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List Price: $19.95 | | Label: Ifc
Salesrank: 45074
Released: October 10, 2006 |
| Our Price: $12.03 |
| Used Price: $3.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Shocking and intricate pre-teen coming of age tale where adolescence and adulthood collide, exploring the complexities of children losing their innocence and adults struggling to guide them. Sparked by the tragic death of Jacob's twin brother, a trio of friends band together as they grapple with feelings of revenge, grief and experiences of growing up. As each family's personal challenges are revealed, they learn to better understand each other and their own realities.
Description of 12 and Holding:
The raw and fragile lives of three preteens unravel in 12 and Holding, a rich and compelling independent film. When an outgoing boy named Rudy is accidentally killed by two other boys, Rudy's twin brother Jacob (Conor Donovan) starts visiting the killers in prison to try to make sense of his life and of his parent's diverse reactions; his mother (Jayne Atkinson, 24) craves revenge while his father (Linus Roache, Priest) tries to move forward. Meanwhile, two of the twins' friends also spin off in diverse directions: Precocious Malee (Zoe Weizenbaum) becomes fixated on a troubled construction worker (Jeremy Renner, North Country), while overweight Leonard (Jesse Camacho) obsesses on losing weight and forcing his obese family to lose weight as well. 12 and Holding moves fluidly between these three stories, gradually building an emotional intimacy with the characters that is unsettling, sad, and finally rewarding. The movie hits a few false notes, but the vast majority of the scenes feel vivid and honest, much like director Michael Cuesta's previous film, L.I.E.. Both the adults (including Annabella Sciorra, Jungle Fever) and the kids give excellent performances; Renner's wrenching turn stands out, but the entire cast makes this a memorable and complex film. --Bret Fetzer
12 and Holding Reviews:
So Much Better Than I Thought It Would Be 
2008-09-21 - This movie was so dynamic... The young actors were surprisingly seasoned and the supporting cast was an all time greatest hits list... I never saw the end coming!
Stunning!
2008-08-08 - This is an excellent movie. Powerful with a profound message. An example of the influence of society on kids. Parents, watch your kids and get some psychotherapy for yourselves. Good acting by young children. Totally recommended!
Very powerful film that slowly gets to you 
2008-07-27 - Michael Cuesta's 12 and Holding isn't a particularly showy film. It's shot very basically and obviously on a small budget. There's a small amount of fairly big-name talent among the adult cast but most of the kids are relatively unknown actors. Everyone though does an excellent job in bringing the viewer into this world and this situation. (aside from the occasionally over-acted line or 2.)
Two twins, one with a major birthmark covering half his face who lives in his brother's shadow, defend their treehouse from bullies, who decide to burn it down, which accidentally kills the popular brother. The movie's about a group of 3 friends who spend most of the movie apart, and over the span of several months, each deal with their lives in their own ways. Jake, the surviving brother, has the only story that seems to be specifically about him grieving over his brother; he deals with his depressed parents, frequently goes to juvenile hall to visit his brother's killers, who he taunts with pictures of his dead brother, and dealing with his parents' decision to adopt a kid.
The other 2 kids, though, (one a fat kid named Leonard and a girl named Malee) say they have moved on, and sure enough, their plots deal very little with the death. Leonard, who lost his ability to taste food since the incident, decides to desperately begin losing weight. He attempts to force his very overweight family to join him. Malee, meanwhile, reveals herself to be a very lonely girl who clings to an adult construction worker she has a thing for. He's probably the best character in the movie, and is acted extremely well. This plot turns out to resonate the most. Although neither of these two friends seem to be openly grieving over the death, these plots and their actions reveal somewhat disturbed and sad characters, who have been clearly messed up by the death, even though they (and the movie) never specifies this.
The movie, although the actual death is early in the film and many of the funeral proceedings happen offscreen, makes EXCELLENT use of songs that are both ambient and eerie. These are sprinkled throughout the film and always served to somehow remind me of the tragedy early on in the film and they keep an otherworldly air flowing throughout.
The movie's not perfect. I found many of the adults to be pretty irritating (except for the construction worker, who'se the only adult in the movie who doesn't seem to be a cliche) and I also thought the fat kid's story seemed to be extremely reminiscent of a bad sitcom. It just didn't really seem to fit with the rest of the movie. Aside from the excellent licensed music, the actual soundtrack that was COMPOSED for the film's extremely week. The same song plays frequently, and other music just seems to further bring to light the feel of a bad sitcom.
But this is all completely forgotten by the time the film reaches its very powerful ending...which has definitely divided the opinions of several people who have seen it. Some may call it "out of nowhere," but it all made complete sense to me. This kid was NOT alright, and getting closure was important to him and that was what he felt he had to do....and it all just sort of clicked at the end. It was these final scenes that left the biggest impression on me.
It's not flawless but it's a very powerful film that's definitely worth a viewing for anyone whose into indie films or into "human" stories.
Suprise
2007-08-13 - This movie was really good. Can't believe a movie this good from a cast of children. The plot, the acting, everything. I recommend.
real kids not your Disney or Nichelodeon cutesy fakes
2007-07-02 - A true baseball fanatic will go to a hundred baseball games hoping to be at that one well-played game in which your team wins the game on a home run in the bottom of the ninth. Nothing in sports can match the euphoria of that moment and it stays with you for weeks, months and sometimes years after all the other games are long forgotten. This movie is just like that. It is a rare treasure of great acting by all the performers, (not your cutsey Disney or Nickelodeon kids), of unexpected plot changes, of great story telling, and most noteably, scenes that somehow stay with you long after the movie ends. Somehow, I really ended up caring for all the characters: the kids, the parents, the construction worker, and even the so-called bad kid; and hoping that their lives will get better in the future. That is a rare film indeed that you can see the weaknesses and the strengths of all the characters and you end up liking all of them and hoping every thing turns out ok for all of them. Watch the film and see if you don't think about the characters when you are in a quiet setting or trying to fall asleep. It took me awhile to fall asleep after watching the film.
