Straight Edge Life

Excellent but flawed.

Ebert described it as frightening. Not really the truth unless you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be thirteen and have a 13 year old daughter. It focuses on the flavor of life at 13 with drugs, sex, and family relationships at the center of a whirling drama as one child decides she’s willing to do just about anything to fit in.

Two things are very unrealistic about this movie. 1. The girl got into the “in” croud much too easily and didn’t question anything her new best friend did in the very least. In fact she actually mimicked her like a little monkey during one scene. 2. There was far less violence and cruelty than I think even most 13 year old girls experience. There was a bit of cruelty but it was executed with far more patience and strategy than 13 year old kids know how to demonstrate.

I might compare this movie to Kids, a truly frightening movie that shows kids not only acting dangerous but having dangerous things happen to them. Thirteen doesn’t really show any of the real consequences for their actions. And this is really the 3rd thing that isn’t very realistic about the movie. The photography, acting, directing and editing were all very supportive. Maybe enough so that there could be some awards for this picture, but it lacks when it comes to really hitting home with the viewer. It failed to make me personally invested in the characters. I’d give it a 10 if the writing and plot were a little stronger.