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MOVIE REVIEW
Thirteen
(2003)
Starring:
Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed
Director:
Catherine
Hardwicke
Rating: R
Studio:
Fox Searchlight
Release Date: 8.20.03
Review
Posted: 9.08.03
Spoilers:
Minor
By
Craig Younkin
"Thirteen"
Compelling and Emotional
At first
glance, the most interesting thing about the movie Thirteen
is that it was actually co-written by a thirteen-year old girl
(co-star Nikki Reed), presumably based on her own coming-of-age
experiences. Only there isn't much in this movie that should
come as any great surprise. This is one in a long line of
troubled youth pictures that showcases out of control teenagers
doing drugs, having sex, and showing no regard for their own
well being.
Thirteen
centers on Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood), a seventh grader who
appears to be a smart and sweet thirteen-year old kid; however,
the call of popularity is too strong for her to resist. She
suddenly is buying a whole new wardrobe, throwing out the Barbie
dolls, getting high, piercing her belly button and tongue, and
hanging out with the coolest girl in school, Evie (Nikki Reed).
This new
world collides with her home life, which really isn't so good
either – her father left and her mother (Holly Hunter) is barely
able to keep the family afloat by herself. On top of all that,
her mother's crack addict boyfriend (Jeremy Sisto) has come back
into their lives as well.
Naturally,
the most compelling moments in the movie come from the mother
and daughter. Evan Rachel Wood does a wonderful job with Tracy,
showing how out of control she can really get, as well as how
depressed she becomes with the things going on around her. She
really descends into a huge emotional mess and the whole
performance really captures our sympathy. And Holly Hunter is as
strong as ever here, playing a mother who is becoming more and
more afraid of her own daughter.
The script
mainly goes from one shock to the next, but very little of them
are surprising or effective. Still, the ending does turn out to
be very moving and the two specific performances are brilliant
(both should hopefully receive Oscar nominations for
their work here), as they lift the otherwise "been there, done
that" feel that the rest of the material conveys.
Rating:
κκκ
(out of 4)
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Grade: B
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