THIRTEEN is Catherine Hardwicke's explosive portrait of teenage girls at their very worst. Mean, manipulative, conniving, and utterly out of control, these skinny, sexy, drug-addicted, 13-year-old time bombs are nothing short of terrifying. Hardwicke's movie is brilliant in its ability to portray this phenomenon, which comes off as very real. The skillful photography from cinematographer Elliot Davis communicates the most complicated themes of the film: insecurity, confusion, wanting to be liked and accepted, and feeling like it's time to grow up fast. In an early scene, protagonist Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood), a shy girl and good student, approaches Evie (Nikki Reed), the school's ultra-popular bad girl, and the two size up each other's clothing, jewellery, hair, shoes, socks, and decide to go on a shopping spree. From there Tracy spirals downward, copying Evie's every move in an aggressive game of daring each other to take increasingly dangerous risks--stealing, getting piercings, experimenting with sex, drinking and taking drugs, and much more. All the while Tracy's mother (Holly Hunter) who is a bohemian ex-alcoholic trying to be open-minded and supportive about her daughter's rebellion, slowly loses her authority and her ability to cope with these volatile teens. A booming, excellent soundtrack punctuates the hyper, desperate, manic mood of the girls' behaviour, and catalyses the adrenaline rush that is THIRTEEN.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Mean Girls
(2004)
Blatant Copy of a book meets an Unfunny Saturday Night Live episode.
1 June 2005
For a topic so incredibly important in today's culture and society, it seems odd that "Mean Girls" is both a comedy and a drama on the subject. It tries to prove a point and make an important statement, but at the same time it's a parody so the lessons it gives fall flat and end up being run over by the banal jokes and overused ideas this film is.
If you haven't read the book that this movie is based on, I suggest you do. Rosalind Wisemen's "Queen Bees & Wannabes" is a perceptive, beautiful and interesting achievement in teen psychology. This "movie version" is just pure cliché.
The cast, for one thing, isn't all that great. Lindsay Lohan is just alright, hardly believable and generally irritating as the awkward, "virgin" of a high school protagonist who supposedly has no idea about kids her age or girls that are complete bitches. According to the film, she's lived and traveled in Africa her entire life and therefore knows nothing about American culture. "I thought there was just fat and skinny," she says, observing the self-consciousness she sees her classmates facing.
Is she serious? Is she that incredibly blind? How hard is it to pick up a magazine, or notice people or understand that body types come in all packages besides FAT and SKINNY alone? Has she honestly never had any of those feelings? How is "I've lived in Africa" a possible excuse for being that moronic? Still, when you get past the plot faults and the unfunny one-liners, the movie is a small gem in itself, right? After all, how often IS this topic parodied or discussed...and done with feeling and a little substance? The problem is that "Mean Girls" tries too hard. Way too hard. "Close your eyes and raise your hand if you've said something behind a girl's back...now open them." Shock. Surprise. D'uh.
I saw the movie hoping that since it was supposed to hit on a hard subject with sincerity, it would address something a little more perceptive. It would have done so much better as just a comedy that didn't completely mirror Wiseman's book (most of the lines Lohan has are direct quotes that may pass over your head if you haven't read it). And what was up with Lohan getting the guy at the end? He was such a LOSER. And Regina didn't face any consequences for her constant harassment and disgusting teen sex life, she was just accepted as a "regular person" in the end. Where's the moral in that? What are we to learn from this? Nothing. So why, why why is this movie acclaimed as an "eye-opener"? So, if you want a funny teen comedy that you can relate to and laugh at and then forget about....rent "Mean Girls". If you want something more poised, elegant yet gruesome and brutally honest, try "Thirteen". It does a MUCH better job.
If you haven't read the book that this movie is based on, I suggest you do. Rosalind Wisemen's "Queen Bees & Wannabes" is a perceptive, beautiful and interesting achievement in teen psychology. This "movie version" is just pure cliché.
The cast, for one thing, isn't all that great. Lindsay Lohan is just alright, hardly believable and generally irritating as the awkward, "virgin" of a high school protagonist who supposedly has no idea about kids her age or girls that are complete bitches. According to the film, she's lived and traveled in Africa her entire life and therefore knows nothing about American culture. "I thought there was just fat and skinny," she says, observing the self-consciousness she sees her classmates facing.
Is she serious? Is she that incredibly blind? How hard is it to pick up a magazine, or notice people or understand that body types come in all packages besides FAT and SKINNY alone? Has she honestly never had any of those feelings? How is "I've lived in Africa" a possible excuse for being that moronic? Still, when you get past the plot faults and the unfunny one-liners, the movie is a small gem in itself, right? After all, how often IS this topic parodied or discussed...and done with feeling and a little substance? The problem is that "Mean Girls" tries too hard. Way too hard. "Close your eyes and raise your hand if you've said something behind a girl's back...now open them." Shock. Surprise. D'uh.
I saw the movie hoping that since it was supposed to hit on a hard subject with sincerity, it would address something a little more perceptive. It would have done so much better as just a comedy that didn't completely mirror Wiseman's book (most of the lines Lohan has are direct quotes that may pass over your head if you haven't read it). And what was up with Lohan getting the guy at the end? He was such a LOSER. And Regina didn't face any consequences for her constant harassment and disgusting teen sex life, she was just accepted as a "regular person" in the end. Where's the moral in that? What are we to learn from this? Nothing. So why, why why is this movie acclaimed as an "eye-opener"? So, if you want a funny teen comedy that you can relate to and laugh at and then forget about....rent "Mean Girls". If you want something more poised, elegant yet gruesome and brutally honest, try "Thirteen". It does a MUCH better job.
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