Thirteen (DVD 2004)

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Gut-Wrenchingly Surreal Portrayal Of Youth Going Wrong, 3 Feb 2006
Reviewer: Chris C "manxdude87" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

I do not often get the sense of nervousness when watching a movie, after all it is not real, but for example The Shining, it delivers these shivers down the viewers's spines because there is a sense of real life, as if that could and might have happened in reality.
Thirteen is one of those movies I never expected to be generally frightening but also gripping in a sense. I can honestly say that this is not a chick flick, it may have an all-star female cast but nothing could be further from the truth. Co-written by Nikki Reed and Catherine O'Hicke, Thirteen is a surreal tale of adolescence told through the changing life of Tracy Freeland.

This is every parent's nightmare situation, with Tracy getting involved with all kinds of bad things that no thirteen year old should go near. It generally is a sad movie, there is nothing happy or cheering about it, but it has to be watched nonetheless.

The acting on here is really good, particularly from Holly Hunter as Tracy's mother. Evan Rachel Wood is very unknown but she clearly stands out as Tracy.

This movie does deserve to be watched by everyone. If it does not raise a smile, then it will sure as hell make you think about life a lot differently.