Virginia Movie Review

'Virginia' Shockya Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello Director: Dustin Lance Black Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and Emma Roberts Creating an emotional main character that is also complex and challenging, and who isn’t afraid to go after what they want while also protecting the ones they love, isn’t the easiest task for a filmmaker. When that character is also coping with a mental illness, the task is even harder. But writer Dustin Lance Black successfully did just that with the lead title character in his directorial debut, the new drama ‘Virginia.’ While Virginia heavily relies on her son to take care of her, she also realizes that she needs to give him a better life, away from the small town they’ve lived in their whole lives. ‘Virginia’ follows the title character (played by Jennifer Connelly), a single mother suffering from schizophrenia, who’s struggling to raise her teenage son, Emmett (portrayed by Harrison Gilbertson). While she’s determined to leave her small southern town to move to San Fransisco to be with her sister, Virginia is still carrying on a long time affair with Mormon Sheriff Richard Tipton (played by Ed Harris). Their relationship and future are questioned when Richard decides to run for public office. Due his lasting feelings for Virginia, Richard tries to stop his daughter, Jessie (portrayed by Emma Roberts), from starting a relationship with Emmett. Everyone in the town tries to keep their lives together while keeping their secrets hidden. Black created an emotionally complex character in Virginia, whose mental and psychological shortcomings hinder her independence, but still allow her to strive to achieve her goals and dreams. Through the filmmaker and Connelly’s extensive research into mental illness before they began shooting ‘Virginia,’ they created a captivating woman who knows what she wants in life, including building a financially secure and loving life for her son. While she’s unsure how, and emotionally and financially unable, to make the move to California, she’s determined to make a promising life for him, including finding someone who could love him the way he’s loved her his entire life. To continue reading this review, please click here.