionship to breathe life into the film. He has a magnetic pull, a heavy set to his shoulders that hint at his world-weary ways, and a touch of the charisma that he’s known for.
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Scarlett Johansson – Lost in Translation
I love Scarlett Johansson as an actress. She has an old-school screen presence and always seems wise beyond her years in roles, which helps when she’s playing older than she is in films such as Lost in Translation. She is the real scene-stealer of the film as she’s constantly restless, looking for company and vibrantly youthful. Her presence is warm and inviting, the ultimate foil for Bill Murray’s character, and while he’s technically our lead, she’s the one who has a story I wanted to know more of by the film’s end. With films such as this, Her, and Under the Skin, she makes for a very interesting talent.
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Elle Fanning – Somewhere
Elle Fanning is a tremendous young actress and few early films showcased as much as her turn in Somewhere. Despite her young age, the character is forced to play parent to her often times aloof father. Fanning puts a lot of genuine emotion into every scene she has. It’s a remarkable performance, and she goes toe-to-toe with the adult actors with little trouble at all.
Emma Watson – The Bling Ring
Emma Watson should be allowed to break her “good girl” mode more often because when she gets to have fun, she’s fantastic. She plays vapid, spoiled, and self-obsessed wonderfully with excellent comic timing. While The Bling Ring isn’t my favorite film that Coppola has done, it allows for Watson to deliver an energetic performance and one that differs greatly from many of the typical Coppola-leading vehicles.
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