Thirteen/Swimfan (2004/2003)

THIRTEEN: Anxiously trying to fit into the peer-pressure cooker environment of junior high, thirteen-year-old Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) goes to shocking lengths in order to befriend Evie (co-writer Nikki Reed), the most popular girl in school. Now the two are inseparable--and incorrigible--leaving Tracy's desperate mom (Academy Award winner Holly Hunter) powerless to rescue her from a whirlwind of drugs, sex and crime.

SWIMFAN: Jess Bradford (Bring It On) and Erika Christensen (Traffic) plunge into a world of desire and deceit in this "scary, suspenseful surprise!" (Access Hollywood) Ben Cronin has it all: good friends, a loyal sweetheart, and a great shot at a swimming scholarship. But a chance encounter with a sexy student turns Ben's dream life into a nightmare as her schoolgirl crush escalates to obsession, madness and, ultimately, murder.
 
"[Thirteen] This movie is an emotionally coherent work--a burning experience of desperation and fleeting exhilaration."  David Denby, The New Yorker
"[Swimfan] ...a technically well-made suspenser."  Dustin Pitman, themovieboy.com
"[Thirteen] The most powerful of all recent wayward-youth sagas..."  Mike Clark, USA Today
"[Thirteen] ...tender and merciless..."  Owen Gleiberman
"[Swimfan] ...sleekly shot, expertly cast..."  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
 


Editor's Note

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, jewelry, 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 mom (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' behavior, and catalyzes the adrenaline rush that is THIRTEEN.

SWIMFAN: This teen psychodrama directed by John Polson plays like a Generation Y version of FATAL ATTRACTION. Ben Cronin (Jesse Bradford) is a high school swimmer with an incredibly promising future. On the verge of securing a scholarship to Stanford, and in love with the too-good-to-be-true Amy (Shiri Appleby), Ben seems to have it all. But the arrival of a new student threatens to ruin everything Ben has worked so hard to attain. Temptation arrives in the form of Madison Bell (Erika Christiansen), a beautiful, sultry cellist whose overt sexuality is too much for Ben too handle. In a fit of passion, he succumbs to her advances, but is immediately wracked with guilt. Trying to eradicate his mistake before it can escalate any further, Ben confronts Madison. To his dismay, he discovers that she has formed an abnormally strong attachment to him. Soon, Ben has been accused of taking steroids, fired from his hospital job, and targeted by the police for trying to kill Amy. With the help of friends, Ben must find a way to expose Madison and stop her reign of terror. Polson's entertaining film is fueled by an amped hard rock soundtrack and Louis Febre's moody score.