‘Magdalene’ and ‘Thirteen’ show depth from the indies

JOHN DEPKO

‘Thirteen’ is a real and convincing slice of teenage life

Absolutely compelling and disturbing, “Thirteen” is a painfully

realistic portrayal of the pressures and choices faced by teenage

girls in urban America. This film is so honest and unnerving that it

will make any parent gasp with alarm at the horrific situations that

are exposed to our most vulnerable adolescent girls because of our

hyper sexualized pop culture. The intense desire to be popular brings

drugs, sex, rock ‘n’ roll and shoplifting into play at ever-earlier

ages.

Nikki Reed is outstanding as one of the teenage stars whose real

life experiences form the basis for the screenplay of this virtual

documentary. She is hooked up with fellow teen Evan Rachel Wood whose

transformation from a seventh-grade innocent into a drug-using femme

fatale occurs in the space of a single semester at middle school. Her

decline into darkness is so rapid that even her street-wise mom

doesn’t pick up on what’s happening until it’s too late.

Their Oscar-quality performances are joined by the dazzling

portrayal of Holly Hunter as the hard working hairdresser and single

mom who strives to keep sanity alive in a household heading to

oblivion. Her unconditional love for her daughter is both part of the

problem and part of the solution to their predicament. The fantastic

camera work and soundtrack add to the realism of what is portrayed on

screen, and keeps you riveted in your seat.

As a county employee who has spent several years working in

Juvenile Court, I can heartily attest to the stunning reality of this

story. I have seen its premise played out in real life many times in

all-too-similar scenarios. This film should be mandatory viewing for

every parent of a teenager in Orange County. It’s no wonder that

Catherine Hardwicke won best director at the Sundance Film Festival

for this film. It’s the real deal -- hard to watch, but worthy of

serious attention by the Academy.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.

‘Magdalene’ is a poetic exploration

Although I heard rave reviews about “The Magdalene Sisters” last

month, I had somehow procrastinated seeing the movie (something about

nuns and Laundromats just couldn’t compel me off my rocker). But when

one of my close friends recommended the film (and kept filling up my

e-mail inbox in order for me to see it), I decided enough was enough.

I’m actually irate that a movie this powerful and captivating

isn’t playing in more locations (i.e. Costa Mesa). Laundry and nuns

are only the tip of the iceberg, as this movie is really about the

true lives of four young ladies brought to a boarding home for

supposedly being whores.

The film begins with a short background into what brings these

young ladies to their miserable new home, run by a group of wickedly

cruel and sadistic nuns. Each girl has her own sad story, but they

learn to abandon their pity upon meeting Sister Bridget (Geraldine

McEwan), who is hands down the summer’s best villain (despite the

rosary around her neck).

While each girl’s battle to survive inside Magdalene is poetically

explored, audiences will find it impossible to forget the quirky

girl, Crispina -- played by Eileen Walsh, whose magnificent

performance penetrates your soul. To see her pain through the eyes of

another girl is not only gripping but highly effective. If you didn’t

cry when you saw the price of the theater’s nighttime admission,

you’ll likely shed a few tears for this seemingly simple but complex

character.

You might find the true story of these young ladies’ lives inside

Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries during the 1960s somewhere on the

Internet, but it should hardly compare to watching this film inside a

crowded theater. This is definitely the type of film where the

destination is not as important as the journey itself. And as a

moviegoer, the journey into these girls’ painful lives doesn’t get

much better than this.

Grade: A

* ANDREW NGUYEN, a freelance writer and political activist,

resides in Costa Mesa.