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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2004
While reading other customer reviews, I was stunned by the tendency of cynical college types to dismiss this movie as "eager to be hip" and "exploitive garbage". If one has not been through an experience, rejecting it when it is displayed must be easy. However, for those of us like myself, who are thirteen years old, this movie was shockingly real. And who better to be the judge of that than a thirteen year old, rather than a pretentious college student, now too cool to believe in teen "angst" as they call it.
Tracy's (the remarkable Evan Rachel Wood) descent into the world of drugs, casual sex, and smiling lies is a descent I have seen far too often in real life. Some reviewers were suspicious of the quickness of her progression into this world. However, one must remember that these are middle schoolers, not twenty-somethings, and the overwhelming insecurity of most 13 year olds allows them to change their images daily. Also, Tracy is not necessarily a "good girl" when the movie begins. She already smokes, and seems to feel stuck in her life both at school and at home. This is evident in scenes she shares with her friends, and a particular scene with her mother (Holly Hunter in an incredible performance), where despite her best efforts, Tracy cannot get the attention she needs from her mother, who is wrapped up in most aspects of her own life, especially romantically.
Thirteen is not for those who wish to shut their eyes to what is truly happening to our culture and society. However, I would recommend that every parent see Thirteen with their child to know the reality of the environment their child is growing up around. If you are a parent, do not believe for a moment that the experiences of Tracy are experiences that take place everywhere else. Whether you know it or not, this movie does indeed hit close to home.
A few more notes before I end this review. Evan Rachel Wood deserves an Oscar for her harrowing performance as Tracy, Holly Hunter is better than I have ever seen her, and Nikki Reed is inspiringly truthful in both her writing and her performance as a character she had not intended to play. Catherine Hardwicke, as the director, uses her own emotions and vibrant colors to convey the truths hidden behind the masks each character wears. The obsessive need of the two girls for each other, as a replacement for lack of love in other aspects of their lives, is perhaps the most honest part of this movie.
Whether you enjoy it or not, Thirteen is a movie that must be seen. More than a social commentary, Thirteen is almost a mirror of reality.
Tracy's (the remarkable Evan Rachel Wood) descent into the world of drugs, casual sex, and smiling lies is a descent I have seen far too often in real life. Some reviewers were suspicious of the quickness of her progression into this world. However, one must remember that these are middle schoolers, not twenty-somethings, and the overwhelming insecurity of most 13 year olds allows them to change their images daily. Also, Tracy is not necessarily a "good girl" when the movie begins. She already smokes, and seems to feel stuck in her life both at school and at home. This is evident in scenes she shares with her friends, and a particular scene with her mother (Holly Hunter in an incredible performance), where despite her best efforts, Tracy cannot get the attention she needs from her mother, who is wrapped up in most aspects of her own life, especially romantically.
Thirteen is not for those who wish to shut their eyes to what is truly happening to our culture and society. However, I would recommend that every parent see Thirteen with their child to know the reality of the environment their child is growing up around. If you are a parent, do not believe for a moment that the experiences of Tracy are experiences that take place everywhere else. Whether you know it or not, this movie does indeed hit close to home.
A few more notes before I end this review. Evan Rachel Wood deserves an Oscar for her harrowing performance as Tracy, Holly Hunter is better than I have ever seen her, and Nikki Reed is inspiringly truthful in both her writing and her performance as a character she had not intended to play. Catherine Hardwicke, as the director, uses her own emotions and vibrant colors to convey the truths hidden behind the masks each character wears. The obsessive need of the two girls for each other, as a replacement for lack of love in other aspects of their lives, is perhaps the most honest part of this movie.
Whether you enjoy it or not, Thirteen is a movie that must be seen. More than a social commentary, Thirteen is almost a mirror of reality.
