Thirteen (2003) User Reviews

More than just an afterschool special

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 16 August 2014]

Tracy Freeland (Evan Rachel Wood) is a smart, sweet, conscientious 13 year old. She lives with her single recovering addict mom Melanie (Holly Hunter). She befriends popular Evie Zamora (Nikki Reed) who leads down a road of stealing, skipping school, drugs, disobedience, and sex. Her mom struggles to stay in her life but she pulls away in anger. She doesn't like her mother's boyfriend Brady (Jeremy Sisto) either. Evie's home life is even more unstable living with her cousin Brooke (Deborah Kara Unger).

Catherine Hardwicke is giving this a spark that is more than an afterschool special dressed up with a lot of edge. It's written with some stories from Nikki Reed's life. ERW is a solid lead with both innocence and rebellion. She shows that she's a compelling actress. Holly Hunter is able to elevate her character beyond the usual clueless parent stereotype. Their relationship is the ultimate heart of the movie.

A Top Notch Indie

[ahmedfayyaz · 8/10 · 5 June 2018]

This movie really made me realize how difficult parenting can be, and how horrible a life can be for teenagers.

This movie really portrays the Problems present today in teenagers that we ignore. The movie is very well directed and will really make you feel it's passion and realistic Drama.

A puzzle

[neil-476 · 6/10 · 30 March 2008]

I don't want to miss the point of this film. I know the point of it is the pressures on today's adolescents, and their reactions to some of those pressures, and the effects on families in those circumstances. And if you're going to illustrate those points then you have to show cause and effect, and that means unpleasantness, and shouting matches, and drugs, and manipulation, and under-age sex and so on. You have to have those things in the movie, I get it.

But for the film to have the impact it should have, you need to care about those people. You have to see the possibility of redemption in them (even if the film is a tragedy, whereby they fail to be redeemed, the possibility must be there). And we never really saw enough of Tracy before peer pressure kicked in and changed her to an obnoxious brat going off the rails to have any sort of opinion as to whether she was redeemable or not.

I thought the performances were good (if a little one-note in places), but the script was underdeveloped. Nikki Reed shows some promise as both (co-)writer and performer, but needs rather more guidance than she got here in both areas.

An inconvenient truth

[ametaphysicalshark · 17 April 2007]

One of the most common criticisms of "Thirteen" is that it is 'unrealistic'. However, "Thirteen" never claims to portray all thirteen year olds, hell, it doesn't even claim to portray a significant number of them. This film is about the select few who choose to take a certain path in life. They have no true parental figures, their lives are in shambles, and they are making a quick and painful transition into supposed adulthood. Notice the other people in the school scenes, they're normal, they're just studying, hanging out with their friends, and going through the motions of school life. Those aren't the people that are being portrayed here.

Nikki Reed, an immense young talent, plays Evie Zamora, the hottest and arguably most popular girl in school. Evan Rachel Wood plays Tracy, a girl who still keeps her stuffed animals and Barbie dolls on her bed, and whose parents have divorced recently and whose mother works as a hairdresser out of her home to support the family. Tracy goes to junior high completely oblivious of any of the social pressure that's present, and begins to idolize Evie, obviously a terrible role model. In an outstanding early scene, Tracy follows Evie into a shopping mall and is initially appalled at the idea of shoplifting, but in a desperate attempt to fit in with the 'cool' crowd, she steals a purse from a woman who sat next to her, and finds Evie again, at which point she is accepted. Sooner rather than later, Tracy is drawn into a terrible depression which she deals with by using drugs, cutting herself, and being sexually promiscuous. She does all this completely uncertain of whether she wants to, and mostly because she's following Evie's lead. To say that no 13 year olds have experiences similar to this is pure ignorance, and if you're a parent who thinks this is unrealistic- think again, and think hard. In today's world, narcotics are available as easily as candy bars, and pop stars are more like porn stars, putting pressure on today's teens to become promiscuous sooner in life.

Wood is a terrific, terrific actress who has made some questionable career choices before and since this, but I hope to see her continue to star in films like "The Upside of Anger" and "Down in the Valley". However, in this particular film, even her tremendously powerful performance pales in comparison with Holly Hunter's Oscar-nominated supporting role as Tracy's mother, and by Nikki Reed, who, in her first ever acting role, is nothing short of stunning. This role is very, very racy for any 15 year old to take on, and Reed, who also co-wrote this film's terrific script with Catherine Hardwicke, takes it on with maturity I've never seen before from an actress of her age. First time director Catherine Hardwicke does a great job here, her work is inventive and adds real grit to this tale.

The bottom line is, "Thirteen" is a great, realistic, disturbing urban drama that you should watch with an open mind and with knowledge that it is based in fact. This is a challenging and brave film, and everyone involved has gained immediate respect from me. One of the best of 2003.

8/10

Only surprising/shocking if you're an aloof parent

[jreasa · 6/10 · 28 March 2006]

This was a movie that I viewed with minimal expectations, given the premise of the film seemed to be of the "OMG kids these days!!!" variety.

I just recently turned 22, and I can say without exaggeration that these girls are relative amateurs given their age and promiscuity compared to some that I went to school with, in terms of their proclivities in the film. Without giving much away, the movie relies too heavily on shock value, as if the film can be carried in its entirety on jaws dropping in the viewing audience. Perhaps for adults in a white-collar community, this is good enough. Since nothing in the film startled me one bit, the lack of rich substance by the way of plot and character development left me wondering what the point was.

The acting is very good, and the only reason I rate the movie above a "5". Despite this, there's nothing much there. Personally, I experienced my first roaring hangover at age 13, and learned quickly the wonders of "moderation". Some kids just have a natural inclination to give in to peer pressure, and don't exactly learn the first, second, or third time around. It isn't a glaring and growing problem in society; it's a fact of life. Why a movie needs to be made to highlight what is only one portion of teenage life is beyond me.

If this movie hadn't been written by a kid, it wouldn't be so praised.

[FeverDog · 6/10 · 8 October 2003]

Enough already with "it's too important to ignore." Whoa, teens shoplift, make out, pierce their navels and hang out in the park at night! Whodathunk? Really, the only "shocking" moments are a scene or two of self-abuse, which failed to be properly integrated into the storyline.

I can see the comparisons to KIDS, but the relationship between the two girls reminded me more of HEAVENLY CREATURES, down to their parents separating them when things get too intense between them.

Praise the acting (Hunter is her usual excellent self), 'cause that's all to admire here. The cinematography is muted, the camera work consists of a lot of artsy dutch angles, characterization is underdeveloped, and the movie ends inconclusively. THIRTEEN is pretty shoddy indie film that aims for art and a social meaning, but, honestly, there's nothing here you haven't seen before.

Excellent film and realistic depiction of troubled teenage girls

[trixie-k-88 · 10/10 · 21 February 2014]

I have loved this movie since it came out in 2003. It is well written, well, acted, and is realistic about subjects most people ignore.

Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) is an average, well-behaved 13 year old entering middle school. While she struggles at home with her recovering alcoholic mother Mel (Holly Hunter), Tracy's main concern is to be liked by the popular girls. Evie Zamora (Nikki Reed) is the queen bee, and after she teases Tracy about her clothes, Tracy steals a wallet to impress her and they quickly become best friends. Evie is a deeply troubled girl who lies, steals, wears provocative clothing, has promiscuous sex, does drugs, and is abused and neglected by her guardians. As Tracy becomes more and more like Evie, engaging in similar bad behavior, her permissive mother totally loses control over her. Tracy is further agitated by her deadbeat dad and Mel's recovering addict boyfriend. Evie and Tracy are inseparable in their dysfunction, and when Evie is away Tracy often cuts herself. Tracy continues to spiral out of control with Mel watching helplessly, and Evie holding her hand through the entire thing.

This movie is good, but sometimes hard to watch. I find it very different from other movies because there are no character you ALWAYS sympathize with. You sometimes feel bad for and sometimes can't stand all of the three main characters. They are well-rounded and realistic. It saddens me that people often misinterpret the actions of the girls, who clearly have some traumatic pasts and inadequate parenting, as just "sluts" or that they "just need an ass whooping." It's very clear to see the pain, childishness, and desperate need for guidance in these kids if you pay attention. A must watch for anyone that lives or works with teenagers.

Another Person's Treasure

[the50xbomb · 6/10 · 11 August 2022]

I give props to the people involved with this for wanting actual teenage perspectives from its main cast, I wouldn't call this film terribly unrealistic per-se, and the acting is suitable as well with good performances from the main actors (especially Holly Hunter). Some people are harping on about it just because they themselves didn't have any of these experiences or the people they knew didn't have these experiences therefore it's just a piece of Hollywood propaganda to them, which is weird and also not the point of the movie. For me however Thirteen is a case where I just find it to be only decent technically, and not really presented in a way I find interesting. It's a movie I enjoy hearing people talk about more than actually watching. But hey, that's just media, it either connects with you or it doesn't. Thirteen isn't offensive, unrealistic, or bad in my eyes, just not for me to enjoy.

Call me Biased for the Nostalgia, but it's a 10/10 for me

[cristinasimmer · 10/10 · 5 September 2022]

When I was younger, I'd always scout for movies like Triple Dog or Thirteen when I was 12 and bored on Netflix. I'm now 18 and this movie gives me those same nostalgic feelings I got when I watched those. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous and really gives those 2003 feels. I truly enjoy the story and the exciting adventures the teens go on. It's such an interesting experience to go on with them and I suggest watching this movie.

Spoiler time: Tracy's mother is my least favorite movie in mother history when it comes to not being able to recognize that her daughters a junkie even after having a junkie boyfriend. You're daughter screaming in your face and acting erratically does not translate to her hating your cooking. But ultimately I love all of the characters (except Tracy's mom) and I love the story. Some things do get confusing though as to why Evie up and ditched her old life to hang out with some random girl from school, why Evie has been flirtatious towards both Tracy and her mother, what the hell is going on mentally with Tracy's mother, why Tracy gets so jealous of the mother-daughter relationship forming between her mom and Evie, how Tracy's mom didn't notice her daughter changing so quickly I.e. Stealing, drinking, doing drugs, and many other things. I get confused as to why the writers tried to cram so many pointless plot lines and side stories into the movie that didn't even end up having a big payoff, but all of those minor complaints aside, I truly love this movie, flaws and all. It's gotta be one of my new guilty pleasures. I just love movies that have teens either destroying their lives or going on wild adventures that end up destroying their lives. Call me crazy.

Seen it all before

[earthdan58 · 6/10 · 6 December 2003]

Haven't we all seen these issues dealt with before? I certainly have - many times - and this film doesn't bring anything new to the subject. Totally unoriginal. It's always a pleasure to watch Holly Hunter perform though.

over-rated, fair

[ShrekMemento · 5/10 · 4 September 2003]

weeeelll I thought "thirteen" was just okay. The main reason I found it just okay, was that it just wasn't that interesting and believable to me. Before you start bashing me for the 'believable' comment, I'd like to address something. Unlike many detractors of 'thirteen', I won't say the things portrayed in the movie dont happen. They do. However, what I found INCREDIBLY unbelievable was how Tracy transformed into a bad ass, selfish, mean bitch instantly immediately after meeting Evie. She didn't evolve into a badass, selfish, mean bitch. She immediately became one in the scene right after meeting Evie. One scene she was the sweet, smart 'nerdy' girl, the VERY NEXT SCENE she was the selfish angry bitch. The transformation just wasn't shown. Also, I felt the bulk of the movie was trying to shock us by constantly one-upping the stakes and shocking us. The two things that show the movie's true intentions of shocking us is (1)the movie's opening scene which has absolutely NO reason to open the movie and (2) the provocative poster showing the girls' tongue rings. However, I thought it was a promising performance by Evan Rachel Wood. While it is impressive that she co-wrote a screenplay at such a young age, Nikki Reed's performance is nothing special. On the other hand, Holly Hunter gives perhaps her best performance ever as Tracey's mother. And I thought the final few minutes were very true and heartfelt- it almost made me think I liked the entire movie. I know no-one will agree with me, because it seems like everyone either LOVES the movie or HATES it, but I thought 'thirteen' was a fair movie with a few very good aspects.

Sad, dark and overall true to EVERYTHING

[lorcan-61881 · 10/10 · 6 August 2018]

Thirteen is a 2003 drama that stars Holly Hunter and follows her coping as a mother to maintain the new and disrespectful personality of her daughter after entering into the wrong friend zone, filled with sex, petty crime and drugs. Thirteen sounded like a enjoyable watch at the time and when i finally watched my DVD, I was slowly more and more hooked to the reality on the screen, although, me being a teenager, knows that the style in this movie as CRINGY AS HELL, this film is so true and has happened before and is still happening all over the world, kids have a dream to be someone they don't even know themselves so they can be accepted in life only to be let down more then they already were, I have actually seen it before and experienced it a couple of times myself, the acting, dialogue and pace is so well done and actors like Holly Hunter, Jeremy Sisto and Nikki Reed totally steal the sha. It's just so painful and shocking to think that a sweet girl like the main girl in the film can actually change that much into a disrespectful, punk, foul mouth attituded teenager. Thirteen is a very educational film for parents who think they're children are acting like they never did before. 10/10!

Ps. I'm back!!

Kinda Tarded

[swamp44 · 6/10 · 20 February 2004]

I was really anticipating this movie but was disappointed. Holly Hunter can ruin about any movie. She has gotten much better i will admit, but something about her is really creepy no matter what role she plays. Overall the acting was subpar IMHO. I really liked the reality of it though. It is worth renting if you're bored and want to know what 13 yr old girls are up to when they arent at home. I would suggest watching a movie like Bully instead.

Silly and Self-Indulgent

[halfzware · 2/10 · 4 September 2003]

It's no surprise that "alternative" festivals are hot and bothered over this latest escapade in teen-trash bilge water cinema.

Minimalism is de rigeur these days as regards plot development, acting capabilities and overall sophistication. Ms. Wood and her tweenie friend (whose name escapes me) have carved out a disposable product, MTV style, flash-bulb and strobe film. Underneath the nauseating camera effects, overdramatized portrayals of teen life and mindnumbingly degenerate performances, there's absolutely nothing worth hanging on to. Holly Hunter turns in a one-dimensional, predictable performance, and it's a dimension you've seen before (Home Alone springs to mind, only Ms. Hunter smokes cigarettes, drinks tea and has sex with an unattractive druggie). Ms. Wood and her pal smoke cigarettes (Sassy!), huff unidentified cleaning products (Dangerous!), assault each other (Edgy!) and kiss each other (when will that cease to be shocking??!?!?!?). Other people appear intermittently, but who's even bothered to remember them?

The swirling montages of consumerism are a tired retread of everything we've seen in pop culture since The Communist Manifesto, and Ms. Wood et al would have us believe that America's youth is troubled because of the pressure to wear thong underwear and make out with older black boys.

I want to know: where is the tension in this movie? Where is the plot? Where is the acting? Why should we feel any connection to these

crudely rendered characters?

I could go on, but "Thirteen" has done nothing to justify that additional effort.

Occasionally goes to extremes but is very convincing with great characters in the hands of three actresses all giving great performances

[bob the moo · 29 September 2004]

Tracy is a normal thirteen-year-old girl, dressed in bright pastels, bedroom full of soft toys and with giggly thoughts of boys. Starting school in the new term she finds everyone in awe of Evie Zamora and her friends – all of who have suddenly turned into sexy young ladies over the summer. With her goofy kid look, Evie blanks Tracy until she impresses her by stealing a purse to go shopping. As Evie gets in with Tracy's mum Mel, she also takes Evie into her own world of rebellion involving stealing, drink, disobedience, drugs and sex. Mel struggles to hold on to the small parts of her daughter that she still recognises.

At many points in our lives we all change and perhaps the first time it happens is the hardest to deal with. The stage where everyone seems to go from just being kids to suddenly being a peer group is a major one and this film, for all its extremes, does justice to the difficulties (for everyone) of the period in a story that is well written, cleverly directed and really well acted by the whole cast. The plot builds well on minor changes to Tracy and makes it totally clear where the pressure is coming from and how it affects her; in this regard the script is spot on and is totally convincing. When it goes to extremes it does show signs of stretching and almost breaking but it never does – while it is extreme it is still convincing and only two or three moments seem like they are going too far. Certainly I can't imagine many parents will be able to watch it without worrying about how they and theirs will handle the change when it comes.

While the writing is great, there does come a point where it needs to end and, while unconvincing, the film does at least draw to an end on an ambiguous ending and only the final shot of a 'isn't life hard' scream from Tracy struck a duff note and was too clumsy. As co-writer, Reed shows a real awareness of the world around her and she deserves the praise she got for that role but also her performance as Evie is praise worthy, but perhaps not to the extent that Wood's is. Wood takes us from a child to womanhood and never hits a duff note in her portrayal of a girl just trying to fit in.

She is excellent and her dynamic with Hunter is a perfect fit and also convincing; in my mind she is better than Reed because Wood had a more complex character to develop – Wood had to change her character, Reed played a character who was already there. Hunter deals with some minor clutter in her character but generally she is as good as her teenage cos-stars. Minor support roles for people like Sisto, Unger and Clarke all add to the film but really the film belongs to the lead trio. Director Hardwicke directs with style and with an eye for the clever shot – at times using fast camera motions while in one key scene just letting the camera frame the front room like it was a stage. She also uses a clever touch in tainting the film stock a washed out colour when Tracy's bubble finally bursts – we immediately go from bright colours to washed out blue and, even with the conclusion we only return to dark browns and not the highs of the main story.

Overall this is a very good film that is hard to watch if you have pre-teen kids. It has extremes in there and it won't apply to every teenager out there but to just call it unrealistic is to ignore the reality of peer pressure and the sexualisation of youth generally. The script is convincing, frightening and moving and is greatly helped by three great performances from Reed, Wood and Hunter.

Unlucky Thirteen. It's a horrible movie.

[ironhorse_iv · 6/10 · 13 March 2013]

It's weird to think that Catherine Hardwicke of Twilight fame directed this movie. While it's not that good of a movie, it's truly a scary look into our ever changing society. It's not so uncommon to hear stupid children having unprotected sex, drug and alcohol abuse, and doing crime. Children like that will regret wasting their childhood. Ladies and gentlemen if you're a parent, raise your children right! If you're turning thirteen, don't end up like these characters in the film. If you're still acting immature, grow up. Despite the fact that the acting is pretty good in this film and it's a cautious moral tale of losing control of yourself during your teen years. This movie was really hard to watch. Thirteen year olds taking drugs, having sex and behaving horribly really is not that entertaining to watch. Brace yourself as this movie is just a catalog of bad actions that will anger you. The movie is about thirteen year old girl name Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) whom seems like a sweet, innocent little girl with big plans for her life. Once turning thirteen, Tracy's behavior starts to change to the worst when she meets a new friend at school name Evie (Nikki Reed). The whole movie is Tracy rebelling against her mother Melanie (Holly Hunter) in the most self-destructive ways possible with a girl who is even more troubled. There are teens who act this way in real life, but these are the very worst cases. This movie serve one purpose by showing shock value. The audience is shown the most deplorable things one teenage girl can do and can get away with showing on screen. It's sickly to watch. There is barely any redemption arch at all, as the movie is 1 hour and half full of teen angst. While the movie 'Kids' was a little bit more shocking due to its documentary style, this movie acts like a melodrama badly made episode of Jerry Springer. It has the very stereotypical story plot of a spoil brat not getting her way so feel bad for me. I really hate the movie makes piercing tongues and belly buttons seems like a gateway to drugs and crime. There are plenty of people that get it, and are well off. Why was there pointless nudity in the form of the mother Holly Hunter? She didn't need to be nude in this film. I know it supposed to show that she is losing herself due to her daughter's actions, but why have her nude doing that? It's not like any 13 year old can even watch the movie as it is R rating. Rather than trying to get this PG-13, the director fails. There are films that make these bad actions look cool that are rated PG-13. This movie if rightly watch by a teenager can understand in dealing more intelligently and forthrightly with the consequences of the behavior it depicts. The movie carry an interesting educational message but it never got solves. The movie also makes children of American society looks like bad. There are many places in the world and even in America, where teenagers like this do not exist and never have. Yes, it's true that some teenagers act like this, but as young as thirteen year olds? Maybe 15, but you'd be surprised what 13 year olds do these days. Another cliché that must be mentioned was the decision of having the blonde blue-eyed girl portraying the good girl gone bad as the color girl portraying the seed of evil. Although in real life the Latina girl had been the blonde's role. Surprising the movie is based on the life of the actress that plays Evie, Nikki Reed who co-wrote the screenplay. Everyone who hates Evie in this movie that just proves that Nikki Reed is an amazing actress because in real life she's such a sweetheart! She was Tracy in real life. The very last scene where Tracy spinning at the playground is disappointing, don't know if it's supposed to be a conceptual scene. I just leave it at that. If you want a film overflowing with pretensions of importance, piercings, and racial stereotyping, by all means, get this movie. If you want a real, profound insight into the mind of a teenager, read Seigel's Like the Red Panda or Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.

**½ (out of 4) High potential but overdramatised.

[warfurnace · 6/10 · 26 August 2003]

Thirteen is a pretty good movie. It is not, however, a great movie, which it could have been. While its premise is interesting, and not so far removed from reality, it is overdramatic and, in a way, oversimplified. The idea of a girl as young as thirteen falling in with a 'bad crowd' and being led into drugs, sex and theft is not an implausible one in today's society; however, the rapidity with which it occurs in Thirteen is unrealistic. The film takes place over just four months, and within likely half of that, Tracy (Wood) is fully immersed in the underworld of Los Angeles, a process which, while possible, would be likely to take much longer. Furthermore, Tracy is capable of stunningly rapid personality overhauls: in the first half of the film, while at first mortified by the idea of shoplifting, she overcomes these inhibitions within mere minutes of leaving the store. It's a touch absurd.

Furthermore, many of the characters are oversimplified, and while their actions might be multifarious, the motives that underlie them never vary for each character. Everything Tracy does is to be accepted by the popular crowd, and to pursue their lifestyle, and she does it without thought of consequence. Everything Evie (Reed) does is for her own personal pleasure or comfort, and she does it without a thought for morality. Tracy is never torn between the two possible lifestyles offered to her (That was the movie I was expecting, one in which a characters descent into drugs etc. was juxtaposed with her earlier innocence) but always follows Evie's path. Furthermore <SPOILER> her implied transformation at the end comes far too easily, as the likely conclusion to her behaviour would be a further downward spiral, which requires more than a simple betrayal and a mother's hug to overcome <END SPOILER>. Simply, Tracy's character is always singly motivated, and therefore oversimplified.

All this is not to say the movie is without its merits. It is well-directed and well-acted, with the young girls performing well within the framework they've been given. The characters are flawed, not the actors. Furthermore, Hardwicke's direction is excellent, with the use of the film's colour value as a mirror for Tracy's life is a touch that adds nicely to the overall mood. It is likely that Hardwicke has a future as a director.

Thirteen is a flawed good movie when it could've been a great one. Kids, while also not a perfect film, is superior to this one, in it's portrayal of a world of such excess, as opposed to this one, where a girl is lured into such a world. On the subject of drugs, a far superior film to both these is Requiem for a Dream, a truly brilliant exploration of the nature of addiction and of its consequences. Thirteen is worth a look, but it is not the masterpiece some would claim.

Realistic, even if you don't want to believe it

[karin-mozina · 10/10 · 7 February 2021]

I'd recommend watching this move for the last big scene alone. One of the best movie scenes I've ever seen. It might be that I also can identify with a lot of the issues, watching at the 13 year old self. Very well executed.

A very good film-tense,gritty,realistic and educational

[alush-2 · 6/10 · 17 January 2008]

This movie was disturbing and graphic in depicting the lives of 2 girls hitting adolescence,with very little grounding to make it through these difficult years.It was grossly realistic in the portrayal of 2 young girls who become enmeshed with each other,in an effort to connect, without a minimally positive history of connection and attachment.The issues are real,the behaviors are common and the plot flows in a fragmented way,reflecting the fragmented lives of the girls and their lack of interest in anything beyond the immediate moment.

It was a gritty and tense film - well worth watching,and the performances were very well done.

Glad if you think this is not realistic

[joriethomas · 10/10 · 29 July 2022]

One of my favorite indies. This was me at 13 and I'm the same age as Evan. Great movie that needs to be seen by parents. The coming of age story people don't want to see but is all too real. Brilliant script and acting.

Typical, in my Opinion

[Geeky Randy · 6/10 · 13 January 2008]

While the acting was terrific and the story was very intriguing, there was so much more that could've been done with this film. As the movie unraveled, I began to realize that this is a no more than a typical story about a rebellious teenage girl. Wonderful character development, but it led nowhere. Perhaps one can argue that this movie can be made as a lesson, but it feels more like a pity-this-young-curios-girl story. When will teenagers begin to take advise from adults and realize that they are no more special than the people from the previous generation? The teenagers in this film didn't, and the outcome was unintentionally too satisfying.

unlucky number

[misterpennycandy · 1/10 · 1 February 2004]

Tolstoy once said that all dysfunctional families are different, and all happy families are the same. Then again, it might be the other way around -- I'm not sure, I can't remember and I don't care (neither do you.) As THIRTEEN (the new film which, in the words of my thirteen year-old little nephew, we're all supposed to go "oooh oooh" about) wishes to stress that all dysfunctional families ARE the same. THIRTEEN may have a lot of heart, but that's it's problem. It's nothing but heart, and has very little [sympathy] for its supposed hero. If I'm not mistaken, this film was written by a thirteen year-old; it's called thirteen; and it's about thirteen year-olds -- this makes it unique - a film experiment of sorts. In fact, when I heard about it in all the "thinking man's" magazines, not much attention was paid to the quality. It reminds me of the fifteen year-old writer I read about in the Times, who had his first novel published on a whim by some stupid publisher. The content and quality are irrelevant, the fact that a thirteen year-old girl can write a screenplay is so astonishing (to some) that the movie is instantly garners some attention. And, I will grudgingly admit, it deserves it. This is the first movie to (sort of) address jailbait, or underage girls who are sexually active. Although their exploits do not reach far beyond sucking off the occasional brown-skinned fellow (which was a strange choice by the writers, but makes sense in its own little way) the sexual encounters are well executed, but everything else in the movie is stilted, and unrealistic. The first thing in the film that not only surprised, but genuinely upset me, is that Rachael is not a depressed character, yet she cuts herself and lashes out at her recovering drug-addict mother with venom. She's an empty vessel, a dimensionless character -- a large, clean dinner plate encompassing every teen "issue" on the menu. Whereas most sad, little girls mutilate themselves because (according to some "experts") the healing of the cuts makes them happy, echoing the purgation of inner pain -- Rachael is an afterschool special; every "Lifestories: Families in Crisis" character ever. The "dysfunctional family" scenes are so hokey, they're comical (such as Rachael and her brother, Mason, playing tug-of-war with a broom) and the fact that we view them through lame director Catherine Hardwicke's use of the dutch-angle shot and shake and bake-cam packs all the more pulled punches. The idea that a thirteen year-old could write a screenplay does not baffle me. I recently saw a film called "White Oleander" with an equally clumsy narrative structure, which was written by an adult (who probably has a PHD in pap) and you wouldn't know it was about a dysfunctional family if you didn't see the trailer. The thirteen year-old white girls who dress like gucci models, dance to hip-hop music and scream for joy at the thought of hooking up with the "hot guy" at their school; Rachael goes "yesss!" and starts dancing when the most popular girl in school invites her to hang -- these are a few "real" moments in the movie that are gone about terribly by the writers and director. Another example is the implicit reference to the fact that Rachael feels obligated to "keep the change," as they say, the first time she performs oral sex on a man. I feel like I'm going against everything I believe in as a film critic in saying this, but this is one of those films that doesn't rely on craft, but gets an unhealthy dose of it from the director. Don't see it, I suggest Heavenly Creatures which it is almost identical to in every way, and far superior by traditional film/literary standards.

Proof that the oscars are rigged...

[Freedomisanillusion · 10/10 · 8 May 2004]

How did Holly Hunter not win that Oscar? Why weren't Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed at least nominated, let alone winners?

I have seen many films in my time, and none have held such great performances as this, and few have spoken to the audience in such a powerful way.

Holly Hunter, who is always superb, outdid herself in the role of Mel, the caring mother who doesn't know when to put a tighter grip on her daughter, Tracy. Her performance is so touching, and so painful that you want to get inside her and show her what she needs to do.

Evan Rachel Wood is outstanding as Tracy, the young girl who so desperately wants to fit in, and will go to any lengths to get that. Wood is always good, but she too has outdone herself, and perfectly nailed the role of Tracy. Not once does she come across as a pretentious actress trying to act like a teen.

Nikki Reed, who was introduced by this film, delivers a performance that is worth the ticket fare alone. Evie is so manipulative, so seductive, and so real that you can't possibly blame Tracy for wanting to be like her.

Whoever it is who decides who gets the Oscars - wake up and realise that you need to award these to the performances, not the actors who wear the nicer dresses!

Thirteen is one of the more powerful pieces of cinema around. The camera probes right into the livers of our protagonists, denying anyone the joy if seeing this grim masterpiece from a safe distance. The soundtrack rocks along to the emotions of the characters. The performances create not only a good film, but a little disturbing slice of life.

Having seen Thirteen, I now understand why people label some films as important. this is certainly one of them.

It Is Too Much

[Mr_Sensitive · 6/10 · 13 January 2005]

Base on the real facts, making movie will make you feeling really dull and somewhat depressing and somehow even scare at time. The movie indicated bad friend can or even will f**k up another friend life especially when you are young and restless.

As much as I'm not enjoying the movie cause it is too much depression, it was really good to see the great acting of E.R. Wood, which is exception for the girl at her age. The story is great and full of character with emotion and feeling.

Cause this is a heavy drama movie, I really not advise anyone to watch if you're not up to it. My personal feeling is it is too much too show all the stuff and also too much of reality making this movie, not a movie sense.

Rating: 6.5/10

8.0/10 - for acting

Think before seeing this movie..

[MovieDave · 4/10 · 30 August 2003]

As a fan of Holly Hunter's work I felt obliged to see this movie. I sat in the theater and watched a top notch performance by Hunter. However, I found this movie quite disturbing, and sadly all too real. I must say, even as a Holly Hunter fan, I don't think I could ever watch this movie again.