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ACTOR
Conor DonovanJesse CamachoZoe WeizenbaumAnnabella Sciorra
DIRECTOR
Michael Cuesta
SYNOPSICS
12 and Holding (2005) is a English movie. Michael Cuesta has directed this movie. Conor Donovan,Jesse Camacho,Zoe Weizenbaum,Annabella Sciorra are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2005. 12 and Holding (2005) is considered one of the best Drama movie in India and around the world.
After his twin brother is accidentally killed by vengeful bullies, a 12-year old boy and his friends face the harsh realities of death, teenage hormones, and family dysfunction.
12 and Holding (2005) Trailers
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12 and Holding (2005) Reviews
Nice production, good script, outstanding casting, great young actors
Nice production, good script, outstanding casting, great young actors and well chosen music makes this a gem. One can complain about some of the extremes of the plot, but forgive the excesses and farcical elements for the sake of a well woven story. It begins with four kids, friends growing up in a middle-class neighborhood. A significant event splits the initial single thread into three, each following a child: the precocious Malee making her first amorous exploration; Leonard and his struggle with obesity, not only his but also of his immediate family; and the conflicted Jacob. While the film would classify as a drama, there is a good deal of humor to counterbalance the tension that is maintained throughout. The editing is superb in how it moves nimbly among the threads, keeping us always interested and curious about what will happen to the characters. The young actors deliver their parts with aplomb which combined with excellent directing should make this a success.
A terrific movie about children, but not for children.
This is a haunting coming-of-age film about children, bound by a common, shocking tragedy, who struggle to get on with life and overcome their own troubling problems. Despite the severity of issues conveyed in this film's overlapping vignettes, it never becomes melodramatic. Artful screen writing and direction infuse humor in the telling of these children's stories---stories rich with characters who are colorful, but never contrived. All of the children provide very genuine, endearing performances---essential if the audience is going to empathize with them and their disturbing behavior. This movie will frequently make you uncomfortable---very uncomfortable. But no matter how horrifying and even monstrous these children's actions may be, they never lose their appealing and disarming qualities as children. These are very cool kids, even the most troubled, who easily win your affection. During the course of the movie, one of the children queries the others by asking, "Do you know ninety-percent of people's problems are due to their inability to get over the past?" All of these children will be faced with this challenge. You hope all will overcome this obstacle, but sadly, not all of them will or should be able to get over their past.
If you cant relate - then life has been good to you...
Fantastic movie with a multitude of messages. Would make for an excellent movie to show and discuss in schools - I dare you :-) Acting is incredible and pretty much all comes trough the screen as real persons and not some abstractions from a writers imagination. What hopefully will get through to the viewers is how perceptive children are in reading the adults world both literally and the subtle emotions that adults/parents try to keep them from getting. Since most children doesn't have the experience and information needed to filter all this, it can have some really disturbing consequences when children acts in response as is clearly shown here. Luckily it isn't all children who grow up with these kind of experiences - at least not as extreme, but I'm afraid that a lot of parents would be very scared to know that an awful lot actually can relate to this movie...
An Intense, Riveting, Extraordinary Cinematic Achievement
12 AND HOLDING is one of those little Indie films that somehow slips through the cracks of public attention and only when it is released on DVD does it surface as brilliant star of a film. Powerfully and sensitively written by Anthony Cipriano and directed with unrelenting intensity and grace by Michael Cuesta, this is a film about youngsters on the brink of adulthood who respond to each other and to events in ways far beyond the scope of most mature adults. Identical twins Rudy and Jacob Carges (Conor Donovan in both roles) differ in the fact that Jacob has a facial birthmark and feels second fiddle to his twin Rudy, a quick, tempered lad who eggs on bullies causing the maelstrom that is to follow. Their close friends are Malee Chuang (Zoe Weizenbaum), the daughter of psychologist Dr. Carla Chuang (Annabella Sciorra) who remains bruised by a failed marriage to an abusive husband, and grossly obese Leonard Fisher (Jesse Camacho) whose parents (Marcia DeBonis and Tom McGowan) are equally addicted to junk food. When Rudy challenges two ruffian classmates (Michael Fuchs and Martin Campetta), the trio's tree house is threatened and is burned as a gesture or revenge - but Rudy happened to be inside the tree house and was burned to death. His parents (Linus Roache and Jayne Atkinson) are devastated as is Jacob, now their only son and one who feels he should have been the twin that died. The family wants revenge and is infuriated when the two lads who caused the tragedy are given only one year of detention. This event sets off changes in the three friends: Jacob visits the perpetrators in the detention home, unable to see that Rudy's death was an unplanned accident. He threatens the lads and one actually commits suicide in his cell. Jacob gradually becomes friends with the other lad when his security at home is threatened by is parent's adoption of a black son. This new camaraderie results in a plan that leads to a surprising end. In the meanwhile, Leonard's injury in the fire leads to his loss of taste and he sees his obesity, and that of his entire family, as disgusting and commits to changing his life, unable to even forcibly gain the same change from his parents - another surprising end. And Malee's desperate need for a father figure and her starting adolescence leads her to become enchanted by one of her mother's patients, construction worker Gus Maitland (Jeremy Renner in a superb performance) and she attempts to seduce the psychologically damaged Gus without success. The manner in which these three youngsters enter the adult world is more than challenging and the results of their response to entering 'maturity' and to the trauma of the death of Rudy is shattering. Cuesta directs these fine actors - there is not a weak one in the cast - with surety and a degree of sense of spontaneity that is truly splendid. This is most assuredly an ensemble performance worthy of awards: it is also a series of star turns for Jeremy Renner, Annabella Sciorra, Conor Donovan, Zoe Weizenbaum and Jesse Camacho. This is independent film-making at its finest: the story is tough, the conclusions disturbing, and the quality of acting is astounding. First Class work. Grady Harp
Don't like Drama's? You do now!
One night, I was on the couch, looking through my "TMN on demand" movie selections, movies A-Z. Looking for good movies to watch on the movie network is tough, considering you don't know what ones are good/recommended and what ones you should entirely stay away from. I watched all of the ones that fit my taste, and one night, I decided to view the movie "Twelve and Holding", hardly knowing anything about it. I'm not really a fan of dramas at all, the "Family Channel" Disney, pretty much ruined them for me, with these lame drama-comedy's such as MVP and cheap independent cartoon type ones. I decided to give it a chance, because I wasn't really in the mood for any action or horror or Comedy's like I usually was. As soon as it passed the dramatic scenes about a brother tragically loosing his life to a Molotov cocktail, I was absorbed into the fascinating character study and couldn't wait to see what happened next in the tale. Many characters with completely different problems are examined in this story, and it ties together nicely with the main plot. Inspiring and heartbreaking moments with truly remarkable well-acted sequences. The actors often seemed way to real, to me, and instead of feeling like a total wordplay, the writing style was original and refreshing. There is a good amount of subplots in this coming-of-age story and they are studied with well-written dialog, awkward or funny moments and significant captivating motivational characters. This movie isn't nearly as highly acclaimed as I proposed it was going to be, only one nomination? No Oscar nominations? Nothing!? Surely it deserves more observation on a critical side. Consideration, understanding, the dealing of problems, and temptations are pretty much the four key aspects this movie is tackling and trying to make the viewer take into consideration, but people aren't giving it a fighting chance. Speaking of characters, five strong characters are highlighted in this film. Jeremy Renner, who plays Gus, a mislead need-no-sympathy pathetic man who tries to be a clean role model to a little girl, Zoe Weizenbaum who happens to be one of the other lead characters, playing Malee. Jesse Camacho playing Leonard, who has to deal with his overweight family, one of the more motivational and inspirational characters of the film. He is also overweight, but actually is the one who is trying to take action and loose weight. Conor Donovan, another powerful actor from the film, plays two characters, himself and his much more unapproachable and risk-taking brother. Two strong roles too fill, and he does the job. This film tops off with one of the most emotionally charged and satisfying endings I've seen in a drama since a long time. Highly recommended. 3/4 Stars