the fresh films reviews

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Thirteen (2003)

Director:
Catherine Hardwicke
COUNTRY
USA/UK
GENRE
Drama
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Thirteen
RUNNING TIME
100 minutes
Producer:
Jeffrey Levy-Hinte
Michael London
Screenwriter:
Catherine Hardwicke
Nicki Reed


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Melanie Freeland Holly Hunter
Tracy Louise Freeland Evan Rachel Wood
Evie Zamora Nicki Reed
Brooke Deborah Unger

 

Review

Thirteen is a chaotic, loud and self-important film that believes too much that it is the ultimate document about the age-group it depicts. Nicki Reed is the girl behind the story (and she also fills one of the leads) and she has her share of distressing experiences from her time as a 13-year-old, but then again, who doesn't? Here she is, merely a year or two older, wanting to tell us how she learned from her mistakes. The problem with this film isn't the contents, but the focus. I suspect that director Hardwicke desperately wants to be a teenager again herself. She wants to give a nuanced portrait but instead gets herself caught up by the buzz. Thirteen is a film for people who think its cool that teenagers admit that they sometimes go a bit far. That is to say, quite tedious.

Copyright © 31.1.2005 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang [HAVE YOUR SAY]