Twelve and Holding (2005)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Michael Cuesta

Writer (WGA):

Anthony Cipriano (written by)

Release Date:

7 July 2006 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Do You Know Who Your Kids Are?

Plot:

After his twin brother is accidentally killed by vengeful bullies, a disfigured 12-year old boy and his friends face the harsh realities of death, hormones, and family dysfunction. |

Plot Keywords:

Death | 12 Year Old | Friend | Twin | School

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Conor Donovan	...	Jacob / Rudy Carges
Jesse Camacho	...	Leonard Fisher
Zoe Weizenbaum	...	Malee Chuang
Jeremy Renner	...	Gus Maitland
Annabella Sciorra	...	Carla Chuang
Jayne Atkinson	...	Ashley Carges
Linus Roache	...	Jim Carges
Marcia DeBonis	...	Grace Fisher
Tom McGowan	...	Patrick Fisher
Michael C. Fuchs	...	Kenny (as Michael Fuchs)
Martin Campetta	...	Jeff
Joseph Foster	...	Keith Gardner (as Joseph 'C.J.' Foster)
Max Miner	...	Tommy
Noelle 'Parker' Present	...	Haley Fisher
Jessica Sorto	...	Sara Fisher

Also Known As:

12 and Holding (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence and sexual content involving minors, and for language.

Runtime:

Chile:90 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 | Sweden:11 | Ireland:15A | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-11 | Australia:MA | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Haledon, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Echo Lake Productions (I)

Goofs:

Continuity: Jacob's birthmark changes in location, size, and color throughout the movie.

Quotes:

Rudy: Our birthday comes once a year and you ask for a hockey mask. You don't even play.
Jacob: Jason from Friday the 13th wears one. He's bad-ass.

Movie Connections:

References Dai-Rantô Smash Brothers Deluxe (2001) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Help Yourself

Profound and Perplexing

Michael Cuesta (who previously directed the slick and grotesquely controversial "L.I.E" and is currently one of the masterminds behind Showtime's wildly entertaining and grotesque "Dexter") treads some very dangerous ground with "Twelve and Holding." Working with a solid script focusing on how three best friends cope with the accidental death of another friend (the more popular twin brother of one of the protagonists), he presents pre-adolescent characters with the psychologically complex motives of adults and we witness their pratfalls, tragedies, and heart wrenching moments in a the same type of voyeuristic manner usually reserved for more mature characters and audiences. Elements of classics like "Stand by Me" keep the film grounded even as some of the plot developments get a bit far-fetched.

The acting is a huge plus here, with Annabella Sciora (getting more and more enchanting and beautiful with age), Jayne Atkinson (brutal, honest, and gut-wrenching as the grieving mother of the dead child), and Connor Donovan (in duel leads as the dead boy and his conflicted twin brother) highlighting the excellent ensemble. Cuesta's surprisingly subtle direction somehow manages to avoid both the salacious tendencies of a Larry Clark film and the annoyingly overt quirkiness of similarly themed films like "Me and You and Everyone we Know" to deliver a profound and perplexing tale of coming-of-age, revenge and loneliness.