THIRTEEN, 2003
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A thirteen-year-old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend.

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REVIEW:

A terrifying film about teen adolescence gone wrong, and the reality is, it’s happening now. There’s a tagline to the film which says “it’s happening so fast.” And they’re right. The scariest notion about this film is that young teens are being drawn into a life of personal torment, drugs, self mutilation, depression and sex, for reasons that does not come from one incident, or conversation, or even interest, it comes from multiple factors all playing a part in the cause and effect of teen angst.

The film is a coming of age story about a young girl, Tracy Freeland (Wood) who is a straight A-student and loves poetry suddenly finds herself thrown into a subculture of teen torment. Her parents have gone through a bitter divorce and she now lives in a new area, Venice, California with her mother, Melanie (Hunter).

While in school, she catches the attention of Evie (Reed) the popular teen with a bad reputation. Together the two strike up a friendship, and we quickly how Tracy is willing to change her ways to become socially accepted. The pair shoplifts, get their tongues pierced, and get high together.

It’s an honest exanimation of a reality so many are unaware of, particularly parents who neglect to watch their children. We see as Tracy descends into a world she knows of, but now has become a resident, thanks in large part to her new friend Evie who helps to cultivate Tracy into a different person entirely. Every teen thinks they own the world and the people around them, specifically adults, are lucky to be a part of it. Tracy and Evie show their dislike and lack of respect towards authority every chance they get, and laugh as they go about their business. Both Wood and Reed are excellent as you genuinely believe they have an aversion to adults, to the point where it’s almost palpable.

The film was written by Nikki Reed who stars in the picture as Evie, and she writes from firsthand experience detailing certain parts of her life that resembles the character in the film. How closely does she stay true to her own story in unclear, yet the message and the journey is still the same and just as powerful. For people completely ignorant on the subject, Thirteen is a brutal wakeup call on dark side of teen culture.

Evan Rachel Wood is a talented actress who has made a career of picking challenging and meaningful roles that show her range as an actress. After Thirteen she starred in The Missing, King of California, Across the Universe, and The Wrestler, all solid performances from a young actress with a promising career in the future.

Through the gritty camera which creates a natural and realistic tone and feel to the picture. Thirteen effectively captures an increasingly depraved side of teen culture. Reed, wisely, offers no solution. Some may argue that there really is no ending with no issues resolved, and well, that’s the point. The deep issues teen face today and their struggles can’t be wrapped up in the remaining 20 minutes of the film.

There is no answer, and Reed boldly leaves it you to discover a solution that best fits your understanding towards teens. Is it the parents? The environment? The teen? Well, sure, all of the above. The next question is, what happens next? Thirteen is powerful film that effectively conveys the message of teen turmoil in today’s society, if you haven’t seen it yet, take my word and rent it, but prepared to get only a glimpse of the dark side of teen culture. By the end of the film, maybe, just maybe, you’ll understand your daughter, or even son, a little bit more.

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THIRTEEN