Thirteen
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Movie Reviews of Thirteen
Movie Review: A Mirror Cracked: The Battlefield of Adolescence
Summary: 5 Stars
THIRTEEN is a wrenching look at what is happening, at least in some arenas, to adolescents in our stressed society today. This is a pungently real, throbbing two hours of the descent of a 'normal' but vulnerable thirteen year old 7th grader (Evan Rachel Wood as Tracy), the daughter of a divorced, recovering alcoholic mother (Holly Hunter) who loves her children and supports them by working as a hairdresser in their home, who succumbs to the need of peer acceptance by aligning with the most 'with it' girl in her class (Nikki Reed's Evie), and moves from normalcy into drugs, crime, self abuse, and rage against the adult world. There is no comic relief or any relief at all in this ring of Dante's Inferno and that is as it should be, Co-writers Nikki Reed (yes, the beautiful young accomplice in the film) and Catherine Hardwicke have written a script that makes us feel we are neighbors unwillingly privy to the madness of folks next door. The language is raw, the drug scenes are realistic, and the sex scenes are gratefully fogged over by the fine cinematographer using the blur effect to tell much more than playing actual witness could show. This is a very fine, though very tough to watch, film about a real problem that surrounds us. There is no pat ending, only a hint that something positive has resulted from this assault on our senses. Much of this is due to the fine direction by Catherine Hardwicke, but the power comes from extraordinary performances Evan Rachel Wood (why did the Academy single out Keisha Castle-Hughes and ignore Wood if they were looking for a young actress' performance?), Holly Hunter, Nikki Reed, Jeremy Sisto, Deborah Unger (becoming one of the finer character actors around), and all the cast. This is a a film that deserves everyone's attention: how else can we develop awareness of why drugs and peer pressure are such demons in placing our youth on such a terrifyingly intrepid battleground? Kudos to those who had the courage to make this film and bring a mirror up close for us to see the cracks.
Movie Review: Jeezes...
Summary: 5 Stars
Dang. What a movie. Despite the great acting, Not very pleasant to watch especially if you have kids this age, and these days are tough to grow up in at this age. Back in the day yes it was common for parents to worry about peer pressure, teen pregnancy, drugs, and the "wrong" crowd, and those worries will always be a reality, and the wrong men flock to teenage girls. I remember being 14 and perverted 23 year olds up to 28 year olds tried to "get" with me. And now more worries include body peircings, tattoo's, and it's very easy to get without parents knowing, as in this movie all the girl had to do was seduce the tatoo guy, and it's sick but also very true. You'd be surprised how many guys are attracted to very very young girls, and sometimes teens appear to look older, like in this movie, the brunette did not look 14. That is why my mom never let me wear makeup at that age. I can understand why. But the blonde girl looks SO SO young, any guy who'd wanna hook up with someone that young needs to be in jail. This movie may be a little bit of an exageration, but i'm not sure if you've ever seen actual "out of control" teens, watch the maury show and see what i mean. It's sad, and the mothers give up on discipline, like the mother in this movie holly hunter i believe she was too passive, and wasnt paying enough attention to her daughter's life and friends. There is no such thing as discipline not working. You can always find a way to get your kid's life straightened out. I think too many parents give up easily, and they tell themselves, i can't stop her. YOU CAN! one thing worked for me, was taking my phone away. That means no communication. Sneaking out, have the cops pick her up believe me one night in juvee will make her cry back into your arms. It's very sad that kids end up dead or pregnant or with std's, but those things can be prevented, if you're committed to your child, and you have the right techinques, and you actually love your kid. That helps too.Movie Review: Great movie -- especially for the Dads out there.
Summary: 5 Stars
My husband and I watched this movie last night. I already had seen some of the scenes and saw "Evie" (co-writer and actress in the movie) on Oprah for a special the subject matter in Thirteen. I was a 13-year-old. And a 15-year-old. And a 17-year-old. etc. And let me tell you, I can believe this movie for its reality more than I can for its shock value. My husband, on the other hand, was mortified. We don't have kids yet, and so the first thing out of his mouth was, "we're not having a girl, no way, NO WAY!" I know what happened in this movie stems a lot more from the characters' situations than just choice, but it's still scary because it can happen regardless of how you're raised.
I think parents should watch this and maybe even watch it with their kids if everyone can handle the embarrassment. There is a lot to talk about and a lot to explain. Like how the main character cut herself -- my poor hubby just didn't get it. The first time it happened, he said, "what's she doing" and I said very matter of factly (and no, I've never cut myself), "she's cutting herself." He just didn't get it. It happens again, and he said the same thing. For him, the idea of inflicting pain like that was extremely bothersome and just didn't make sense at all. For me, there's a basic explanation albeit one I don't personally fully understand.
My only critique about the movie is that the timing seems to move and slow down as needed, and that almost everything a teenager could go through happened in this movie (hints of an eating disorder, cutting, drugs, alcohol, anger, depression, sex...etc.). I'm sure all of them could be one person's experience, but I would have felt it more realistic to just stick to a few things, not everything.
I give Holly Hunter props as an actress in this movie as well. Her character definitely had her problems, as do so many adults.
Movie Review: You people...
Summary: 5 Stars
I know first hand how real this movie is. I'm only fourteen, going on fifteen, but I've been through a lot similar to what the lead in this movie has been through. I've never done more than pot, but even then the drug issue hit close to home when I was thirteen. I've had 4 of my best friends nearly overdose on heroin, and cocain. They were all related so they all got into it and each were no older than fourteen.
As for the cutting issue. I've been battling the same problem since I was thirteen, another home run back to my stadium. It never just evolves from no where, one day you just feel like you have nothing else to help yourself but to bleed to see if you're alive. I NEVER endorse it, nor does this movie. She cries with no visable tears because she's crying so hard, ever had that happen, when you cry so hard your eyes cry dry tears? I have. It's hard, and I'm still in battle with myself. This movie represents a lot of things in my life that I feel for.
The sex, I've never gotten that far, because I've had very bad issues with it all too. All I'm trying to say is this well acted and written movie is VERY realistic, not garbage as most of you are saying. It made me cry more than I've ever cried at the end of a movie, and all I could do was hold onto my friend and cry on her shoulder, wishing my mom would save me in her arms like her mom did in the movie (I can't remember the names). It's was beautiful, and a very close movie to many of us teens. You'd be surprised the number you'd see if you came to where I live who live like that poor girl did.
Sorry to argue so much over this, but it sickens me to see so many people sheltered from these realistic acts that are consuming most of us.
This movie was amazing, wonderful, and brilliant, but above all it's my favorite. Five stars.
Movie Review: Oh to be young again?
Summary: 5 Stars
I feel a need for a disclaimer here. This is a positive review, I thought Thirteen was a very good film. Okay disclaimer covered.
Imagine two hours of sitting in a pit of eels after drinking eighteen cups of coffee. That's about as uncomfortable as the two hours I spent watching Thirteen. It is a testament to the film that the material rings so true as to elicit such feelings. The phrase teenage angst has never been so woefully insufficient as in this instance. The story of Tracy and her family is so visceral and genuine that one is instantly transformed back to early post puberty and the horribly uncomfortable issues that were part and parcel of the experience. We follow Tracy as she seeks popularity through her relationship with the most popular girl in class, Evie. In this post-modern LA junior high school, popularity is as perilous as typhoid, with overt sexual availability and attenuated childhood creating beings of mature facade but illusory foundation. Inevitably Tracy and her post-modern family ferociously spiral into a decent tempered only by it's brevity. As an adult I look at the film now as both man and child and am horrified from both views. The issues of needing to belong and wanting admiration are represented as truly as film has ever managed. The issues of reckless sexuality and self destruction allow me even as one without children to know the deep fear of having your child self immolate. There are very few good feelings within this movie but oddly you do feel better for going through it. I guess that is really the ultimate and fitting compliment for the filmmakers that they have managed to take the audience through the emotions that are the beginning of the teenage years. Few films I know have had this much emotional impact. I'm not sure I'm ready for many more.