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When Tracy turned thirteen, she was much the same. She tried to stay out of trouble, keep up her grades...the usual. But it was her first day of seventh grade that changed her life. In �Thirteen�, Evan Rachel Wood (who plays Tracy), finds the sights and sounds of peer pressure almost all at once. Unfortunately, she gave in. By mid-year, she was using drugs, having sex, cutting her wrists, and using the most awful language imagineable.
I have both good and bad comments about this film. From a cynical teenager of about that same age, I felt that the film was way too extreme for reality. For who I know around my school and in my age group, I can think of some people who a screwed up, but not to the extent the film shows. I�m sure that I would be surprised at how many are, in fact, that bad when it comes to the use of drugs and using bad language. I hear about that stuff all the time. But the sexual issues and the suicidal attempts are either rarely heard about or just people starving for attention.
However, I most certainly agreed with the film when it came to the issue of peer pressure. In a sequence where her �idoled� peers lure Tracy to a clothing store, we see all around posters, advertisements, and etcetera of �Beautiful People�. That sure hit the nail on the head. I can�t turn on the T.V. without seeing something about �the hottest celebrity couples�. Or how about my personal favorite: VH1�s �The Fabulous Life�. Those kinds of shows make me feel three things: ugly, poor, and incredibly intelligent.
The point is that the media plays a major role in the choices of teens. But like I said, I felt that �Thirteen� took it a tad bit too far. I would have believed it much more if it were called �Seventeen�. The stage of �13� in my life has already come to a close. Yes, I know and feel peer pressure all the time, but not quite like this. What really drives the film are its two main leads- Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter. Both are simply remarkable and I think perfect for the roles.
Altogether, �Thirteen� wasn�t a bad film; it just went to far for that specific age. One thing is for sure, you�ll leave the film shocked and disturbed. But I think that was the point, right? ***