kmberger

Thirteen was co-written by a fifteen year old (Nikki Reed), basing the events on her own true-life experiences. That's impressive enough on it's own. And it has a knock-it-out-of-the-park performance by Holly Hunter, who gives everything to a role that needs everything she's got. But something just doesn't quite click to perfection in this film. Maybe it's the constant flow of tragedy and angst that never lets up on these two girls. Maybe it's the over-the-top freefall that good-girl Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) has when she tries to fit in with new best friend Evie (Reed). Maybe it's that every adult in the film seems clueless and stupid when it comes to anything that these kids are doing on the street, in the middle of the night, over and over again.

I don't doubt that things like this happen - every single day, in every single city - but as a dramatic effect, it starts to become saturated and overblown, losing its effect in the wake of trying to be shocking. Maybe this is where a more experienced screenwriter could have tightened up the flow and hit a little closer to the heart of the drama - namely, the connection between the two girls that has almost nothing to do with the drugs and the sex and the rebellion; just the fact that neither feels like they belong anywhere, or to anyone. Good enough for what it is, but I think it could have been more.

Writer/director Dylan Kidd has turned out an excellent character study here in the guise (at least in marketing and trailers) of a coming-of-age story. The filming is immediate and engaging, using a shaky-cam and lots of close-ups and tight shots to make the settings more intimate and conversational. The script is blinding, as Roger dispenses more self-help wisdom than a guest on Dr. Phil or Oprah, and he does it with the brash arrogance of a deluded intellectual.

Roger, brilliantly played by Campbell Scott, is a guy everyone knows. He bounces from bar to bar, picking up women like its a pastime, but ultimately he's undermined by his own intelligence and desire to be free and single. He's experienced more than his share of heartbreak, but he doesn't like to admit that or dwell on it. He'll just bounce back, but it's not as easy as he thinks when he has to overcome the venom of his own hurtful words.

He's a complicated guy, Roger, and his life seems to get a little more complicated with the arrival of his sixteen-year-old nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg). Nick's worried about how to deal with the ladies, so he came to the one man who knows it all - Uncle Roger. Roger sees a way to rebound himself after an interoffice relationship with his boss (Isabella Rosselini) has fallen apart - he'll take Nick under his wing and teach him the ways of love, giving himself a kickstart in the process.

For the rest of the night, Roger and Nick hop from place to place, with Uncle Roger chatting a mile a minute about women, how to get them, how to talk to them, and Nick trying to soak it all up like a sponge. It's witty conversation, but it's heavy and meaningful as well - Roger's words aren't just come-ons, they're looks into his own mindset. Campbell Scott plays Roger with all sorts of textures - he's not oily and nasty; he's a smart guy who doesn't quite know all the rules, but thinks he does. And he's never honest with himself.

Scott's never delivered a stronger performance, and the young Eisenberg more than held his own. 'Roger Dodger' is a solid film that has far more depth and meaning than the typical Freddie Prinze Jr. get-the-girl flick, and has much more to say about relating with others and yourself. Highly recommended - Rating: 8/10