December 07, 2004
thirteen
Rented this over the weekend. I remember it received high acclaim, and several award nominations.
The only problem is that it didn't deserve it. I think the issue here is this: This is a movie that shows how the life of a 13 year-old girl goes on a downward spiral as she starts to steal, do drugs, and get involved with guys. It is shocking only to people who aren't up with the times. Those people must be the ones writing the critical reviews: 40-60 year-olds who have no idea what kids are up to in junior high.
Nothing in this movie was new to me. It all went down in my junior high, and that was a private junior high, 12 years ago. If it happened there, it's bound to happen in more abundance in present-day downtown LA.
The performances in this movie are good, not great. The directing is very unaffecting and, at times, irritating. One has no opportunity to become emotionally involved with the young girs unless they are DOING something: feeling rebellious=get a piercing; feeling sad=cutting oneself; feeling happy=going shopping; feeling pissed=screaming one's head off. When do the girls talk to each other and really ponder what's going on in their lives? Never. I don't know. Seemed kind of weird to me. This movie was all about showing how bad it could get, but not about getting to know any character in particular.
I give it a "Meh." Too much attempted shock value.
Posted by wendytime at December 7, 2004 01:14 PM | TrackBackgood points. sitting through this film was an excerize in patience. it may be relevant to many people, but it meant 0 to me. it felt like an after school special run amok. weeping and gnashing of teeth over a belly button ring is not my idea of entertainment, didactic or otherwise...
Posted by: phil on December 9, 2004 02:34 PMI know! I mean, at least the piercing could have been horribly infected to cause that much drama!
Posted by: jeri on December 9, 2004 02:47 PM