By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.8 cats
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood | Holly Hunter | Jeremy Sisto | Nikki Reed
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2003
Running time: 100
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328538/combined
Bob G. says: “It’s very difficult to view this film as anything but an amped-up AfterSchool Special. The material is unflinching and honest, but director Catherine Hardwicke is so mired in overtly arty camera work and kaleidoscopic color palette changes that the story barely has a chance in the overall scheme of things. Holly Hunter is particularly strong here; but the other actors could have used some restraining as they frequently approach bathos. As a slice of life, I found this film to be at times very moving. But the whole affair as filmed by Hardwicke, just draws attention to itself and away from the actors and the tenuous story that links them together.” 3 cats
Laura says: “Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood, PRACTICAL MAGIC) is a nice girl who lives with her divorced, recovering substance abusing mother Melanie (Holly Hunter, MOONLIGHT MILE) and older brother Mason (Brady Corbet), but the beginning of seventh grade brings on an itch to hang with the hottest girl in school, Evie (the film’s cowriter Nikki Reed). But Evie is a needy manipulator who quickly brings Tracy on a downward spiral of behavior that’s too hot to handle for a girl of THIRTEEN.
“Art director Catherine Hardwicke makes her directorial debut cowriting with her then thirteen year old star Nikki Reed and the duo, plus stars Hunter and Wood, have created a searingly raw and accomplished piece of work. The film has already won a Jury and Directors prize at Sundance and recently took Best Actress (for Hunter) and the Silver Leopard at Locarno and there is no reason this small independent shouldn’t be remembered come Oscar time. THIRTEEN is both a technical and artistic achievement.
“The film opens with a devious prologue. Tracy is front and center begging someone to hit her and hit her hard because she can’t feel anything. She’s giggling and the camera bobbles just enough to suggest that she may be straddling someone during sex play. When the camera goes to a two-shot, we see that Tracy is kneeling on her bed with Evie, huffing from an aerosol can. Then we’re sent back in time via a ‘4 months earlier’ title.
“Melanie is a youthful, cool mom who runs a slightly chaotic household which includes a hairdressing business. After Tracy deems her wardrobe ‘over’ (she’s been dissed by the cooler chicks at school), Mel’s very supportive, buying her daughter new dud’s on a budget at a trendy outdoor fair. This catches Evie’s attention, but Tracy is shocked to discover that the in clique shoplifts. Her need to belong is strong, though, and she takes advantage of a distracted businesswoman and lifts her wallet. Initiation over, Tracy’s entered the club.
“Evie initiates Tracy into a world of boys (mostly black), drugs, alcohol, tattoos and piercings, all the while stroking Mel’s ego and gaining her sympathy with tales of abuse and neglect. By the time Mel realizes she has a problem, Tracy is out of control.
“Hardwicke and Reed have fashioned a strong cautionary tale for both young teens AND their parents. The story they show, while shocking (there is, unlike KIDS however, no explicit sex shown) is all too easy to believe. The ensemble cast is simply great. Evan Rachel Wood, previously seen only in little girl roles, here is a little girl made monster. This is a star-making tour de force, a Best Actress nomination worthy performance. Hunter is her equal, delivering a mother of much complexity, a woman who pays great attention to her kids but allows her own perceptions to see them with her hippy chick rose-colored glasses. Nikki Reed, who resembles a young Eva Mendes, is also strong as the too old for her years survivor who juggles flattery and lies to attain what she wants.
“Support is solid across the board with Jeremy Sisto (MAY) playing damaged goods Brady, the ex-addict boyfriend Mel takes back in spite of Tracy’s outrage. Corbet is good, horrified to see his sister taking the wrong path, trying to get through to clueless parents. Deborah Kara Unger (THE SALTON SEA) is Evie’s oblivious guardian, a zoned-out, zombified LA actress/model (‘They cut off my ears!’ she whispers to Mel in disbelief after plastic surgery, revealing the extent of damage she unwittingly allows for surface show). Kip Pardue (THE RULES OF ATTRACTION) has a significant small scene and 24’s Sarah Clarke adds to the general chaos that constitutes Mel’s household as Birdie.
“Cinematographer Elliot Davis (WHITE OLEANDER) uses his camera to relay the emotions of the scene. When Mason physically confronts Tracy in the family’s living room, Davis seesaws his camera and the room seems like a ship pitching in high seas. Later in the film, he once again makes us believe Tracy is addressing a sexual partner when she starts talking about marriage because of his camera’s POV, only to reveal otherwise. Editor Nancy Richardson (WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?) should also be noted, as her cutting is essential to the film’s jangly tone. Costume and makeup are essential as Tracy evolves from a pretty young girl to a tougher, older looking one, although placing former friend Noel in a tee shirt sporting a big-eyed doe was perhaps a bit overkill.
“THIRTEEN is about as real a piece of fiction that’s come out this year.” 5 cats
courtesy of Reeling Reviews
Michael says: “Okay, now that I’ve had a week to think about it, I can honestly say that I didn’t really like THIRTEEN. In the end, after much deliberating with myself and others as to whether the actions in the film were realistic, or waaaaay over-the-top, I decided that either way, I had the feeling as I watched the film, that it was written by a thirteen-year-old. Oh, that’s right, it was! (Partially.)
“Tracy is thirteen-years-old. She loves her Mom, former hippie, free-thinking Melanie (Holly Hunter), and still enjoys stuffed animals, and the innocence of being a kid. Of course, seventh-grade, and more importantly, a fascination with the class bad girl, Evie, make all that change. After boosting a shopper’s wallet on Melrose to look good in front of Evie and her friend, Tracy undergoes a Jekyll/Hyde transformation into a teenaged daughter every parent fears in the darkest corners of their mind will be theirs.
“While performances were excellent, particularly Hunter, as the Mom, struggling with her own past, and coping as best she can, yet ineffectually, with her demon-spawn daughter, there were some key things about the script that really bugged me. Most notably, was the lack of repercussions during this 4-month descent into juvenile delinquency. Despite drugs and alcohol in vast quantities, promiscuous behavior, foul-mouthed attacks on family members, theft, sex, home piercings, and all night cavorting, the girls never seem to get sick? throw up? have much of a hangover? feel threatened by any truly dangerous elements? get picked up by the cops? get an infected piercing? Uh-uh, I don’t think so. And things are just too easy for them. Evie particularly, moves through life so self-assuredly, manipulating adults and her peers so consummately, you get the idea that she’s been doing this since age 6.
“Oh, and the cutting. Tracy cuts herself, which unfortunately for the film, seems to be making the rounds in movies lately. What bothered me about the fact that Tracy cut herself, was that it seemed the film used this act of self-mutilation to allow the audience an excuse for her behavior. It seemed that the audience were supposed to say, ‘Oh, she cuts herself. Clearly there’s some deeper problem that is driving her to this excessive behavior. We can excuse her.’ It was just too easy, and too obvious.
“One thing I am very curious about stems from a brief discussion I had with Ivy. She hasn’t seen the film yet, but Laura and Peg both loved it. At last Monday’s show, there were five of us, all male (a surprise in itself!) and I’m not sure, but I don’t think any of us were bowled over. (Chris, Bob, Tim, Scot? Please correct me if I’m wrong). I don’t think I’m all that affected when it comes to gender issues in my ability to view a film, but the thought had crossed my mind, and Ivy gave voice to it. Is there something about THIRTEEN that rings truer for women?
“All that said, I felt the adult part of the film, concerning Mel’s struggle with her daughter and keeping her family together, her struggle with past addictions, and her boyfriend (Jeremy Sisto), and Evie’s Mom, Brooke’s obsession with appearance in her desire to be an actress, were all very well handled, both scriptwise and acting wise. I would venture to guess (and could certainly be wrong) that Nikki Reed (who played Evie and co-wrote the screenplay) wrote the parts about the thirteen-year-old girls, and director Catherine Hardwicke wrote the parts about the adults. I loved the fact that there was no judgement on Mel and boyfriend Brady’s behavior. Tracy clearly thinks Brady’s presence, as a former crackhead, is a big mistake, but the audience is never quite sure. Is he good for Mel? Bad for Mel? Supportive? Sure, in his way. Is Mel a good Mom? Should she have done something sooner? These are all questions we’re sure to ask, but the movie never gives us any easy answers.
“So, while it wasn’t a totally negative experience, I did find myself wanting it to wrap itself up at the 3/4 mark, so that is not a good sign. Still, I do think it’s the kind of film that people should see for themselves, and I’d like to hear what some of the rest of you thought too. I have to go re-read Laura and Peg’s reviews now.” 2 1/2 cats
Peg says: “This film has an exceptional amount of buzz and controversy surrounding it. At the screening I attended, there was to be a discussion immediately following with parents, teen advocacy groups, psychologists, etc. (I skipped that part).
“It is harrowing to watch at times. I found myself again and having two very disparate reactions: the first: ‘hey that’s exactly what I (or my friends) went through as a teenager!’ the second: ‘they’re only THIRTEEN!’ Similar activity and behavior tended to happen closer to age sixteen in my generation’s experience (I was 13 in 1979); and some factors did not exist then, for example, ‘huffing’ (of aerosols or toxic chemicals to get high) was not in vogue, nor was ecstasy use for such young people. Inter-racial relationships were not as easily-accepted. Oral sex was not as widespread among teens, and certainly not at age 13. There were not as many single parent households.
” Okay, getting those historical comparisons out of the way, on to the review! Catherine Hardwicke and Nikki Reed have co-written a powerful screenplay. At its heart are the relationships Tracy (a stunningly good Evan Rachel Wood, who did fine work in the prematurely-cancelled Once and Again) has with her mother (Holly Hunter, amazing as always) and Evie (Reed, an impressive newcomer). As the film opens, Tracy and Evie are sitting crosslegged on a bed, high as kites on whip-its. Tracy says she can’t feel anything and goads Evie to hit her in the face. Laughing, they continue this game. Flash forward to ‘four months ago.’ Tracy is seen with her younger friends from the neighborhood, gazing with envy upon Evie and the other ‘popular’ girls from her class: their sophisticated clothing, hairstyles and make-up, their sexualized behavior with boys, etc. (We called these girls ‘sluts’ when I was in school) Tracy’s older brother acknowledges Evie is the prettiest girl in school. When Tracy tries to befriend Evie, she is rebuffed and made fun of, but she eventually worms her way in by stealing a walletful of cash so the girls can shop on flashy Melrose Avenue. Tracy’s mother Mel warms to Evie when she finds out she has a ‘guardian’ and an abusive past. Tracy’s brother seems to like having Evie around.
“Tracy is introduced via Evie to a whole new world: how to dress in a sexually suggestive way, piercings (navel, then tongue, which Tracy hides from her mother), drugs (marijuana, coke, ecstasy, and plenty of booze), sex (from practice kissing sessions to Tracy’s first make-out session with a boy, where she copies Evie’s every (much more experienced) move and ends up giving the older boy a blow job. The girls shoplift, try to seduce a neighborhood friend, and generally wreak havoc in Mel’s life when they
act up in front her her customers (Mel cuts hair in her home to make ends meet) and her on-again off-again lover (Jeremy Sisto), fresh from the halfway-house but trying (like Mel) to stick with his recovery program. Tracy’s brother sees her in all her newly-designed persona at the local mall and is shocked. When Tracy comes home loaded late one night, Mel finally realizes how far it’s gone. When it’s almost time for the police to get involved, Evie manages to convince her guardian that Tracy was as much at fault as she was.
“The film’s strength lies primarily in the strong, naturalistic performances and the visual style. Shot mostly on grainy video, the film is gradually leached of color (paralleling the downward spiral of the characters) until it looks monochromatic except for tell-tale tints in the background objects. The camera work often has a cinema verite or documentary feel, which lends even more realism to the story, as if we needed convincing. The plot does not unfold in a standard dramatic way; there appear to be gaps and under-explored themes. But I thought this underscored the fragmentary quality of life itself: some days stand out, some moments stay etched forever, the rest are the ones in between that get us to the memorable or causative ones. There was really nothing that felt insincere or contrived in this story and that is its power, too: Reed (now 15) has admitted many of the events portrayed are directly drawn from her own experiences. It may be true that the film’s topical relevance and frighteningly-accurate depictions of teenage life cause it to be more of a sociological case study then a work of art to some viewers. But it is also a work of profound beauty, emotion and power.” 4 cats
Robin says: “First-time helmer Catherine Hardwicke teamed with then 13-year old Nikki Reed to write a comedy about being a teen girl in middle school. As the pair collaborated, Reed told what it is really like to be a kid caught up in the transitional world between childhood and being an adult. The result, THIRTEEN, is far from comedy and is an intriguing, frightening look at America’s youth.
“Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) is a normal 13-year old girl in middle school, getting good grades and being a good kid. Evie Zamora (Nikki Reed), is also 13, but looks like she’s going on 23 with her provocative dress and body piercing. Tracy is mesmerize by the school’s number one hottie and tries to make friends, only to be snubbed. Tracy is persistent, though, and when Evie and her clique go on a shoplifting spree, her admirer does one better and steals a woman’s purse. The girls go on a buying frenzy with the ill-gotten gain and Tracy begins her spiral down into a world she is ill prepared to cope with.
“THIRTEEN is a unique, modern day fable of growing up in new Millennium America where what used to be the rites of passage for 17 and 18-year olds are now the rituals of children just entering teen hood. Peer pressure, the need to fit in with the right clique, to be considered cool and sexy are all part of the passage, but so are alcohol, pot, cocaine (and worse), sex, self-abuse and other debasements. And all this happens to kids who are nowhere near mature enough to contend with this blast of change. Hell, few well-adjusted adults could handle it.
“What makes this tale of one girl’s life at such a tumultuous cusp more than just an after-school special are the brilliantly conceived and acted character studies. Hardwicke and Reed have crafted a powerful story, focusing on Tracy, her mom, Melanie (Holly Hunter), and Evie. Tracy is ill-equipped for the changes that Evie propels her toward and Wood gives a remarkable performance in portraying her transition from good student/good daughter to a bad girl who thinks the world is hers and everyone else be damned. The young actress does an incredible job and makes the whole change believable – this is an Oscar caliber performance.
“Holly Hunter is no slouch herself as Melanie. She is divorced, dresses hair and struggles to keep her small family – Tracy and older brother Mason (Brady Corbet) and her menagerie – going, even raising chickens for the eggs. She is always battling with her ex-husband for money and gets zero help when the fecal matter hits the fan with Tracy’s rebellion. Melanie doesn’t know what to do with this person who used to be her sweet daughter and is not ready for the truth. In the end, she is still Tracy’s mom and nothing can change that. Hunter will be remembered come year’s end.
“Nikki Reed does double duty as scribe and co-star and, while she is not given the character arc of Tracy, does a superb job as an out-of-control teen who is conniving, sharp-witted and has a subtle air of evil about her as she pulls/pushes Tracy into the morass of growing up wrong. The rest of the supporting cast is solid in filling in the background. Jeremy Sisto, as Melanie’s ex-druggie boyfriend Brady, plays a man who made mistakes in his life, paid the price and is trying to get back on his feet – and is disdained by the ‘new’ Tracy. Sisto’s is a likable, honest character. Brady Corbet does a fine job as Tracy’s better-adjusted brother who must watch his sister change into a creature that he cannot comprehend. Deborah Kara Unger, as Evie’s guardian/cousin, is the picture of the distracted model/actress who goes through physical agony answering the dictates of her profession while totally botching her guardian responsibilities with Evie – blaming Tracy as the ‘bad influence.’
“The hyper kinetic camera work by Elliot Davis, using different grains and color hues to evoke emotion, captures the fast-paced life of the teen rebels. Normally this MTV-style camera and editing – fast cuts and jerky camera – annoy me but in THIRTEEN it works perfectly as the film tells of Tracy’s rapid, downward plunge into trouble. Cindy Evan’s costume design runs the gamut from Tracy’s innocence of t-shirts and sneakers to the Frederick’s of Hollywood style of dress when she transforms into a Girl Culture girl. Production design by Carol Strober is particularly well done in creating Melanie’s trying-to-make-ends-meet home.
“THIRTEEN hits as hard as Larry Clark’s KIDS but doesn’t use the titillation factor to keep your interest. Instead Catherine Hardwicke provides a poignant, powerful look into a part of American life, the teen rite of passage, that is incredibly eye opening – and a little scary. It definitely does not make me want to come back as a 13-year old.” 4 1/2 cats
courtesy of Reeling Reviews