Cady's Take:

Tracy was a good girl who wore her hair in pigtails, played with dolls, and did her homework before she met Evie (Nikki Reed). In no time, she copies Evie's provocative style and rebellious attitude and joins the popular clique. While the age group in question tends to evoke visions of innocence, we are soon educated by a far different truth – brazen drug use, sexual evolution and experimentation, and a heightened disregard for family foundation.

Co-written by fifteen-year-old Nikki Reed and director Catherine Hardwicke, the film is based on Reed's own recent experiences at that tender age, growing up as a wild child in West Los Angeles.

Thirteen" has moments of raw honesty and paints a fairly bleak picture of teen life. It is a slice of the often-disturbing realization of the current generation. Sadly the film offers no answers in the end, leaving little but the harrowing sound and fury of children growing up too fast. But overall a worthy rental.

I mentioned an actress named Evan Rachel Wood in my review for “The Missing”. While I was unimpressed with that movie, and yes, her part, I still think that she is a promising actress. Her turn in “Thirteen” goes a long way to proving me right. This is an ugly movie about all the things I imagine scare parents the most. A new friend with a wild side, shoplifting, drug use, sexual experimentation. Wood plays Tracey who goes from normal to nightmare almost overnight. She befriends Evie (Nikki Reed, who co-wrote the script), a wild child with little supervision from a drunk actress/model aunt, who practically moves in with Tracey and her family.

Tracey’s mother Mel (Holly Hunter) has problems with her own and is slow to catch on, caught in that world between Mom and friend. Mel’s on-again off-again boyfriend Brady (Jeremy Sisto) is back from what is at least his second turn in a halfway house, and Mel is working her program. They struggle to regain control as Tracey begins to let go. Hunter is more than convincing as a mother who has no idea what to do and just wants to love her daughter and Wood tackles what might seem to some an impossible role and she does it with ease. Tracey is at once innocent and mature, fearless and scared, confident and vulnerable. It is a delicate act to be sure. I want to mention Jeremy Sisto as Brady – his role is not big but his presence in the household causes both conflict (Tracey found him OD’d on the bathroom floor) and comfort (he and Mel share what seems to be a genuine, if co-dependent, bond).

This is adult subject matter, and I am sure this is not appropriate for most thirteen-year-old girls. “Thirteen” very clearly recalled for me memories of my teenage years, and how confusing everything can be; even when you are not able to say exactly why, you know something is not right. Older teen girls might benefit from the movie, however if you feel uncomfortable I would recommend a screening first. “Thirteen” is an exercise in painful performances.