Still, Hardwicke (a former production designer making her directorial debut) clearly has talent and an eye for realism - though her reliance on the old shaky-cam gets a little tiresome after a while. The middle is clearly the most effective portion of the film, as the resolution comes together far too easily this is the sort of material that would have been better served by an ambiguous conclusion. Melanie tries to understand Tracy's drastically changed behavior, but eventually has to put her foot down. Wood makes the transformation from stuffed-animal loving girl to midriff-baring woman with remarkable ease, while Hunter resists the temptation to play Melanie as a stereotypically angry mother that attempts to clamp down on Tracy immediately. But if you're willing to overlook that glaring flaw in Hardwicke and Reed's script, Thirteen does contain a number of fantastic performances. Director Catherine Hardwicke inserts a recurring image in the form of a billboard that says 'beauty is truth' and presumably expects that to define Tracy's newfound lust for popularity. When we first meet her, she seems to have no interest in running with the cool crowd - but when she spots Evie one day, she's almost instantly transformed into a love-struck bubblehead. The primary problem with Thirteen is the lack of explanation regarding Tracy's almost obsessive need to fit in. Evie is a rebellious sort who introduces Tracy to drugs, fashionable clothes and older guys - much to the consternation of Tracy's post-hippie mother, Melanie (Holly Hunter). Evan Rachel Wood stars as Tracy, a responsible and studious high school student whose entire outlook is radically changed when she meets Evie (Nikki Reed). And while that is true to a certain extent, key portions of the film just aren't believable due to some wholly over-the-top plot twists.

Thirteen is receiving a lot of praise for its realistic depiction of teenage life.

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