Thirteen
Directed by Catherine Hardwick.
Well things have certainly changed since I was 13. Things seemed so much more
innocent back when I was in 7th grade, unlike the disturbing behaviour of the
teen angst girls in the film Thirteen. The film
invites the viewer into the world of Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood), who is attempting
to form a friendship with popular new girl, Evie (Nikki Reed), whose bad
influence ultimately has an effect on Tracy and her home life.
Although this sounds like the plot to a cliché Hollywood teen movie about an unpopular 13 year old trying to fit in with the ‘cool’ gang, it is much more than that. The difference is that this film is brutally honest and does not attempt to sugar coat anything for the audience. The film depicts how far some teens will go to be accepted in society and the strength of peer pressure, which can result in shoplifting, alcohol and drug abuse, promiscuity, violence and other forms of disturbing behaviour.
Co-written by teenager Nikki Reed, the film is a realistic portrayal of the darker side of youth culture. The shaky camera work also adds to the realism of the film. The film is shot in a way that the viewer feels like a fly on the wall voyeuristically watching the deterioration of a mother-daughter relationship. The acting is brilliant by the two lead females and Holly Hunter as the clueless and frustrated mother is truly powerful, and is one of her best performances.
Thirteen is a film that parents will find both confronting and shocking, but is admired for the truthfulness of it depiction. Overall this gritty and often heartbreaking film is not to be missed, especially if you are a mother or father of a teenager.
****/5
Amanda Giacomin
