6 Years Before 'Criminal Minds', A.J. Cook Starred in Sofia Coppola's Best Romantic Drama

A.J. Cook, who plays JJ in Criminal Minds, has devoted twenty years to the show. Therefore, it is not surprising that most viewers only remember her as one of the brilliant members of the BAU team.

However, six years before her debut in Criminal Minds, Cook played one of the main roles in Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, widely considered her best movie.

What Is 'The Virgin Suicides' About?

Set in the 1970s in a small provincial town, The Lisbon family has five teenage daughters. After thirteen-year-old Cecilia commits suicide, her sisters become the focus of the townspeople's attention, especially the neighboring boys.

Wanting to protect their daughters, the parents gradually stop all communication with the outside world and forbid their daughters from leaving the house, which leads to a tragic ending.

A.J. Cook's Mary Was the Only One Character Whose Story Was Changed

A.J. Cook played Mary, the second-oldest sister in the Lisbon family. Of all the sisters, her character's story was the only one that changed significantly in the movie based on the Jeffrey Eugenides novel of the same name.

While all the Lisbon girls die almost simultaneously in the film, Mary survives her suicide attempt in the book. After receiving treatment at the hospital, she returns home, where she takes a shower six times a day and sleeps in a sleeping bag because her parents are selling the house.

A month later, the neighboring boys see an ambulance coming for Mary – she has attempted suicide again, and this time it was successful.

'The Virgin Suicides' Is the Most Important Movie in Sofia Coppola's Career

Sofia Coppola admitted that she had no choice but to adapt The Virgin Suicides:

“It was scary directing a film, but I was so connected with the material I felt like I had no choice.”

This connection is palpable in The Virgin Suicides, which faithfully adapts the novel to the big screen while recreating its melancholy atmosphere, which is simultaneously reminiscent of a dream and a time-blurred memory.

The Virgin Suicides helped Sofia Coppola erase the unsuccessful role she played in The Godfather: Part III from her biography and, more importantly, find her unique voice and one of the main topics of her work – female loneliness.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Virgin Suicides'?

• The Virgin Suicides has 80% from critics and 81% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.2/10.