Thirteen is a 2003 teen drama film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Hardwicke and Nikki Reed, and starring Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood and Reed with Jeremy Sisto, Brady Corbet, Deborah Kara Unger, Kip Pardue, Sarah Clarke, D. W. Moffett, Vanessa Hudgens (in her film acting debut), and Jenicka Carey in supporting roles. Loosely based on Reed’s life from ages 12 to 13, the film’s plot follows Tracy, a seventh-grade student in Los Angeles who begins dabbling in substance abuse, sex, self harm, and crime after being befriended by a troubled classmate.
The screenplay for Thirteen was written over six days by Hardwicke and the then-14-year-old Reed; Hardwicke, a former production designer, marking her directorial debut, independently raised funds herself for the production.
Upon the film’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2003, Hardwicke won the Sundance Directing (Drama) for the film. Fox Searchlight Pictures subsequently acquired Thirteen for distribution, giving the film a limited release in the United States beginning on August 20, 2003; the release would expand in September 2003 and the film went on to gross a total of $4.6 million at the U.S. box office.
Though it received numerous favorable reviews from critics, Thirteen generated some controversy for its depiction of youth drug use (including inhalants, marijuana, LSD and alcohol), underage sexual behavior, and self-harm.[3] The film earned Hunter an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe nominations for Hunter and Wood for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in a Drama, respectively.
Plot
13-year-old Tracy Freeland begins the seventh grade as a smart, mild-mannered honors student at a middle school in Los Angeles. Her divorced mother Melanie is a recovering alcoholic who struggles to support Tracy and her older brother Mason by working as a hairdresser. Melanie is too busy and occupied with her fellow ex-addict boyfriend Brady to notice Tracy’s increasing depression.
On the first day of school, Tracy encounters classmate Evie Zamora, who is considered the most stylish and popular girl in school. After being teased by Evie’s clique for her “Cabbage Patch” clothes, Tracy is mortified and decides to shed her “little girl” image. At a store owned by Melanie’s friend, Tracy happily finds trendier clothes as Melanie offers a few dollars in change as payment.
Tracy wears one of her new outfits to school and catches Evie’s attention. Evie invites Tracy to go shopping on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood but gives her a fake phone number to prank her. Nevertheless, Tracy determinedly shows up on Melrose Avenue and meets with Evie and her friend Astrid. Tracy is uncomfortable with the two shoplifting and excuses herself to sit outside the store on a bench. When a distracted woman sits next to Tracy, she steals the woman’s wallet, which impresses Evie and Astrid. The three go on a shopping spree with the stolen money, and Tracy and Evie quickly become friends.
Evie introduces an intrigued and excited Tracy to her world of sex, drugs, and crime. Tracy’s behavior and priorities dramatically shift. She frequently skips class, neglects her school work, and abandons her old circle of friends in favor of Evie and her clique. Evie tells Melanie that Brooke, her adult cousin and guardian, is out of town for two weeks, and Melanie agrees to let her stay at her home with Tracy. While staying there, Evie discovers that Tracy regularly cuts herself to cope with stress. Although Melanie sees a drastic change in Tracy’s personality and worries about the extent of Evie’s influence, she cannot find a way to intervene. Melanie attempts to send Evie home but reluctantly lets her stay after Evie claims Brooke’s boyfriend is physically and sexually abusive. As Tracy and Evie become closer, Tracy grows increasingly hostile towards Melanie.
Evie and Tracy engage in more destructive activities, each egging the other on. The pair attempt to seduce Tracy’s adult neighbor, Luke, and ditch a family movie night to get high on the streets in Hollywood. Mason is shocked when he bumps into Tracy wearing sexualized clothing, including thong underwear, but Tracy dismisses his concerns. Later on, the girls take turns inhaling from a can of gas duster for electronics and become so intoxicated that they take turns hitting each other.
Melanie attempts to break the girls’ friendship by sending Tracy to live with her father, but he refuses, claiming to be too busy. After Evie’s stay extends over two weeks, Melanie unsuccessfully attempts to contact Brooke and then visits Brooke’s home with Evie and Tracy. They find that Brooke was hiding because of a botched plastic surgery. Evie asks Melanie to formally adopt her but Melanie refuses. Tracy meekly supports her mother’s decision. Angry and hurt, a tearful Evie storms off. Later, Evie ostracizes Tracy and spreads rumors about her at school. Tracy slowly begins to realize the negative effects of her lifestyle when she is told that she will have to repeat the seventh grade.
While walking home from school, Brady offers Tracy a ride and takes her home, where Melanie, Evie, and Brooke sit quietly in the living room waiting for her. Brooke, having been convinced by Evie that it was Tracy who was the bad influence, confronts Tracy about her drug use and stealing. Outraged, Tracy insists that Evie is the instigator, but the skeptical Brooke refuses to listen and announces that she is moving Evie to Ojai to keep her away from Tracy. When Melanie defends Tracy’s innocence, Brooke pulls Tracy’s sleeve up to show her self-harm scars. Melanie orders Brooke and Evie out of the house and tries to comfort Tracy. Tracy breaks down and tearfully fights against Melanie’s embrace. Melanie persists and assures Tracy that she loves her and will not let her go, and the two fall asleep together on Tracy’s bed. The last scene shows a dream sequence of Tracy spinning alone and screaming on a park merry-go-round during the daytime.
