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12 and Holding

In what seems to be a more serious version of “My Girl,” the film “12 and Holding” presents a darker view of kids transitioning into their teenage years and trying to fit into grown up roles. They say kids try to grow up way too fast, but sometimes they are pushed to do so as the film shows.

It is another carefree summer for twin brothers Jacob and Rudy, both played by Conor Donovan, and their friends Malee, played by Zoe Weizenbaum, and Leonard, played by Jesse Camacho. Their life consists of gathering during the long summer days in their tree house within the confines of the woods, handling a rivalry with the two neighborhood bullies and enjoying the magic and excitement of the Fourth of July. In a sudden twist, the bullying goes too far and ends up costing the six children more than they could have ever imagined.

The two bullies, Kenny and Jeff, set the tree house on fire during the middle of the night, unaware that it was occupied by Leonard and Rudy. The fort quickly catches fire and only Leonard is able to get out. The bullies meanwhile run away as they hear the terrified screams of a person being burned alive. Immediate changes occur in Leonard, Jacob, and Malee as they struggle through puberty and the loss of their innocence. Those changes are only complicated by the grief they have to deal with and trying to figure out where their parents fit into the scheme of things.

Mostly unsupervised, each teenager gets to do what they want. Jacob, who has a purplish birthmark covering half of his face, has always felt like second best in the dynamics of his family. After losing his twin brother, he is overcome with rage. This rage is fueled by his parents' rage at learning that the kids who murdered their son are only getting a one year sentence in juvenile hall and five years probation. Jacob’s anger soon takes on a more active role and he begins to not only imagine his vivid revenge plans, but share them with Kenny, played by Michael C. Fuchs, during his visits to the juvenile hall.

Malee is too wise for her own good and Weizenbaum’s natural maturity enhances her character. Having grown up with her psychiatrist mother, she feels she needs to be a grown-up and leave behind all childish things. Her attitude is “life goes on.” Quickly, she rushes to become a woman and becomes infatuated with one of her mother’s patients, Gus, played by Jeremy Renner. Through her actions and logic we get to see her rush to grow up and be her own woman. Her relationship with Gus is a shocking view into the quick transition between child and young adult without taking a break to find a middle ground.

Then there’s Leonard, a child to an obese family who loves to eat without limits. After surviving the fire, he loses his smell and taste of food. To the shock of his food-loving mother, he begins to eat healthy. His loss of taste introduces him to the crunchy apple, and from there he adopts a life style of non-fattening food and exercise. This is something that he tries to force his mother to understand in very dramatic ways.

You may think that I gave away too much of the film, but my couple hundred words don’t cover the forceful passion these young actors express. Donovan, Weizenbaum and Camacho do a great job at portraying the emotions each character feels at their specific situation. It is easy to get wrapped up in the drama unfolding before your eyes and you forget it is actually just a movie. Your heart will go out to these characters in this intriguing portrayal of the beginning of the dreaded teenage years, leading you to discover that there is more than meets the eye.

From beginning to end the fast developing plot ignites curiosity and the raw drama Michael Cuesta’s film presents will leave you stunned. “12 and Holding” is a rare film that blatantly displays unrefined emotions and steps away from typical coming of age movies. The lines, scene organizations and acting mesh well together to give a sincerely honest view at the bumpy roads of life.

Written by: Karla Casillas

Reviewers Rating: 9.5
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