If going to the movies to escape reality is your primary objective, treat Thirteen as if it were the bubonic plague. But if you're up for a heavy dose of the realistic, then sit down and feel the weight of the world through the eyes of a 13-year-old on her way to self-destruction.
Catherine Hardwicke, who won the directing award at the Sundance Film Festival for the film, co-wrote it with then 13-year-old supporting actress Nikki Reed, whose adolescent experiences inspired the movie.
The film stars Even Rachel Wood (from Practical Magic) as Tracey, the straight-A student and daughter of Mel (Holly Hunter), a recovering alcoholic and single parent hair stylist.
On her first day of middle school, it doesn't take long for cute-as-a-button Tracey to find all of the cool things involved in the new place - the coolest of all being Evie (Nikki Reed), the most popular girl, who is as alluring to Tracey as she is to all of her male classmates.
The two girls soon hit it off as best friends and Tracey quickly morphs into a clone of Evie, who coming from a broken home herself, draws the young girl into a world of drugs, sex, and stealing.
Thirteen
Starring Holly Hunter, Even Rachel Wood, and Nikki Reed. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Rated R. Now playing at Harkins Camelview 5.
Even Tracey's mother, Mel, is mesmerized by Evie, who cajoles the woman into allowing her to stay with the family for a while. Mel is concerned about her daughter, but occupied primarily by a recovering drug-addict boyfriend who floats in and out of the household.
The ending is sincere, realistic, and heartbreaking, but will also leave you longing for closure.
This movie is not fantasy. It is the most genuine film I have ever seen. You'll feel as if you are a peeping tom, slyly observing a family trying to keep it together, but somehow falling apart. It's beautiful. It's disgusting. It's amazing.
Partially responsible for that is the unique filming technique, like that of the Blair Witch Project, which seemed all too reminiscent of Dad's home videos. In all honesty, it was quite nauseating, but it served its purpose to driving reality home. Still, at times I wondered if it was the movie content or the camera that was making me sick.
Another noteworthy aspect of the movie was the acting. Every character in Thirteen had a kind of substance and depth not found in the many mainstream movies that somehow seduce us into buying a ticket. Holly Hunter was relentlessly real and Even Rachel Wood had me loving and hating her the entire film. Co-writer Nikki Reed shaped Evie into the most manipulative, captivating figure in the movie. And even minor characters, such as Tracey's brother Brady, were played with precision and excellence.
It goes without saying that this film is a masterpiece. But it's so real, that it actually borders on being too real. It is completely heartbreaking. I forgot I was watching a movie and slipped into this family's life. When the movie ended, I had tears in my eyes and my heart was pounding. I left the theatre with a somber feeling that, despite some happy ride-home music, left me feeling emotionally drained and exhausted.
If you are one who delights in a well-done film and is enthralled by the very real, then you will be fulfilled. But if you're more like me and prefer movies to take you out of the world rather than hit you over the head with it, then you may want to sit this one out.
Katie McDevitt is a reporter for the Web Devil. Reach her at kathleen.mcdevitt@asu.edu.
