Twelve and Holding (2005)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

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 | Boy | Twin | Friend | Picnic

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 Friday the 13th (1980)

Soundtrack:

Drive

Burning for youth

Twelve and Holding (2005) ***1/2

Twelve and Holding is filled with some of the best performances by young kids as I've seen in a long time. Michael Cuesta directs the film very nicely and the film approaches a difficult subject of how young kids deal with tragedy and death head on. Though the film doesn't rank up there with Come and See, Forbidden Games, or Grave of the Fireflies, this is still a wonderful and delicate addition to that genre. The material in this film could have easily been turned into a nightmarish exploitation picture, but its done just right and focuses intently on the reality of these kids situations.

Leonard's parents seem to be more caricatures than realistic, and there are some aspects of the screenplay which could have used some fine tuning, but overall Twelve and Holding is a powerful, heartbreaking and tragic film, handled oh so delicately by Cuesta and especially the young actors and some of the adults as well(especially Jeremy "Dags" Renner, who'da thunk it).

A very nice little film that deserved a much wider audience than it got.

3.5/4