Director:  Catherine Hardwicke		Released:  August 2003
Writer:  Catherine Hardwicke, Nikki Reed		MPAA Rating:  R
Players:  Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed		Running time:  100 minutes

Having just seen Mean Girls I couldn't decide if Thirteen is the gritty, dramatic version of Mean Girls, or if Mean Girls is the comedy version of Thirteen.  Whatever.  I prefer Mean Girls.

The thing I don't appreciate about Thirteen is the way it blatantly tries to shock the audience.  Look at the teenagers doing drugs!  Watch the teenagers shoplift!  See the teenagers make out like sluts with everyone in town!  (including each other!)  Behold the teenagers who treat their parents like shit!  Fine, but can you fit some story elements in there too?  I get it, okay ... these teenagers are out of control, you've established their character.  Please move on with the story.  Thank you.

I was impressed to learn that Nikki Reed is the co-author of the screenplay, and that she wrote it when she was 13.  That's a nice accomplishment for her.  And her acting is dandy.  All of the acting, really, is pretty good.

This film tries too hard to be edgy.  And really, this subject matter isn't new, so how shocking can it be?  Like I said, it's only a grittier version of Mean Girls.

- crocoPuffs

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