Thirteen (film)

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The correct title of this article is thirteen. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

thirteen

Directed by	Catherine Hardwicke
Produced by	Jeff Levy-Hinte Michael London
Written by	Catherine Hardwicke Nikki Reed
Starring	Evan Rachel Wood Holly Hunter Nikki Reed Kip Pardue Jeremy Sisto
Music by	Mark Mothersbaugh Brian Zarate
Cinematography	Elliot Davis
Release date(s)	August 20, 2003 (LA / NY)
Running time	100 min.
Country	US
Language	English
Budget	US$1,000,000
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

thirteen is a 2003 film co-written by Catherine Hardwicke (who also directed the film) and Nikki Reed. It is a semi-autobiographical film based on Reed's experiences as a thirteen-year-old and those around her in the same age group. The film's script, written in six days, originally called for a comedic tone.^[1]

1 Plot
2 Critical reception
3 Soundtrack
- 3.1 Track listing
4 Cast
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) is a polite and helpful thirteen-year old, who pays close attention to her schoolwork and has two close and equally well-behaved friends. However, Tracy's father rarely sees her and her well-meaning recovering alcoholic mother Mel (Holly Hunter) allows her own friends, including her recently rehabbed crack-addict boyfriend (Jeremy Sisto), to eat their food and stay at their home rent-free.

To cope with her family problems, Tracy self-harms. When Tracy starts seventh-grade she is teased for her clothing. She becomes envious of popular girl Evie (Nikki Reed). To win Evie's approval, she steals a wallet and shares the money with Evie. Soon the two girls become friends and Evie guides Tracy down a more hedonistic path. Evie, who lives with her cousin, her legal guardian, Brooke, extends her visit at Tracy's house by telling Mel stories about the abuse suffered as a child and now, at the hands of Brooke's boyfriend. She gains further sympathy by claiming her mother is dead. Mel finds out later on that some of Evie's stories were true and desperately wants to help her. However, after Tracy begins to pick fights constantly with Mel about her boyfriend, Mel decides to send Evie home.

Angered, Evie turns on Tracy, excluding her, spreading gossip about her, and telling the teachers about her bad behavior as well as handing in her fake ID. When Brooke finds drugs in Evie's room, Evie tells her of all of their activities but claims they were Tracy's idea. They proceed to search Tracy's room only to find similar contraband. Brooke and Mel confront Tracy but when Brooke accuses Tracy of corrupting Evie, Mel counters that is was actually Evie who corrupted Tracy. Unpersuaded, Brooke vows to move with Evie to a different town and never let her see Tracy again, after revealing Tracy's self-harm habit to Mel. Mel kisses the scars and cuts from her daughter's self-harm after vowing she would do anything for Tracy and her brother.

The penultimate scene in the film is Tracy's crying herself to sleep while Mel holds her, upon learning that she has to repeat the seventh grade. The final scene shows Tracy spinning on a childs roundabout, screaming, venting much of the frustration that she bottled up throughout the film.

[edit] Critical reception

The film is currently rated as 81% fresh on the Tomatometer, including 89% fresh among cream of the crop critics.[1] Actress Holly Hunter was nominated for 2003 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Both Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood were nominated for Golden Globes the same year, respectively for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in a Drama.