Thirteen

This week I went for a classic cult rebellious teen film Thirteen (2003) directed by Catherine Hardwicke (who directed Twilight!) Starring and co-scripted by Nikki Reed (Evie)- who also is Twilight's Rosalie) , Evan Rachel Wood ( Tracey) and Holly Hunter ( Tracey's Mom Melanie).

Tracey moves to Los Anglos with her mother Melanie and brother Mason.
Tracey is a straight A student and writes deep dark poetry. Melanie is a recovering cocaine addict who works as a hairdresser to make ends meat.

Tracey gets teased at school by Evie and her friends about her clothes. Evie gives Tracey a fake phone number as a mean joke. Upset Tracey takes the bus to Melrose place and steals a purse meeting Evie and her friends they spend the stolen money on clothes and shoes. This is when Tracey begins to fall into the wrong company with Evie.

Throughout the film Tracey becomes more and more detached from her mother as she cannot deal with her parents divorce or the fact that her mother has taken back her drug addict ex boyfriend this leads to her cutting herself on numerous occasions. Although Tracey has new found popularity in school due to hanging out with Evie, taking drugs , stealing and sleeping with boys. Although none of this makes her happy. All the time Melanie has no idea what an impact Evie is having on Tracey. Eventually Melanie begins to see the cracks and tries to get Tracey to live with her father but he does not want her sending Tracey deeper and deeper into a depression.

Melanie decides to keep her daughter away from Evie but not before Evie plants drugs all over their house framing Tracey . At school Tracey is not popular any more and is failing 7th grade. She goes home and begins cutting herself , Melanie sees the cuts and begins kissing them holding her daughter as she sobs. It then ends with Tracey on her own in the park spinning around screaming.

This is a very grim film showing all aspects of teen angst. Nikki Reed used it as a sort of autobiography when co writing with Catherine Hardwicke even saying it was just how life was for her when she was 13. It was written in 6 days which I find pretty impressive considering all the detail and content in it. Evan Rachel Wood is believable and incredible in her role as Tracey for some-one of such a young age to be able to convey such emotions which for teenagers nowadays they could relate easily to the pain , frustration and confusion. No longer a kid, not yet an adult. This movie explains it well. Being a teenager isn't all what it's cracked up to be!

Until next time........
**Dawn **