1é and Holding

Title: 12 and Holding
Year: 2005
Genre: Drama
Directed: Michael Cuesta
Cast: Conor Donovan,Jesse Camacho,Zoe Weizenbaum,Jeremy Renner...
SUBs: English,Spanish
The raw and fragile lives of three preteens unravel in 12 and Holding, a rich and compelling independent film. When an outgoing boy named Rudy is accidentally killed by two other boys, Rudy's twin brother Jacob (Conor Donovan) starts visiting the killers in prison to try to make sense of his life and of his parent's diverse reactions; his mother (Jayne Atkinson, 24) craves revenge while his father (Linus Roache, Priest) tries to move forward. Meanwhile, two of the twins' friends also spin off in diverse directions: Precocious Malee (Zoe Weizenbaum) becomes fixated on a troubled construction worker (Jeremy Renner, North Country), while overweight Leonard (Jesse Camacho) obsesses on losing weight and forcing his obese family to lose weight as well. 12 and Holding moves fluidly between these three stories, gradually building an emotional intimacy with the characters that is unsettling, sad, and finally rewarding. The movie hits a few false notes, but the vast majority of the scenes feel vivid and honest, much like director Michael Cuesta's previous film, L.I.E.. Both the adults (including Annabella Sciorra, Jungle Fever) and the kids give excellent performances; Renner's wrenching turn stands out, but the entire cast makes this a memorable and complex film.